2026-06-10 マックス・プランク研究所
◆研究では、オランダの大学1年生321名を対象に、VR介入群、スマートフォンアプリ群、通常の目標設定支援群を比較した。参加者は10年後の自分のアバターと対話し、将来像を具体的に体験した。その結果、VR・アプリの両群で「未来の自分との連続性」「将来像の鮮明さ」「未来の自分への肯定的感情」が有意に向上した。特にVR群では、週単位の目標達成率が大幅に高まり、効果は介入後6か月時点でも一部維持された。研究者らは、未来を単に想像するのではなく「体験する」ことで、将来をより現実的に捉えられるようになり、長期的な目標達成への動機付けが高まると説明している。教育や健康増進分野での応用が期待される成果である。
Use of VR headset: Researchers found that individuals who experience their future selves in a VR simulation identify more strongly with them. © MAXLab Freiburg; MPI-CSL
＜関連情報＞
- https://www.mpg.de/26794318/vr-simulations-can-enhance-long-term-thinking
- https://www.jmir.org/2026/1/e84420
仮想現実とスマートフォンアプリを用いた未来の自己像を通して、未来志向の思考と目標達成を促進する：ランダム化比較試験 Stimulating Future-Oriented Thinking and Goal-Achievement Through the Future Self Using Virtual Reality and a Smartphone App: Randomized Controlled Trial
Jean-Louis van Gelder; Tiffany Tettero; Aniek Siezenga; Esther Mertens
Journal of Medical Internet Research Published:13.May.2026
DOI:https://preprints.jmir.org/preprint/84420
Abstract
Background:Research suggests that identification with one’s future self—encompassing vividness, connectedness, and valence—plays a key role in motivating future-oriented choices and goal pursuit. Interventions aiming to strengthen future self-identification have been shown to reduce maladaptive behaviors and promote well-being, but traditional approaches often rely heavily on imagination. Emerging technologies offer novel opportunities to make the future self more vivid and tangible, potentially reducing cognitive burden, and enhancing intervention effectiveness.
Objective:This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of a digital intervention on the following primary outcomes: future self-identification, future orientation, consideration of future consequences, self-defeating behavior, goal commitment, and goal achievement.
Methods:In this parallel, 3-arm randomized controlled trial, 321 first-year students from a large public university in the Netherlands were randomized (1:1:1) with blocks of 9 to a smartphone app–based future-self intervention, an immersive virtual reality (VR) version of the same intervention, or an active goal-setting control condition. Participants assigned to the smartphone or VR condition engaged with the intervention over a 3-week period, during which they interacted with their 10-year-old self, their future self. Participants in the control condition received no further support. Each of the 3 conditions consisted of 107 participants, who were all included in the analyses following the intention-to-treat principle. Due to the nature of the intervention, blinding was not possible.
Results:Compared to the goal-setting control condition, both intervention conditions yielded significant short-term improvements on all 3 aspects of future self-identification (smartphone: dvividness=0.49; dvalence=0.44; dconnectedness=0.43; VR: dvividness=0.35; dvalence=0.44; dconnectedness=0.43), and a small decline in vividness (smartphone: d=−0.36; VR: d=−0.23) and connectedness (smartphone: d=−0.36; VR: d=−0.32) at 6-month follow-up. Additionally, the intervention buffered declines in future orientation during the study period (smartphone: d=.16; VR: d=0.18), and VR delivery led to significantly higher weekly goal achievement (d=0.88). However, effects on future orientation were not sustained over time (smartphone: d=−0.18; VR: d=−0.25), resulting in similar levels across conditions at 6-month follow-up. Furthermore, no significant effects emerged for other primary or secondary outcomes, such as self-defeating behavior (smartphone: doverall=−0.10; VR: doverall=−0.03), impulsivity (smartphone: doverall=−0.07; VR: doverall=−0.09), or academic performance (η2partial=0.00). No adverse events were reported in any of the conditions.
Conclusions:This randomized controlled trial innovatively compares smartphone and immersive VR future-self interventions. Findings suggest that digital interventions leveraging visual and interactive representations of the future self can strengthen future self-identification and future orientation, and support (short-term) goal pursuit. Together, they highlight the potential of scalable digital future self approaches for educational and preventive health contexts.
Trial Registration:ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05578755; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05578755
