VR Versus IRL Walking: Equivalencies and Discrepancies Between Walking Through a Downtown District in Virtual Reality and in Real Life

Background: Virtual reality (VR) is a potential solution to the lack of causal evidence regarding how changing the physical environment can increase walking. For VR to be employed in walkability research, the degree to which walking in VR mimics the real world (RW) must be quantified.

Methods: In a preregistered study, 39 participants walked in a historic RW district and in a VR replica. In both environments, participants completed “errands” by either walking to specific locations (e.g., a bank) or choosing an alternate transportation option representing driving.

Results: Accounting for preregistered controls, walking duration differed along a session-number-by-condition (VR/RW) interaction; however, when stratified by condition order, participants walked for a comparable duration in VR and the RW. Generally, participants enjoyed physical activity (PA) less and were more likely to choose the driving option in VR than the RW, although their self-reported walking motivation was equivalent. Concerning intensity, average heart rate (HR) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) duration based on HR were equivalent across conditions, while light PA duration (based on HR) and MVPA duration based on accelerometry were lower in VR. Lastly, certain psychosocial judgments of the VR and RW environments (e.g., mood) were similar, while others differed (e.g., spaciousness).

Discussion: Although participants walked similar durations in VR and the RW, transportation decisions differed, perhaps due to less intense walking in VR, leading to a shortage of time to complete the “errands.” Individuals tend to walk more slowly and cautiously in VR, meaning participants may have chosen the quicker alternative (“driving”) out of necessity rather than out of a desire to stop walking. The current study concerned a highly walkable, homogeneous environment; further research should investigate the comparability of VR and RW walking in diverse locations. This research has important implications for using VR in urban planning and city decision-making.