VR Condition Research Articles

Time Compression in Virtual Reality

Abstract Virtual-reality (VR) users and developers have informally reported that time seems to pass more quickly while playing games in VR. We refer to this phenomenon as time compression: a longer real duration is compressed into a shorter perceived experience. To investigate this effect, we created two versions of a labyrinth-like game. The versions are identical in their content and mode of control but differ in their display type: one was designed to be played in VR, and the other on a conventional monitor (CM). Participants were asked to estimate time prospectively using an interval production method. Participants played each version of the game for a perceived five-minute interval, and the actual durations of the intervals they produced were compared between display conditions. We found that in the first block, participants in the VR condition played for an average of 72.6 more seconds than participants in the CM condition before feeling that five minutes had passed. This amounts to perceived five-minute intervals in VR containing 28.5% more actual time than perceived five-minute intervals in CM. However, the effect appeared to be reversed in the second block when participants switched display conditions, suggesting large novelty and anchoring effects, and demonstrating the importance of using between-subjects designs in interval production experiments. Overall, our results suggest that VR displays do produce a significant time compression effect. We discuss a VR-induced reduction in bodily awareness as a potential explanation for how this effect is mediated and outline some implications and suggestions for follow-up experiments.

Meditating in Virtual Reality 3: 360° Video of Perceptual Presence of Instructor.

ObjectivesThe need for remote delivery of mental health interventions including instruction in meditation has become paramount in the wake of the current global pandemic. However, the support one may usually feel within the physical presence of an instructor may be weakened when interventions are delivered remotely, potentially impacting one’s meditative experiences. Use of head-mounted displays (HMD) to display video-recorded instruction may increase one’s sense of psychological presence with the instructor as compared to presentation via regular flatscreen (e.g., laptop) monitor. This research therefore evaluated a didactic, trauma-informed care approach to instruction in mindfulness meditation by comparing meditative responses to an instructor-guided meditation when delivered face-to-face vs. by pre-recorded 360° videos viewed either on a standard flatscreen monitor (2D format) or via HMD (i.e., virtual reality [VR] headset; 3D format).MethodsYoung adults (n = 82) were recruited from a university introductory course and experienced a 360° video-guided meditation via HMD (VR condition, 3D format). They were also randomly assigned to practice the same meditation either via scripted face-to-face instruction (in vivo [IV] format) or when viewed on a standard laptop display (non-VR condition, 2D format). Positive and negative affect and meditative experience ratings were self-reported and participants’ maintenance of focused attention to breathing (i.e., meditation breath attention scores [MBAS]) were recorded during each meditation.ResultsMeditating in VR (3D format) was associated with a heightened experience of awe overall. When compared to face-to-face instruction (IV format), VR meditation was rated as less embarrassing but also less enjoyable and more tiring. When compared to 2D format, VR meditations were associated with greater experiences of relaxation, less distractibility from the process of breathing, and less fatigue. No differences were found between VR and non-VR meditation in concentration (MBAS). Baseline posttraumatic stress symptoms were risk factors for experiencing distress while meditating in either (VR and non-VR) instructional format. Of those who reported a preference for one format, approximately half preferred the VR format and approximately half preferred the IV format.ConclusionsRecorded 360° video instruction in meditation viewed with a HMD (i.e., VR/3D format) appears to offer some experiential advantage over instructions given in 2D format and may offer a safe—and for some even preferred—alternative to teaching meditation face-to-face.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12671-021-01612-w.

Experiencing Presence in a Gaming Activity Improves Mood After a Negative Mood Induction

Research suggests that immersion in computer games is beneficial for recovering from stress and improving mood. However, no study linked explicit measures of presence—individually experienced immersion—to mood enhancement. In the present experiment, immersion of a gaming activity was varied, and levels of presence and enjoyment were measured and connected to mood repair after a stress-induction. The participants (N = 77) played a game in virtual reality (VR; high immersion), on the desktop (medium immersion), or watched a recording of the game (low immersion). Positive emotions were enhanced in the high and medium, but not the low immersion condition. Presence was a significant predictor in the VR condition. Furthermore, an explanatory mediation analysis showed that enjoyment mediated the effect of presence on mood repair. These findings demonstrate positive effects of presence experiences in gaming. Strong presence in VR seems especially helpful for enhancing mood and building up positive emotional resources.

Virtual reality head-mounted goggles increase the body sway of young adults during standing posture

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of wearing virtual reality head-mounted goggles (VR) on body sway in young adults. We run two experiments, in which we compared the body sway while standing during the conditions of 1) wearing and non-wearing VR with eyes-opened (experiment #1), 2) wearing and no-wearing VR with eyes-closed (experiment #2), and 3) wearing VR with eyes-opened when the scene was turned on and off (experiment #2). Forty-four (experiment #1) and fifteen (experiment #2) young adults were instructed to remain as still as possible on a force plate for 60-s and performed three trials in each quiet standing condition. The center of pressure (CoP) displacement, mean velocity, root mean square (RMS), area and median frequency of sway were calculated in both experiments. In the experiment #1, wearing VR condition with eyes-opened largely increased the AP and ML CoP displacement, AP mean velocity, AP and ML RMS, and area (p < 0.05) compared to non-wearing VR with eyes-opened. In the experiment #2, no differences were found for any conditions (eyes-closed and eyes-opened with turned on and off VR scene). In conclusion, wearing VR head-mounted goggles increased body sway of young adults during standing postural task, when the individuals were with eyes-opened. However, the effects of wearing VR head-mounted goggles on body sway disappeared when the individuals were with eyes-closed or the google scene was turned off the scene compared to not wearing VR head-mounted goggles with eyes-closed or turned on scene, respectively.

The effectiveness of a marketing virtual reality learning simulation: A quantitative survey with psychophysiological measures

AbstractVirtual reality (VR) technology has been shown to be a promising teaching method in STEM subjects. Extending these findings, the current study is the first to develop and examine the feasibility of using a VR simulation in marketing (ie, a non‐STEM subject). Specifically, the levels of immersion and three learning outcomes (learning attitude, enjoyment and performance) were compared between the marketing students who learned the same content through a VR simulation prototype versus a traditional static video presentation. Learning enjoyment was measured using facial electromyography, which served as a more objective measures for the feeling of enjoyment. Compared to the video condition, the results showed that VR resulted in a higher experience of immersion, learning attitude and learning enjoyment. Furthermore, immersion was found to fully mediate the positive effects of the VR simulation on learning attitude, but not enjoyment. Surprisingly, students in the video condition performed better on the knowledge‐based test than those in the VR condition. The current study suggests that the current prototype of the VR simulations should be used as supplementary resource to increase the learning attitude and enjoyment, but not as a main teaching material to enhance knowledge‐based performance in the marketing discipline.

Effects of the aural and visual experience on psycho-physiological recovery in urban and rural environments

This study examined the effects of aural and visual experience on psycho-physiological recovery in simulated environments. Laboratory experiments were conducted with 32 participants. Ten horror videos were used as stressor clips, while five videos depicted urban or rural settings as recovery clips. The videos were presented via VR (head-mounted display) and on a monitor screen. The effect of the audio presentation was tested by presenting the stimuli with or without sound. Psychological recovery was assessed using a set of questions (e.g., perceived preference). Physiological recovery was measured with five physiological responses (e.g., fEMG and HR) monitored throughout the experiment. It was found that the rural setting led to a better psycho-physiological recovery than the urban setting when the stimuli were presented both in the VR and Screen conditions. In particular, the rural setting with water features evoked the greatest recovery. The rural setting presented with water sound showed significant differences in psychological recovery between Audio-Visual and No-Audio conditions. Compared to the Screen condition, stimuli presented in the VR condition did not have any main effect on the psychological recovery; however, it showed main effects on some of the physiological responses. The audio presentation had significant impacts on all psychological recovery ratings but it showed an impact on only one physiological response, fEMG of the zygomatic muscle.

Virtual Reality: a Tool for Preservice Science Teachers to Put Theory into Practice

The purpose of the present study was to investigate, compare, and characterize interactive VR-based preservice science teacher clinical teaching environments with those of real-life teaching environments. Fifty-four college-aged students were assigned randomly to either real-life conditions or VR conditions. The main effect of the VR condition versus real-life was not statistically significant in terms of the retrospective engagement survey, psychological measures, and composite neuroimaging. This finding suggests that use of VR, in terms of the realism of the environment for the preservice science teachers allowed them to learn from modeled real-life situations for transfer of skills from VR to classroom use.

Virtual reality's effect on children's inhibitory control, social compliance, and sharing

We compared the effects of different immersive technologies on four- to six-year-olds' inhibitory control skills, social compliance (i.e., walking upon request), and sharing (i.e., physical stickers) with a children's media character (Grover from Sesame Street©). Children (N = 52) completed an inhibitory control task, Simon Says, with Grover either via TV or VR. Children using VR were less likely to suppress a dominant motoric response during Simon Says (i.e., not imitating Grover's actions at the appropriate time) compared to children using TV. More children in the VR condition approached Grover, and they shared a greater number of stickers with Grover compared to the TV condition (among those that shared). There were no differences between conditions for emotional or physical distress or children's enjoyment of the experience. These preliminary findings suggest that VR may elicit differential cognitive and social responses compared to less immersive technology.

Emotional Personalization in Immersive Journalism: Exploring the Influence of Emotional Testimonies and Modality on Emotional Valence, Presence, Empathy, and Recall

Abstract Immersive journalism (IJ), where individuals engage in a news story from a first-person perspective using interactive technologies, has become increasingly popular in recent years. Such stories may improve the impact of journalism on the audience by enhancing feelings and emotions associated with the news content. Studies have shown that rather than undermining rationality, emotion could increase engagement toward news pieces, and improve knowledge of social issues. Emotional personalization (EP), a strategy where the production of news content involves the emotional testimony of ordinary citizens at the heart of the story, is therefore increasingly employed. This study explores how EP, as well as the modality of IJ content, influences our perceptions and cognitions with regards to an IJ piece on war and conflict. In our study, 193 participants took part in a 2 (EP: present vs. absent) × 2 (modality: VR vs. desktop) experiment. Participants in the EP-present condition reported stronger feelings of presence and greater story recall, while those in the VR condition experienced lower emotional valence and stronger feelings of empathy. Our results support current literature on IJ and EP and suggest that with the rising interest in immersive technologies, sustained investigation on the implications of EP strategies in IJ is crucial.

Examining creativity through a virtual reality support system

This study explores the effects of immersive VR on an individual’s creativity and factors related to creativity including flow, attention and meditation (i.e., mental relaxation or stress). Sixty undergraduate students were invited to participate in an open-ended challenge to design a wearable technology functioning as a smart phone individually, either in the immersive VR condition (N = 30) or in the paper-and-pencil condition (N = 30). Surveys and electroencephalography (EEG) measurements were used to collect data. Findings showed that the participants in the immersive VR condition had higher quality creative products than those in the paper-and-pencil condition. The sequence analysis of the participants’ EEG brainwaves also showed that the participants in the immersive VR condition maintained a more stable focus or attention, while those in the paper-and-pencil condition were more relaxed. Research results led to a deeper understanding of using a VR support system for individual creativity. Recommendations for the design and application of an immersive VR creativity support system are discussed.

Who can benefit from virtual reality to reduce experimental pain? A crossover study in healthy subjects.

The present study aimed to identify predicting factors affecting experimental pain stimuli reduction by using 'EyeToy', which is an Immersive Virtual Reality System (IVRS). Sixty-two healthy subjects (31M, 31F) underwent a battery of pain tests to determine each participant's baseline sensitivity to nociceptive. The battery included thermal pain tests (hot and cold) as well as a paradigm to induce conditioned pain modulation (CPM). Later on, each subject participated in two study conditions in random order: (1) An exposure to tonic heat stimulation (46.5°C/135s) to the ankle while participating in VR environment which included an activity requiring limb movements; (2) Same heat stimulation with no exposure to VR. Six pain measures were taken during each study condition (baseline, test 1-5). An interaction of time×treatment was found (RM ANOVA, F(5, 305) =24.33, p<0.001, η²=0.28). Specifically, the reduction in pain score between baseline and test 1 was significantly greater in VR condition than in control (p<0.001). The maximal pain reduction in both conditions was between baseline and test 1. Hierarchical regression revealed gender and the extent of CPM as predictive factors for pain reduction in the VR condition (6.1% and 7.5%, respectively). It can be concluded that VR can serve as an effective manipulation for pain reduction in individuals with efficient CPM and in women. These findings constitute a promising platform for future research and hold potential for the improvement and facilitation of clinical treatment.

Cerebral cortical mechanisms of copying geometrical shapes: a multidimensional scaling analysis of fMRI patterns of activation

We used multidimensional scaling (MDS) to characterize the integrative neural mechanisms during viewing and subsequently copying nine geometrical shapes. Human subjects initially looked at a central fixation point ("rest" period), then looked at a geometrical shape ("visual" period) which they copied without visual feedback ("copying" period). BOLD signal was recorded from voxels in 28 cortical areas (14 from each hemisphere) using a 4 Tesla magnet. For each voxel, signal ratios of "Visual versus Rest" (VR), and "Copy versus Visual" (CV) were calculated and used to construct two sets of Euclidean distance dissimilarity matrices for the nine shapes, with separate matrices defined for each region of interest (ROI) across subjects. The relations of perceptual and motor aspects of the shapes to MDS dimensions and specific ROIs were assessed using stepwise multiple regressions. The optimal individually scaled (INDSCAL) solutions were 2-dimensional. For the VR condition, MDS dimensions were significantly associated with the presence of crossing in a shape (Dimension 1), and with perimeter, height, cycles, peak segment speed, and horizontal symmetry (Dimension 2). ROIs most prominently associated with these dimensions essentially comprised the medial frontal lobe bilaterally, the inferior frontal gyrus bilaterally, and the left intraparietal sulcus (Dimension 1), and visual areas, including the calcarine sulcus and cuneus bilaterally (Dimension 2). These results document the expected involvement of visual areas and support the hypothesis advanced on the basis of previous findings (Lewis et al. 2003a) that a motor rehearsal of the upcoming shape copying is occurring during this visual presentation period. For the CV condition, practically one motor feature (number of segments drawn) dominated both dimensions, with a secondary engagement of horizontal symmetry in Dimension 1. The right postcentral gyrus, right intraparietal sulcus, right superior parietal lobule and right inferior parietal lobule contributed mostly to Dimension 1; the superior frontal gyrus bilaterally, right middle frontal gyrus, left postcentral gyrus, left inferior parietal lobule contributed mostly to Dimension 2; and the left superior parietal lobule and left intraparietal sulcus contributed to both dimensions approximately equally. CV BOLD activation of ROIs contributing to Dimension 1 (or to both dimensions) was significantly associated with the number of shape segments drawn. Since the direction of movement differs in successively drawn shape segments, the number of segments (minus one) equals the number of changes in the direction of movement. We conclude that this fundamental spatial motor aspect of drawing geometrical shapes is the critical variable, independent of the particular shape drawn, that dominates cortical activation during copying.

Neuromagnetic cortical desynchronization during verbal fluency task

Objective We aimed to investigate temporal and spatial dynamics of beta band desynchronization during verbal fluency task (VFT), which is known to reflect one of the frontal lobe functions. Method Ten healthy right-handed volunteers participated. The task consisted of three conditions: Verbal fluency condition (VF), Verbal repetition condition (VR) and Rest condition (R). Gradient magnetic field was recorded with whole-head 204 ch, and time–frequency analysis was performed with band pass filter. Statistical significance was examined with bootstrap. Processed data were projected onto the individual brain surface and made 3-D topography. Results In VF condition, there was stronger magnitude of desynchronization in the left frontal area than VR condition, and there were two distinct beta bands in which desynchronization evolved. Upper beta band desynchronization evolved in anterior portion compared with the lower one. Discussion We found upper beta band desynchronization specifically in verbal fluency condition. It may reflect some cognitive process, but further studies are needed to reveal its physiological significance.

INTERLOCKING SCHEDULES: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RESPONSE AND TIME REQUIREMENTS1

Rats were exposed to an interlocking fixed-ratio 150 fixed-interval 5-minute schedule of food reinforcement and then to yoked variable-ratio schedules in which individual ratios corresponded exactly to the ratios of responses to reinforcement obtained on the interlocking schedule. After additional training with the interlocking schedule, the rats were exposed to yoked variable-interval schedules in which intervals corresponded to the intervals between successive reinforcements obtained on the second interlocking schedule. Response rates were highest in the yoked VR condition and lowest in the yoked VI, while intermediate rates characterized the interlocking schedule. Break-run patterns of responding were generated by the interlocking schedule for all subjects, while both the yoked VR and VI schedules produced comparatively stable local rates of responding. These results indicate that responding is sensitive to the interlocking schedule's inverse relationship between reinforcement frequency and responses per reinforcement.