Presence
Short definition
Presence is the subjective feeling of being there, in the virtual environment, even though the person knows they are physically somewhere else.
In plain language
It is an experience of the person, distinct from immersion, which describes the technical characteristics of the system. Mel Slater distinguished place illusion (feeling that one is there) from plausibility illusion (feeling that what is happening is real). In research, presence is often cited as one of the mechanisms through which VR may divert attention from pain or anxiety.