Long-term memory
Does 360-degree virtual reality improve memory testing?
Open access · cc by · source: Europe PMC
Viewing a virtual environment through an immersive headset helped participants recognize objects better after a short delay compared to using a tablet.
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Does 360-degree virtual reality improve memory testing?
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42 participants recruited for the study
A total of 42 participants were recruited from students and faculty at the University of Valencia.
50 seconds of viewing time per image
During the encoding phase, participants first viewed Picture A or B, depending on the condition they were assigned, for 50 s, then completed the free recall task.
Key findings
There was no significant difference in immediate recall between the immersive and non-immersive groups. However, after the 10-minute delay, participants who used the immersive headset performed significantly better on the target object recognition task than those using the tablet.
Methodology
To test this, researchers recruited 42 university students and staff. Participants viewed virtual images of bedrooms on either an immersive head-mounted display or a non-immersive tablet screen. The encoding phase lasted 50 seconds per image, followed by immediate recall tests and a recognition test after a 10-minute delay.
Limitations
The study utilized a small sample of 42 healthy participants, meaning the results may not apply to older populations or individuals with clinical memory impairments. Furthermore, because the researchers did not directly measure feelings of presence, they cannot definitively prove that a sense of presence was the mechanism driving the improved memory performance.
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