Comparing Visual Search between Physical Environments and VR

Abstract

Virtual reality is used under the assumption that humans behave similarly in virtual reality and in physical environments. This assumption lacks extensive testing, thus risking unexpected human behavior when working with virtual reality. In the current study, we tested this assumption by comparing the performance on visual search tasks in physical environments and in virtual reality. The participants (n = 29) performed search tasks while standing still and search tasks that required walking in both physical environments and in virtual reality. We compared search speed, accuracy, workload, and cognitive absorption with Bayesian t-tests and factorial ANOVAs. Our results provide weak to moderate evidence that all are similar in virtual reality as in physical environments, even when controlling for virtual reality experience and personal innovativeness. Our findings provide some evidence for the assumption that virtual reality can simulate and replace visual search tasks in physical environments. This knowledge can be used to justify the use of virtual reality to, for example, study the human visual system, train surgeons, and remotely operate ships. We suggest further scrutiny of the underlying assumptions of virtual reality use, for example, by studying more naturalistic scenarios, the role of memory, and interaction with objects.