Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration Commons^™

An Investigation Of The Applicability Of The Uses And Gratifications Theory For Providing Insight Into E-Tourists’ Use Of Smartphones, Jang-Won Moon

All Dissertations

Despite the previous smartphone research in the context of travel and tourism, there is limited research based on a strong theoretical background that seeks to understand how tourists are motivated and satisfied via smartphone use. This study extended previous studies by systematically investigating and quantitatively measuring how and to what extent tourists are gratified (satisfied) by the use of smartphones during their trips based on the Uses and Gratifications Theory.

According to this theory, individuals choose a media platform with the anticipation that it will aid them in realizing a specific intention, the satisfaction of this need being referred to …

Can Simulated Nature Support Mental Health? Comparing Short, Single-Doses Of 360-Degree Nature Videos In Virtual Reality With The Outdoors, Michael H.E.M. Browning, Katherine J. Mimnaugh, Carena J. Van Riper, Heidemarie K. Laurent, Steven M. Lavalle

Publications

Nature exposure in virtual reality (VR) can provide emotional well-being benefits for people who cannot access the outdoors. Little is known about how these simulated experiences compare with real outdoor experiences. We conduct an experiment with healthy undergraduate students that tests the effects of 6 min of outdoor nature exposure with 6 min of exposure to a 360-degree VR nature video, which is recorded at the outdoor nature exposure location. Skin conductivity, restorativeness, and mood before and after exposure are measured. We find that both types of nature exposure increase physiological arousal, benefit positive mood levels, and are restorative compared …