Habitus of nonverbal communication in virtual reality headset applications

Virtual reality headset stand out from other new media tools in terms of their impact on users. The nature of virtual reality can also cause sociological and cultural transformations. This research focuses on communication processes within the complex world of virtual reality. By understanding how nonverbal communication occurs in this context and the factors that are important in this process, it will enable an understanding of the structure of nonverbal communication in virtual reality headset applications. For this reason, factors such as avatar use, distance, environmental factors, and physical movements have been identified as themes. In conclusion, it is possible to state that virtual reality headset applications have a complex structure and occupy a space between real life and virtual life. The findings of the research are important for understanding the individual's class position, types of capital, and experiences, and how these are shaped in virtual reality when examined from the habitus perspective. Habitus states that social action does not develop solely as a result of individual actions, but rather as a situation that arises between the structure and the subject. In this context, it can be said that while users sometimes transfer their real-life practices to virtual reality and perceive it as real, in some cases they perceive it as a completely gamified environment. This situation demonstrates that the social structure developing within virtual reality headset applications, which have a complex reality structure, consists of a community that utilizes the opportunities offered by technology to the user but does not sever its connection with reality.