Abstract
Virtual reality (VR) head-mounted displays (HMD) appear to be effective research tools, which may address the problem of ecological validity in neuropsychological testing. However, their widespread implementation is hindered by VR induced symptoms and effects (VRISE) and the lack of skills in VR software development. This study offers guidelines for the development of VR software in cognitive neuroscience and neuropsychology, by describing and discussing the stages of the development of Virtual Reality Everyday Assessment Lab (VR-EAL), the first neuropsychological battery in immersive VR. Techniques for evaluating cognitive functions within a realistic storyline are discussed. The utility of various assets in Unity, software development kits, and other software are described so that cognitive scientists can overcome challenges pertinent to VRISE and the quality of the VR software. In addition, this pilot study attempts to evaluate VR-EAL in accordance with the necessary criteria for VR software for research purposes. The VR neuroscience questionnaire (VRNQ; Kourtesis et al., 2019b) was implemented to appraise the quality of the three versions of VR-EAL in terms of user experience, game mechanics, in-game assistance, and VRISE. Twenty-five participants aged between 20 and 45 years with 12-16 years of full-time education evaluated various versions of VR-EAL. The final version of VR-EAL achieved high scores in every sub-score of the VRNQ and exceeded its parsimonious cut-offs. It also appeared to have better in-game assistance and game mechanics, while its improved graphics substantially increased the quality of the user experience and almost eradicated VRISE. The results substantially support the feasibility of the development of effective VR research and clinical software without the presence of VRISE during a 60-minute VR session.
Highlights
In cognitive neuroscience and neuropsychology, the collection of cognitive and behavioral data is predominantly achieved by implementing psychometric tools
The final version of VREAL exceeded the parsimonious cut-off for the VRNQ total score, while the alpha and beta versions of VR-EAL did not
The beta version of VR-EAL approached the cut-offs for user experience and game mechanics; it was substantially below the cut-offs for in-game assistance and VRISE
Summary
In cognitive neuroscience and neuropsychology, the collection of cognitive and behavioral data is predominantly achieved by implementing psychometric tools (i.e., cognitive screening and testing). Psychometric tools in clinics and/or laboratories display several limitations and discrepancies between the observed performance in the laboratory/clinic and the actual performance of individuals in everyday life (Rizzo et al, 2004; Bohil et al, 2011; Parsons, 2015). The functional and predictive association between an individual’s performance on a set of neuropsychological tests and the individual’s performance in various everyday life settings is called ecological validity. Ecological validity is considered an important issue that cannot be resolved by the currently available assessment tools (Rizzo et al, 2004; Bohil et al, 2011; Parsons, 2015). Ecological validity is especially important in the assessment of certain cognitive functions, which are crucial for performance in everyday life (Chaytor and Schmitter-Edgecombe, 2003). Prospective memory (i.e., the ability to remember to carry out intended actions at the correct point in the future; McDaniel and Einstein, 2007) plays an important role in everyday life and the assessment of prospective memory abilities requires ecologically valid tasks (Phillips et al, 2008)
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