Aesthetic experience in the physical and immersive virtual space

Art contemplation typically occurs in museums or art galleries. However, aesthetic experience has been predominantly investigated in laboratory settings, limiting the generalizability of the results. Virtual reality (VR) can create immersive and realistic simulations, potentially bridging this gap. However, the extent to which aesthetic engagement in virtual environments parallels that of physical exhibitions remains to be tested. To address this question, twenty-four art naïve participants visi