Theoretical model of subjective realism in multisensory virtual experiences

• Autor(a) principal: Gonçalves, Guilherme Santos
• Data de Publicação: 2024
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: https://hdl.handle.net/10348/12860
• topic: Virtual Reality; Realism; Immersive; Multisensory; Theoretical Model

Virtual Reality (VR) presents itself as an innovative technology with the potential to change paradigms across multiple fields. At its core, it has the ability to provide users with such realistic Immersive Virtual Experience (IVE) that we become and feel a part of the virtual world. However, realism in IVEs, specifically multisensory, lacks more study and comprehension. This gains even more relevance given that increasing the realism of IVEs is resource-intensive and requires a careful balance between quality, performance and costs. Thus, it becomes important to understand the effects of realism on the user experience and what causes the perception of realism. This would not only highlight the impact that realistic IVEs can have but also create guidelines on how to optimize these experiences towards a higher Subjective Realism. By exploring human perception, the following Research Question was set: “What are the dimensions that explain the perception of Realism and how do they relate?”. To answer the Research Question, three main objectives were set: analyse the current state of realism in immersive VR, propose a theoretical model of Subjective Realism in multisensory experiences, and validate the proposed theoretical model through experimental studies. After an in-depth literature review, several key concepts were identified and discussed. The results and methodologies of several experimental studies on immersive VR were analysed, providing a comprehensive understanding of different constructs related to the perception of realism. Based on this scientific background, a theoretical model of Subjective Realism on multisensory IVEs was proposed, comprising 12 constructs and 23 hypotheses. A questionnaire with 61 items was specifically developed to address every construct. The proposed theoretical model was then submitted to validation in user studies, recruiting 240 participants. The Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) revealed that 4 items did not properly address their latent construct, being consequently removed. The resulting items fit the model well. A Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis rejected 11 of the 23 hypotheses, leading to removing 2 constructs. The final model presented a good fit with all regressions being significant. Based on these results, the theoretical model implications were discussed, presenting guidelines on how to optimize multisensory Virtual Reality (VR) systems towards Subjective Realism, as well as how it affects other aspects of the overall user experience. The final version of the theoretical model was thus validated, answering the Research Question.