Do individual constraints induce flexibility of visual field dependence following a virtual immersion? Effects of perceptive style and cybersickness

Abstract

Accurately perceiving the gravitational direction is key to successful interaction in our terrestrial environment. In this context field dependence (FD), the importance given to static and/or dynamic visual cues, has largely been discussed. Although first considered a trait, several studies suggest FD be flexible in response to postural or visual contexts and to poor virtual reality user experience. The aim of this study was therefore to determine the influence of a disruptive virtual immersion on the level of static and dynamic FD. Forty-five participants were exposed to a virtual maritime environment for up to 14 minutes.Cybersickness and sense of presence were measured. Before and after virtual immersion, the Rod and Frame Test and the Rod and Disc Test were performed to assess static and dynamic FD respectively. We demonstrated a significant decrease in both levels of FD after immersion in initially more dependent participants. Decrease in static FD was explained by high initial static FD and severe cybersickness, while decrease in dynamic FD was only explained by the initial level of dynamic FD. In this study, we provide evidence confirming FD flexibility, likely reflecting an adaptation process to environmental or individual-related constraints. Yet, static and dynamic FD seem to rely on separate mechanisms, highlighting the necessity to specify which characteristic of visual information (static or dynamic) individuals depend on when assessing their FD. Our results question the reliability of virtual reality for perceptive or motor diagnoses without considering its consequences, specifically in vulnerable populations such as the elderly.

Influence of Normal Aging and Multisensory Data Fusion on Cybersickness and Postural Adaptation in Immersive Virtual Reality

“…Other individual characteristics could influence cybersickness and postural changes, such as field dependency [57], the cognitive influence of movement belief [58], or the brain's ability to reweigh sensory information, especially vestibular sensitivity. Subjective vection sensitivity [53] can be influenced by aging and could influence adaptation and habituation capabilities.…”

The Least Increasing Aversion (LIA) Protocol: Illustration on Identifying Individual Susceptibility to Cybersickness Triggers

“…It is worth mentioning that the MSSQ score does not show a strong correlation with VIMSSQ score in previous paper [26]. Likewise MISSQ score are reported to have a low to moderate correlation with Simulator sickness questionnaire (SSQ) scores in [27], [28], [29], [30].…”

“…However, the RFT has been used in studies investigating the relationship between visual perception and motion sickness, which is a similar condition to cybersickness. Research has shown that individuals who are more susceptible to motion sickness tend to exhibit greater variability in their visual perception of the vertical, as measured by the RFT [29]. This suggests that an individual's ability to maintain a stable perception of vertical orientation may be related to their susceptibility to motion sickness.…”

“…This suggests that an individual's ability to maintain a stable perception of vertical orientation may be related to their susceptibility to motion sickness. While there is no direct evidence to suggest that the RFT can be used to predict an individual's susceptibility to cybersickness, it is possible that individuals who exhibit greater variability in their perception of vertical orientation on the RFT may be more likely to experience cybersickness [29]. Further research is needed to explore the potential use of the RFT as a predictor of cybersickness susceptibility.…”

Multimodal Mitigations for Cybersickness in Motion Base Simulators

“…This could enable the use of a 'stronger' (i.e., lower transparency) dFOV modification in those that do not utilize peripheral visual cues as much as others. Individual differences in field dependence that have recently been implicated in cybersickness (Fantin et al 2022) could also provide valuable targets when considering an individually tailored dFOV modifier.…”