Virtual Nature in Open-World Games Increases Psychological Restoration and Indirectly Promotes Environmental Behavior

Submitted to PNAS, 2026

Joint work with Sarah L. Flecke and Tobias Greitemeyer. The paper studies psychological restoration as a pathway linking virtual nature experiences to environmental behavior.

Recommended citation: Flecke, S. L., Greitemeyer, T., & Schwaiger, R. (2026). Virtual Nature in Open-World Games Increases Psychological Restoration and Indirectly Promotes Environmental Behavior. Working paper.