Abstract
The current study was performed to assess the phenomenon known as Presence, to measure Anxiety responses, simulator sickness and autonomic activation in subjects of the general population. The sample consisted in 37 Argentine participants (15 male, 22 female) between ages 20 and 40; who were exposed to 3 virtual environments designed to research and treat phobias. Instruments utilized for this study were the Symptom Checklist 90-R, Acrophobia Questionnaire, Fear of Spiders Questionnaire, The Claustrophobia Questionnaire, Igroup Presence Questionnaire, Simulator Sickness Questionnaire and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. All virtual environments generated sufficient feeling of presence. Cybersickness was only registered in the Elevator scenario. The Apartment and Spiders environments have shown not to be anxiety triggers within this population. As for Elevator, a significant increase in the level of state anxiety was generated. A possible hypothesis to account for this fact might be that reported anxiety responds to movement simulated in the virtual scenario while on the other two scenarios the subjects remained static. The existence of a correlation between HRV and state anxiety has been analyzed and no significant relation has been found between the variables. Even though there is a relation between anxiety and presence, no significant relation has been found between anxiety and presence. Regarding sensory conflict, a follow up study in the Elevator environment should be done, eliminating movement and exposing subjects to the stimuli while static at different heights. Future studies should consider broadening the size of the sample and studying clinical population to compare results.
Highlights
Virtual reality is a computer generated simulation in which the individual moves from the place of a spectator to become an active participant who interacts and manipulates a synthetic and tridimensional universe [1]
As for the most relevant advantages, it is worth pointing out the opportunity to carry out the exposure to the virtual environment without having to wait until certain circumstances occur in the real world; the possibility to graduate the difficulties on an accuracy level which reality does not permit; keep each of the elements and occurrences under the therapist’s control; and to manipulate certain variables such as the length of time and repetition [2,8].On the other hand, research in the field reveal that certain patients would rather be exposed to Virtual reality (VR) than to a real live situation [9,10] a fact which preserves the intimacy and privacy of the Auctores Publishing – Volume 4(1)-068 www.auctoresonline.org ISSN: 2690-1897
Average presence values found in this research are higher in all the environments than those calculated with the data provided by Igroup Presence Questionnaire (IPQ) authors, M=38.16; SD=17.53[51]
Summary
Virtual reality is a computer generated simulation in which the individual moves from the place of a spectator to become an active participant who interacts and manipulates a synthetic and tridimensional universe [1]. It is a technology that provides the creation of computer simulated and interactive environments - cyberspaces similar to real spaces- which create the feeling of being physically present in them and allow interaction with it, with its diverse scenarios, objects and beings in real time [2,3,4]. In these tridimensional environments where an individual can find himself dynamically interacting, outstanding stimuli can be manipulated and presented in a context which is significant for the individual; and such stimuli can be systematically [5] controlled. As for the most relevant advantages, it is worth pointing out the opportunity to carry out the exposure to the virtual environment without having to wait until certain circumstances occur in the real world; the possibility to graduate the difficulties on an accuracy level which reality does not permit; keep each of the elements and occurrences under the therapist’s control; and to manipulate certain variables such as the length of time and repetition [2,8].On the other hand, research in the field reveal that certain patients would rather be exposed to VR than to a real live situation [9,10] a fact which preserves the intimacy and privacy of the Auctores Publishing – Volume 4(1)-068 www.auctoresonline.org ISSN: 2690-1897
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