The concept of “presence” as a measure of ecological validity in driving simulators

Abstract

This pilot study aims to find a way to measure 'presence' as a proxy for ecological validity in driving simulators. The underlying assumption is that a person experiencing a strong sense of presence in the virtual environment will react as if it were real. We measure 'presence' through the 'attention' given to the driving task. We hypothesize that the greater the attention given to the primary driving task, the more the subject will experience spatial presence. 'Attention' was varied by adding a second task and oncoming traffic; we then analyzed behavioral measures of driving performance and subjective 'presence'. The main result is a lack of congruence between subjective and behavioral measures. Although behavioral differences were observed between the various experimental conditions, there was no significant difference in subjective measures of presence. One explanation for this result could be that in all experimental conditions the driving activity did not require high-level cognitive processes, and was instead based on bottom-up attentional processes. Many of the processes involved in driving seem to be automatic, and this study argues for the concomitant use of subjective measures (such as questionnaires) and objective measures to assess presence in driving simulators. Furthermore, the development of a sensitive measure of presence seems to require more challenging scenarios in terms of controlled attention, cognitive involvement and more specifically, the emotions induced by the media. Participants are clearly aware that they are not exposed to any physical danger when using the simulator and the problem of their motivation must be taken into consideration. Another major problem is to establish the extent to which they are absorbed in the simulated driving task. A significant challenge for future research is the emotional validity of driving.

Effects of Interior Color Schemes on Emotion, Task Performance, and Heart Rate in Immersive Virtual Environments

“…However, a 3D nonimmersive visual display does not let users experience a one‐to‐one scale model, which could isolate them from the surrounding environment. A study by Deniaud et al (2015) indicated that such a low sense of presence reduces ecological validity, which limits the generalizability of research findings regarding interior colors to real‐life situations.…”

“…Due to changes of color meaning in unrepresentative contexts, users are likely to have confounding responses to different interior colors. In addition, a low degree of presence has a negative impact on ecological validity (i.e., a measure of how a test predicts behaviors in real-world settings) (Deniaud, Honnet, Jeanne, & Mestre, 2015), which reduces the generalizability of findings concerning interior color.…”

Ecological Art Experience: How We Can Gain Experimental Control While Preserving Ecologically Valid Settings and Contexts

“…In a very general sense, experimental laboratory settings might provide perfect systematic experimental conditions, but lack "ecological validity" (Brunswik, 1956) -see also "psychological ecology" (Lewin, 1943, p. 306) and "Lebensnähe" (English: "being close to real life, " see Lewin, 1927, p. 419). This lack of ecological validity comprises potentially reduced involvement (Deniaud et al, 2015) and decreased emotional processing (Schmuckler, 2001) -in the last consequence, we might even witness a lack or even loss of meaningfulness (Neisser, 1976). Specifically, in the field of art experience, it is quite evident that there are substantial differences in approaching, perceiving, and processing artworks in ecological contexts versus laboratory contexts.…”

Can Driving-Simulator Training Enhance Visual Attention, Cognition, and Physical Functioning in Older Adults?

“…However, training benefits seem to be smaller rather than larger if compared to laboratory-type training [ 19 , 22 , 25 ]. One possible explanation is that trained activities were not familiar and realistic; that is, they lacked ecological validity [ 26 , 27 ]: the cognitive benefits of training regimes are thought to increase when trained activities are similar to situations of everyday life [ 28 ]. Thus, an ecologically valid training reflects everyday actions and could be helpful, especially for older adults, to pass demanding situations (i.e., driving on dangerous crossroads).…”