Behrang Keshavarz , PhD

Cognitive factors, Age, and Vection: The role of image realism and expectation on illusory self-motion perception in younger and older adults

Study Status: Completed

Study Purpose: The feeling or illusion of self-motion in the absence of real physical motion is called vection. The aim of this study was to investigate vection in younger and older adults.

Background: Vection is often a desired sensation in Virtual Reality (VR) applications, as it increases the sense of being present in the virtual world. VR applications are commonly used in clinical settings. Little is known about how expectations and other factors can influence vection sensations. It is also unclear if vection differs between younger and older adults.

Study Methods: Younger (18-39 years) and older (65+ years) adults watched a panoramic picture of downtown Toronto that constantly rotated along while they remained seated. The motion of the picture created the false feeling that the participants’ chair was actually rotating. We manipulated expectations about vection through spoken instructions about the visual scene that was shown to the participants: Half of the participants were told that they were very likely to experience vection, while the other half was told the opposite. In addition, we also varied the realism of the picture, by showing either the intact panoramic image or a distorted version of it.

Key Findings: Participant age and expectation did not influence vection, whereas the level of realism of the visual scene was an important contributor. Specifically, the intact image produced more vection than the distorted version.  Understanding factors which cause or prevent vection is helpful for optimizing VR applications, which are commonly used in different areas such as training, education, or rehabilitation in healthcare.

Health Conditions: Aging (dementia, frailty, etc.)

External Links:
www.mive.ca
www.kite-uhn.ca