Virtual skills training: the role of presence and agency

Abstract

Virtual reality (VR) simulations provide increased feelings of presence and agency that could allow increased skill improvement during VR training. Direct relationships between active agency in VR and skill improvement have previously not been investigated. This study examined the relationship between (a) presence and agency, and (b) presence and skills improvement, via active and passive VR simulations and through measuring real-world golf-putting skill. Participants (n = 23) completed baseline putting skill assessment before using an Oculus Rift VR head-mounted display to complete active (putting with a virtual golf club) and passive (watching a game of golf) VR simulations. Measures of presence and agency were administered after each simulation, followed by a final putting skill assessment. The active simulation induced higher feelings of general presence and agency. However, no relationship was identified between presence and either agency or skill improvement. No skill improvement was evident in either the active or passive simulations, potentially due to the short training period applied, as well as a lack of realism in the VR simulations inhibiting a transfer of skills to a real environment. These findings reinforce previous literature that shows active VR to increase feelings of presence and agency. This study generates a number of fruitful research questions about the relationship between presence and skills training.

Kinematic Gait Adjustments to Virtual Environments on Different Surface Conditions: Do Treadmill and Over-Ground Walking Exhibit Different Adaptations to Passive Virtual Immersion?

“…In addition, the HMD and software used to display the VREs in our protocol did not synchronize the optical flow with the walking speed which could significantly affect the users' immersive experience to the VREs. However, studies have shown that passive VR protocols that have included photorealistic VREs had better levels of immersion than active VR protocols [ 18 , 19 ], which demonstrate that this kind of VR protocols are feasible and can potentially be used in other populations such as older adults and populations with neurological disorders. Finally, cybersickness was not assessed in the current protocol, which could be used as an additional outcome measure or exclusion criteria.…”

“…However, it has been described that some VR stimulations can produce negative effects in users, such as disorientation or nausea [ 17 ]. These effects are more likely to be produced by more immersive technologies which can interfere with the experience of “feeling present” [ 18 ]. Thus, for the efficient implementation of VR training protocols, there are two seemingly conflicting goals.…”

“…Among these lines, Piccione et al showed that ecological validity to VRE was more influenced by photorealistic environments provided by passive virtual immersion paradigms rather than polygon-modelled environments provided by active virtual immersion paradigms. This finding suggests that using recordings of real environments may contribute to a greater feeling of presence and that animated simulations may restrict the immersion experience [ 18 ].…”

The Potential of Virtual Reality for Inducing Neuroplasticity in Children with Amblyopia

“…Motivation can be achieved by focusing the different activities that shape the therapy of the patient in a pleasant and attractive way. For example, it is known that when VR simulations are interconnected with motion capture systems, they provide a more engaging and motivating experience, as they get the user more involved in the therapy as the movement shown in the virtual world is a replica of the movement produced in the real world by the subject himself [ 83 , 84 ]. Customization: VR-based therapies can be adapted to each patient by modifying parameters of the stimuli and the environment to provide an appropriate level of difficulty while maintaining attention and avoiding frustration or boredom.…”

Neurophysiological Correlates of Cognition as Revealed by Virtual Reality: Delving the Brain with a Synergistic Approach

“…It is known to incur visual, auditory, and haptic induced perceptions with greater control and possibilities, and can modulate human perception and motor performance. Simulations with VR systems provide an enhanced and immersive experience of a sense of presence and allow for skill improvement during VR training [ 8 ]. These systems helped researchers to study the contributions of movement-versus-outcome-related sensory feedback for the sense of agency [ 9 ].…”