Narrative and Gaming Experience Interact to Affect Presence and Cybersickness in Virtual Reality

Abstract

Research has established a link between presence and cybersickness in virtual environments, but there is significant disagreement regarding the directionality of the relationship (positive or negative) between the two factors, and if the relationship is modulated by other top-down influences. Several studies have revealed a negative association between the factors, highlighting the prospect that manipulating one factor might affect the other. Here we examined if a top-down factor (narrative context) enhances presence, and whether this effect is associated with a decrease in cybersickness. We analyzed the association between responses to questionnaire measures of cybersickness and presence, as well as the degree to which their relationship was affected by the administration of an 'enriched' or 'minimal' verbal narrative context. The results of the first experiment, conducted in a controlled laboratory environment, revealed that enriched narrative was associated with increased presence, but that the reductive effect of narrative on cybersickness depended on video gaming experience. We also observed the expected negative association between presence and cybersickness, but only in the enriched narrative group. In a second experiment, conducted with a diverse sample at a public museum, we confirmed our previous finding that presence and cybersickness are negatively correlated, specifically when participants experienced an enriched narrative. We also confirmed the interaction between narrative and gaming experience with respect to cybersickness. These results highlight the complexity of the presence-cybersickness relationship, and confirm that both factors can be modulated in a beneficial manner for virtual reality users by means of top-down interventions.

Exergaming With Beat Saber: An Investigation of Virtual Reality Aftereffects

“…High levels of motion have consistently been shown to increase nausea, disorientation, and oculomotor disturbances [ 21 , 37 , 58 ]. Other factors such as scene complexity [ 68 ], presence [ 10 , 11 ], and locomotion [ 69 ] have also been suggested to play a role in the development of VR sickness.…”

“…Typically, presence is not a prerequisite for exergames but can provide added benefits [ 9 ]. However, in VR, presence is the cornerstone of a successful virtual experience, with greater presence leading to better task performance and stronger physiological responses compared with other screen-based activities [ 10 - 12 ]. Similarly, immersion and presence in VR exergames play a major role in the motivation of users and their continued engagement [ 9 ].…”

“…High levels of VR sickness symptoms such as nausea, disorientation, and visual disturbances have been estimated to result in an average dropout rate of 15.6% [ 14 ]. VR sickness has been shown to decrease or break presence [ 10 , 11 ], impact motivation and enjoyment [ 9 , 16 ], and influence task performance [ 17 - 19 ]. Apart from the commonly assessed self-reported symptoms, depth perception and cognition may also be affected when users experience VR sickness [ 15 , 20 , 21 ]; however, little is known about these aftereffects.…”

The importance of UI & UX Design in Virtual Reality for Showcasing Umrah Rituals: Impact of Age and Cybersickness in User Experience

“…Another important factor to consider when using VR is age, as it can influence the users' experience and perception of cybersickness (Weech et al, 2020). Previous studies have suggested that older adults may be more susceptible to cybersickness compared to younger individuals due to age-related changes in sensory and motor functions .…”

Systematic Analysis of Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality

“…A (VR) Headset is a head-mounted device that gives virtual reality to the wearer. Virtual reality (VR) headsets are mainly used with computer games yet they are also used in different applications including test systems and coaches [9].…”