Measuring Attention During Immersive Virtual Reality Distraction

A Magic Bowl Low Tech Vs. High Tech Immersive Virtual Reality Distraction

Brief Summary

Using a repeated measures within-subject design with treatment order randomized, with healthy volunteers, this study will measure how much immersive Virtual Reality (VR) reduces performance on a simple attention demanding task during No VR vs. High Tech VR (for one group of 16 participants), and during a plausible control see through VR vs. High Tech VR (for another group of 20 participants).

The primary aim is to explore whether a highly immersive VR system makes VR significantly more attention demanding/distracting, compared to No VR, and compared to a less immersive VR system (a plausible controlled see through goggles).

Healthy college student volunteers will participate in a repeated measure within subject trial studying attention using a divided attention paradigm.

One group of participants (16 healthy volunteers) will perform a simple attention demanding task during No VR for 2 minutes and they will perform the attention demanding task again during High Tech VR for 2 minutes.

Another group of 20 healthy volunteers will perform a simple attention demanding task during a less immersive see through VR (a plausible control condition) for 2 minutes and they will also perform the attention demanding task again during immersive High Tech VR for 2 minutes (treatment order randomized). This group will also rate their pain and anxiety during Quantitative Sensory Testing very brief thermal heat stimuli during No VR vs. during immersive high tech VR.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Currently enrolled in a course at the University of Washington Psychology Dept., participating in the University of Washington (UW) Psychology subject pool
• Able to read, write and comprehend English
• Able to complete study measures
• Willing to follow our UW approved instructions
• 18 years of age or older

Exclusion Criteria:

• People who have already previously participated in this same study (e.g., last quarter) are not eligible to participate again.
• Not enrolled in a course at the University of Washington Psychology Dept., not participating in the UW Psychology subject pool
• Not be able to read, write and comprehend English
• Younger than 18 years of age.
• Not capable of completing measures
• Not capable of indicating pain intensity,
• Not capable of filling out study measures,
• Extreme susceptibility to motion sickness,
• Seizure history,
• Unusual sensitivity or lack of sensitivity to pain,
• Sensitive skin,
• Sensitive feet
• Migraines
• Diabetes