Escapism

The use of entertainment, fantasy, or immersive experiences to temporarily disconnect from real-world concerns, limitations, or stressors. In VR accessibility research, escapism is a significant motivator for disabled users, who may value VR as an opportunity to experience activities impossible in the real world—such as skateboarding, skydiving, or walking on a beach. This desire for escapism influences accessibility preferences: in gaming VR, disabled users may prefer fantasy avatars and barrier-free worlds rather than realistic disability representation. Understanding escapism as a legitimate and valuable goal helps designers create VR experiences that offer disabled users the same opportunities for imaginative engagement available to non-disabled users.