Learning in Affectively Intense Virtual Environments - LITE

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18 Measure as developed by Larsen & Diener (1987). A 20 item version of the Affect Intensity questionnaire developed by Geuens and Pelsmacker was used (Geuens & P., 2002) in the present research. Skin Conductance (Galvin Skin Response, GSR): The skin conductance is one of the fastest responding measures of stress response and has been found to be one of the most robust and non-invasive physiological measures of autonomic nervous system activity (Helander, 1978). In this experiment it was measured by means of a Biopac © device, which has been calibrated to detect change in the galvanic skin response. Two electrodes were strapped by means of Velcro to two fingers on the participant’s nondominant hand, the fore finger and the middle finger to which conducting gel was applied. The gel was applied to improve conduction and the GSR change output was displayed on the Biopac software by means of a continuous graph. The software can be manipulated to calibrate the gain, the amplification and other factors like filters to the input signal obtained. A baseline GSR was established for each participant before they entered the virtual environment. During the Virtual Reality experience readings were taken for the duration of 12 minutes for the experiment at 200 samples a second. For the purpose of analysis, the output was divided into quarters. The data points used in the analyses consisted of the change in GSR for each quarter (∆GSR). This was the mean GSR for that period minus the mean GSR baseline. Presence (Slater & Steed, 2000): Presence, as discussed previously, is the degree to which a participant feels that a virtual environment is not mediated by any technological interface. A five item questionnaire, developed by Slater and colleagues, was used in this experiment. Dead/Injured Count Correct: This represented the number of rooms in the “real/non-virtual” computer science building that were correctly identified by the participant during testing as containing a “dead” or “injured” person in the virtual environment.
19 2.2.2. Virtual Environment 2.2.2.1 Acclimation Environment. Acclimation Environment consists of 2 virtual rooms built using the Half-Life© game engine, a modification in accordance with their licensing agreement. The two rooms are connected to each other. The participant starts out in one room which is equipped with a fire extinguisher. The second room has a fire burning in it. The objective of the participant in the acclimation environment is to get familiar with the controls. Basic navigation, moving through doors, fighting fires, triggering alarms are some of the functions that are required to be performed. The simulation ends when the participant is sufficiently familiar with the controls. 2.2.2.2 Training Environments. Two versions of a virtual reality environment were used in this experiment, affectively intense and affectively neutral. Both environments were virtual simulations of the computer science building at the University of Missouri – Rolla, built using the Half Life© game engine. Again, these were modifications in accordance with the licensing agreements. The affectively intense environment was interspersed with explosions and fires that occurred at random around the avatar controlled by the user. The time of the explosions was based on a random number generated such that explosions occurred within 0 to 25 seconds of one another. There were also bodies of dead and injured people located in the virtual computer science building. The locations of the bodies were generated at random to spawn at 18 locations throughout the building. During the course of the simulation, at any point of time there would be 9 injured and 9 dead bodies in the virtual simulation. The affectively neutral environment lacked the fires and explosions with all other parameters maintained the same. 2.2.3. Equipment. The bulk of the experiment was conducted in the Laboratory for Information Technology Evaluation (LITE) at the University of Missouri – Rolla. LITE is especially equipped to support Usability testing. The lab schematic is shown in the Figure 2.0.
Page 2 and 3: LEARNING IN AFFECTIVELY INTENSE VIR
Page 4 and 5: iii ABSTRACT The main purpose of th
Page 6 and 7: v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT .
Page 8 and 9: vii 3.2. QUALITATIVE RESULTS ......
Page 10 and 11: ix LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Pag
Page 12 and 13: xi NOMENCLATURE Symbol Description
Page 14 and 15: 2 1.2. VIRTUAL REALITY IN EDUCATION
Page 16 and 17: 4 Chalmers conducted experiments us
Page 18 and 19: 6 Another example of using virtual
Page 20 and 21: 8 that will be needed to build "hum
Page 22 and 23: 10 1.6. VIRTUAL REALITY AND PRESENC
Page 24 and 25: 12 responder scenario for training
Page 26 and 27: 14 1.7.3. Pilot Research Method. Fi
Page 28 and 29: 16 1.8.2.2 VR Experience as a Funct
Page 32 and 33: 20 Figure 2.0. LITE Usability Lab S
Page 34 and 35: 22 On successful completion of the
Page 36 and 37: 24 3. RESULTS 3.1. QUANTITATIVE RES
Page 38 and 39: 26 Table 3.2. Pearson Correlations
Page 40 and 41: 28 ANOVA was statistically signific
Page 42 and 43: 30 reaching the objectives save one
Page 44 and 45: 32 GSR readings peaked in response
Page 46 and 47: 34 4. DISCUSSION 4.1. LEARNING OUTC
Page 48 and 49: 36 based on these findings, whether
Page 50 and 51: 38 to which the participants were c
Page 52 and 53: 40 5. CONCLUSION There is evidence
Page 54 and 55: 42 The individual difference, affec
Page 56 and 57: 44 1. When I feel happy, it is a st
Page 58 and 59: 46 1. Do you ever get extremely inv
Page 60 and 61: 48 APPENDIX C. HOW TO USE CONTROLS
Page 62 and 63: 50 APPENDIX D. PRESENCE QUESTIONNAI
Page 64 and 65: 52 APPENDIX E. SCENARIO
Page 66 and 67: 54 c. put out the fire. 4. At the e
Page 68 and 69: 56 Hays, R. T., & Vincenzi, D. A. (
Page 70: 58 VITA Lawrence M. Wilfred Date of

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