VR Environment in the Metamodern Paradigm: The Genesis of Hybrid Models of Sociocultural Interaction

The purpose of the study is to determine the specifics of the formation of hybrid models of socio-cultural interaction in the virtual reality (VR) environment through the theoretical lens of metamodernism and to assess the impact of the VR phenomenon on the transformation of contemporary cultural practices. The research materials include international and Russian VR projects, divided into four main groups: projects in the sphere of cultural heritage and museum studies (Rome Reborn, Hermitage VR, etc.), educational platforms (Engage VR and AltspaceVR), artistic and creative projects (Tilt Brush, The Museum of Other Realities, etc.), and social VR platforms (VRChat, Decentraland, etc.). The methodological foundation is interdisciplinary, integrating approaches from digital humanities, digital ethnography, semiotic analysis, and phenomenology for a comprehensive study of the multifaceted nature of VR as a cultural phenomenon. At the initial stage, the conceptual foundations of metamodernism and its manifestations in digital culture were examined. At the analytical stage, specific VR platforms and projects were analyzed to identify the specifics of how they transform cultural practices. In particular, the influences of the VR environment on the hybridization of identity, cultural memory, and social communication were investigated. It was established that VR serves as fertile ground for the actualization of metamodernist principles, such as transitivity, hybridity, and oscillation between polar states. It was determined that VR technologies contribute to the creation of hybrid models of socio-cultural interaction by blurring the boundaries between the real and the virtual, the traditional and the innovative. Specific manifestations of this hybridization were identified in various domains: (1) in the sphere of cultural heritage (the transformation of passive observation into an immersive, interactive experience through VR); (2) in education (the creation of collaborative, borderless learning environments); (3) in art (the enabling of new forms of creative expression that combine physical and digital elements); and (4) in social communication (experimentation with identity and the formation of new communities). The conclusions emphasize that VR is not only a technological medium but also an active agent of cultural genesis, contributing to the development of fluid, multiple, and hybrid identities and social practices. The ambivalent nature of the VR phenomenon was revealed, implying its potential for cultural integration and innovation alongside risks associated with social atomization, cognitive distortions, and digital inequality.