Horror VR as a tool supporting the emotional training of students of the uniformed services. Results of a research experiment

Abstract One of the most popular video game genres that have been attracting the attention of players for years is horror games. Their unique character is that they evoke a range of strong emotions. From a VR perspective, the above game genre gains a new, and more immersive dimension and, as a result, enables particularly intense experiences. The presented research was a pedagogical experiment and was conducted in 2024. The results covered a group of 140 players – students of the uniformed services. The selection for the research was intentional. The study used a quantitative-and-qualitative method. The collected data showed that VR horror games evoke statistically significantly higher levels of emotions such as fear, disgust, vigilance, ecstasy, and admiration, compared with PC horror games. According to the respondents, this tool supports learning how to manage stress, panic, and negative emotions, while offering an interesting and credible form of presentation. Consequently, it may be applied in emotional training. Compared with traditional training methods, VR horror provides a more immersive, emotionally intense experience, suggesting potential added value in this respect. Statistical calculations were performed using the Student’s T test and the Mann Whitney U test. During the analyses, the mean, mode, as well as the minimum, and maximum values were also determined. This study is not without limitations. It includes a relatively small and homogeneous sample limited to Polish students of the uniformed services. These constraints should be taken into account when interpreting the findings.