Comparative Comparison of Sense of Place in Real and Virtual Places

Place is not essentially a specific point on the Earth, it is a position in which human values and mental images form. Nowadays, increasing usage of virtual space and transforming human actions and social interactions from real world to virtual one show the increase of time spent in cybernetic world. This study compares the concept of physical and virtual places. It also aims to investigate capability of the conversion of virtual space to virtual place and the possibility of existing sense of place in it. In this regard, after addressing the concepts of place, virtual space and the possibility of transforming cyberspace to cyberplace, perception of place and it’s compatibility with virtual place is reviewed. Succeeding, the phenomenon of sense of place, its levels and then the probability of experiencing them in virtual world is studied. Lastly, after perusal of sense of place components, the comparative comparison between real and virtual sense of place will be cited. Finally, it is concluded that although virtual spaces have the capability of becoming a place, the sense of place cannot be experienced completely in it.