The Phenomenon of Presence in Virtual Reality Is Mistakenly Equated with Immersion

Abstract In contemporary scientific literature, the concept of presence in virtual reality is often fuzzily interpreted or conflated with the concept of immersion in video games. This paper aims to highlight that confusion, examine its possible causes and effects, and offer assistance for avoiding it in the future. Concepts of immersion and presence are analyzed in terms of their origins and current use. The distortion of the original understanding of the phenomenon of presence is highlighted, emphasizing its actual and potential harm to theoretical work and empirical research. A set of criteria for evaluating the adequacy of research methods concerning presence is introduced.