Virtual reality flight environments may taxworking memory and disrupt prospective memory

Virtual reality flight environments may taxworking memory and disrupt prospective memory

Ommerli, C. (Carleton University)
Mirzaagha, J. (Carleton University)
Ma, C. (Carleton University)
Van Benthem, K. (Carleton University)
Herdman, C. (Carleton University)

2019-05-07

While vivid virtual reality (VR) environments may afford better performance for some flight tasks, it is possible that enhanced stimuli could overload some cognitive resources. Prospective memory (PM) is a cognitive factor sensitive to working memory and visual processing demands, and it may be a performance factor either adversely affected or enhanced by VR factors. Forty-seven pilots flew a VR flight simulation scenario, which included an auditory cue-based PM task. Self-ratings of psychological experiences in VR revealed three factors with relationships to PM: fluency, presence, and interactivity. Path analyses examined the relation of each of these factors with PM, and with two types of working memory, based on Level 1 SA. Higher fluency ratings were associated with lower PM, whereas greater presence and interactivity were correlated with better PM. Working memory also significantly mediated the effects of fluency on PM.

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:ddff7057-c6ed-48be-bee3-2e745982e41e

Conference proceedings

conference paper

(c) 2019 the author(s)