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Virtual reality and the new psychophysics

de Gelder, B; Katsyri, J; de Borst, AW; (2018) Virtual reality and the new psychophysics. British Journal of Psychology , 109 (3) pp. 421-426. 10.1111/bjop.12308. Green open access

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Abstract

Virtual reality (VR) promises methodological rigour with the extra benefit of allowing us to study the context‐dependent behaviour of individuals in their natural environment. Pan and Hamilton (2018, Br. J. Psychol.) provide a useful overview of methodological recommendations for using VR. Here, we highlight some other aspects of the use of VR. Our first argument is that VR can be useful by virtue of its differences from the normal perceptual environment. That is, by virtue of its relative non‐realism and poverty of its perceptual elements, it can actually offer increased clarity with respect to the features of interest for the researcher. Our second argument is that VR exerts its measurable influence more by eliciting an acceptance of the virtual world (i.e., ‘suspension of disbelief’) rather than by eliciting a true belief of the realism of the VR environment. We conclude by providing a novel suggestion for combining neuroimaging methods with embodied VR that relies on the suspension of disbelief.

Type: Article
Title: Virtual reality and the new psychophysics
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1111/bjop.12308
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1111/bjop.12308
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords: Social Sciences, Psychology, Multidisciplinary, Psychology, virtual reality methods, belief, embodiment, UNCANNY VALLEY, BRAIN ACTIVITY, PERCEPTION, BEHAVIOR, MISMATCH, FMRI
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10083722
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