Why and how to use virtual reality to study human social interaction: The challenges of exploring a new research landscape

Tools

Pan, Xueni and Hamilton, Antonia F de C. 2018. Why and how to use virtual reality to study human social interaction: The challenges of exploring a new research landscape. British Journal of Psychology, 109(3), pp. 395-417. ISSN 0007-1269 [Article]

Preview

Text
paper.pdf - Accepted Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial.
Download (627kB) | Preview

Preview

Text
Pan_et_al-2018-British_Journal_of_Psychology.pdf - Published Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial.
Download (459kB) | Preview

Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/bjop.12290

Abstract or Description

As Virtual Reality technology and systems become more commercially available and accessible, more and more psychologists are starting to integrate VR as part of their methods. This approach offers major advantages in experimental control, reproducibility and ecological validity, but also has limitations and hidden pitfalls which may distract the novice user. This paper aims to guide the psychologist into the novel world of VR, reviewing available instrumentation and mapping the landscape of possible systems. We use examples of state-of-the-art research to describe challenges which research is now solving, including embodiment, uncanny valley, simulation sickness, presence, ethics, and experimental design. Finally we propose that the biggest challenge for the field would be to build a fully interactive virtual human who can pass a VR Turing test - and that this could only be achieved if psychologists, VR technologists, and AI researchers work together

Item Type:

Article

Identification Number (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1111/bjop.12290

Additional Information:

AH is supported by ERC grant INTERACT 313398 and by the Leverhulme Trust.