User Experience of Public Speaking Practice in Virtual Reality

Abstract

This study investigated how the sense of presence and the plausibility illusion of high-immersion virtual reality (VR) impacted students' public speaking anxiety when presenting in a foreign language. In the study, the students gave eight presentations in a VR classroom while using a high-immersion VR headset. The students' virtual audience resembled classmates who were programmed to show nonverbal behavior, such as gestures, mimicry, and body motion. Analysis of subsequent individual semi-structured interviews with the students showed that they experienced a sense of presence and plausibility illusion about the virtual audience and the virtual space. The participants also saw VR as an effective tool for practicing public speaking and reducing any attendant anxiety.