Spatial Sound in Digital Nature : Impact of immersion through spatial sounds on the effects of a digital nature experience for older adults

Nature sounds are considered healing and have restorative functions on stress levels and wellbeing. In the field of digital nature, most research has been performed on the effects of the digital nature as a whole, but not on the effect of different audio complexity for the nature sounds. Spatial sounds have shown to be promising for increasing immersion and attention, making it useful for enhancing the digital nature experience. In this thesis, we use VR glasses to explore the difference between mono audio and spatial audio in a digital nature experience. Results are measured with questionnaires and an observational scale. The results shows a slight positive trend in relaxation and no change in spatial presence and attention. A difference in curiosity was measured between the two conditions. A difference was not actively noted by the participants, but the results suggest that the change in audio could be perceived subconsciously.