Virtual Worlds and Well-being: Current Research and Future Directions
Virtual worlds are persistent, immersive environments that blend physical and digital spaces in real time. The expanding use of these technologies underscores the need to study their impact on users’ well-being. Drawing on insights from 16 experts across diverse disciplines, this report provides an overview of the current state of scientific knowledge on this topic and outlines pathways for future research and cross-sector collaboration. The expert contributions address a wide range of issues, from lessons learned in previous research on social media and video games, to the distinctive features of virtual worlds and how these may influence users’ well-being. They also explore emerging methodological approaches for studying these environments and discuss questions related to platform governance and content moderation. The perspectives gathered in this report highlight the importance of considering technological features, content, and user characteristics to develop a nuanced understanding of the risks and benefits associated with virtual worlds. Integrating these perspectives, this report aims to lay the groundwork for future multidisciplinary research and sustained collaboration among key stakeholders, emphasizing the need for rigorous, inclusive, and policy-relevant studies that can help unlock the opportunities while addressing the challenges of virtual world applications.
BARREDA ANGELES Miguel;
AMENDOLA Simone;
DA SILVA Claudia;
SOMIA Tatiana;
BOUCHER Philip;
SCHADE Sven;
MEIER Adrian;
MANSFIELD Karen;
GUNSCHERA Lukas;
ORBEN Amy;
TURNER Georgia;
GRIFFITHS Mark;
HARTMANN Tilo;
FREEMAN Guo;
GUI Xinning;
KOU Yubo;
BAUMGARTNER Susanne;
VUORRE Matti;
OHME Jakob;
HINE Emmie;
LÓPEZ RICHART Julián;
BELMOUSSI Ouassima;
BARREDA ANGELES Miguel;
AMENDOLA Simone;
DA SILVA Claudia;
SOMIA Tatiana;
BOUCHER Philip;
SCHADE Sven;
2025-11-04
Publications Office of the European Union
JRC143343
978-92-68-31434-0 (online),
OP KJ-01-25-462-EN-N (online),
https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC143343,
10.2760/7811534 (online),
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