Visual Affective Design Factors for Learning in Virtual Reality

This dissertation examines the affective qualities of non-player character motion in a Virtual Reality (VR) cognitive training game, their impact on players' core affective experiences, game performance, and cognitive training outcomes. How do the movements of game characters in a VR environment affect players' experienced emotions, gameplay outcomes, and cognitive training? Two experiments were conducted to answer the research question. In Study 1 participants rated three character animations both approaching and staying at a static distance in a non-gaming context using the Self-Assessment Manikin. Results of the RM ANOVA indicated a strong main effect of high arousal for approaching characters versus static distance characters, F(1, 13) = 17.43, p = 0.001; [eta-squared] = 0.3. Study 1 additionally identified a moderate main effect for animation path on valence, F(2, 162) = 8.29, p < 0.001, [eta-squared] = 0.09, with participants reporting a neutral valence for the simple "zipline" and a slightly positive valence for the more complex "meander" path. For Study 2, two versions of a VR application for training Executive Functions of shifting, named All You Can E.T.-VR, were created, each utilizing either a high or low arousal animation from Study 1. Results in Study 2 confirmed the main effect for trajectory on arousal, F(1, 19) = 6.7, p = 0.02, [eta-squared] = 0.14, identified in Study 1, as well as a main effect on valence, F(1, 16) = 10.2, p = 0.006, [eta-squared] = 0.2, wherein approaching characters elicited more negative affect than a static distanced animation. Implications for future research and affective design of educational technology include selecting salient features for manipulation, appropriate difficulty in gameplay, and target population ages for EF training. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]