Representation of Patients’ Hand Modulates Fear Reactions of Patients with Spider Phobia in Virtual Reality

Peperkorn, Henrik M.; Diemer, Julia; Alpers, Georg W.; Mühlberger, Andreas

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00268

Cited by 25 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…Our study expands previous research on the relationship between presence and fear in VR as our experimental fear manipulation caused an increased sense of presence. Similar effects of fear on presence have been shown for snake phobia by Bouchard et al (2008), test anxiety by Alsina-Jurnet and Gutiérrez-Maldonado (2010), and spider phobia by Peperkorn et al (2016), with higher presence ratings in fear-relevant versus neutral VEs or in phobic versus non-phobic participants. Our results corroborate these reports by demonstrating that experiencing emotional responses in VR leads to stronger feelings of actually being there in the VE (see also Riva et al, 2007).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 73%

Causal Interactive Links Between Presence and Fear in Virtual Reality Height Exposure

et al. 2019

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Virtual reality plays an increasingly important role in research and therapy of pathological fear. However, the mechanisms how virtual environments elicit and modify fear responses are not yet fully understood. Presence, a psychological construct referring to the ‘sense of being there’ in a virtual environment, is widely assumed to crucially influence the strength of the elicited fear responses, however, causality is still under debate. The present study is the first that experimentally manipulated both variables to unravel the causal link between presence and fear responses. Height-fearful participants (N = 49) were immersed into a virtual height situation and a neutral control situation (fear manipulation) with either high versus low sensory realism (presence manipulation). Ratings of presence and verbal and physiological (skin conductance, heart rate) fear responses were recorded. Results revealed an effect of the fear manipulation on presence, i.e., higher presence ratings in the height situation compared to the neutral control situation, but no effect of the presence manipulation on fear responses. However, the presence ratings during the first exposure to the high quality neutral environment were predictive of later fear responses in the height situation. Our findings support the hypothesis that experiencing emotional responses in a virtual environment leads to a stronger feeling of being there, i.e., increase presence. In contrast, the effects of presence on fear seem to be more complex: on the one hand, increased presence due to the quality of the virtual environment did not influence fear; on the other hand, presence variability that likely stemmed from differences in user characteristics did predict later fear responses. These findings underscore the importance of user characteristics in the emergence of presence.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 73%

Causal Interactive Links Between Presence and Fear in Virtual Reality Height Exposure

et al. 2019

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“…Controlling for this would likely strengthen the current findings. These findings support and extend previous work that has assessed self-reported fear response to spiders in VR (Peperkorn et al, 2016 ). It is also consistent with previous visual tasks with both children and adults that show attentional bias toward spiders (e.g., Öhman and Mineka, 2001 ; LoBue, 2010 ; Devue et al, 2011 ), presumably due to spiders' recurrent and widespread threat throughout human evolution (Öhman, 1993 ).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

The Immersive Virtual Reality Lab: Possibilities for Remote Experimental Manipulations of Autonomic Activity on a Large Scale

et al. 2018

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There is a need for large-scale remote data collection in a controlled environment, and the in-home availability of virtual reality (VR) and the commercial availability of eye tracking for VR present unique and exciting opportunities for researchers. We propose and provide a proof-of-concept assessment of a robust system for large-scale in-home testing using consumer products that combines psychophysiological measures and VR, here referred to as a Virtual Lab. For the first time, this method is validated by correlating autonomic responses, skin conductance response (SCR), and pupillary dilation, in response to a spider, a beetle, and a ball using commercially available VR. Participants demonstrated greater SCR and pupillary responses to the spider, and the effect was dependent on the proximity of the stimuli to the participant, with a stronger response when the spider was close to the virtual self. We replicated these effects across two experiments and in separate physical room contexts to mimic variability in home environment. Together, these findings demonstrate the utility of pupil dilation as a marker of autonomic arousal and the feasibility to assess this in commercially available VR hardware and support a robust Virtual Lab tool for massive remote testing.

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“…VR has been used as a form of exposure treatment (VRET). Its uses include the following conditions: social anxiety disorder [ 29 - 31 ]; PTSD for military veterans [ 32 ] and for World Trade Center attack [ 33 ] and assault victims [ 34 ]; a range of specific phobias, focusing on fear of flying [ 35 ] and fear of spiders [ 36 - 39 ]. Various forms of VRET are featured throughout the anxiety literature.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Head-Mounted Virtual Reality and Mental Health: Critical Review of Current Research

Jerdan¹,

Grindle²,

Woerden³

et al. 2018

JMIR Serious Games

151

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BackgroundeHealth interventions are becoming increasingly used in public health, with virtual reality (VR) being one of the most exciting recent developments. VR consists of a three-dimensional, computer-generated environment viewed through a head-mounted display. This medium has provided new possibilities to adapt problematic behaviors that affect mental health. VR is no longer unaffordable for individuals, and with mobile phone technology being able to track movements and project images through mobile head-mounted devices, VR is now a mobile tool that can be used at work, home, or on the move.ObjectiveIn line with recent advances in technology, in this review, we aimed to critically assess the current state of research surrounding mental health.MethodsWe compiled a table of 82 studies that made use of head-mounted devices in their interventions.ResultsOur review demonstrated that VR is effective in provoking realistic reactions to feared stimuli, particularly for anxiety; moreover, it proved that the immersive nature of VR is an ideal fit for the management of pain. However, the lack of studies surrounding depression and stress highlight the literature gaps that still exist.ConclusionsVirtual environments that promote positive stimuli combined with health knowledge could prove to be a valuable tool for public health and mental health. The current state of research highlights the importance of the nature and content of VR interventions for improved mental health. While future research should look to incorporate more mobile forms of VR, a more rigorous reporting of VR and computer hardware and software may help us understand the relationship (if any) between increased specifications and the efficacy of treatment.

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Representation of Patients’ Hand Modulates Fear Reactions of Patients with Spider Phobia in Virtual Reality

Cited by 25 publications

References 67 publications

Causal Interactive Links Between Presence and Fear in Virtual Reality Height Exposure

Causal Interactive Links Between Presence and Fear in Virtual Reality Height Exposure

The Immersive Virtual Reality Lab: Possibilities for Remote Experimental Manipulations of Autonomic Activity on a Large Scale

Head-Mounted Virtual Reality and Mental Health: Critical Review of Current Research

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