Some influences of vision on susceptibility to motion sickness

Two experiments were performed to evaluate the influence of vision on susceptibility to motion sickness during exposure to constant patterns of vestibular stimulation. The motion profile involved accelerating subjects at 20 degrees/s2 to 300 degrees/s, maintaining them at that constant velocity for 30 s, and decelerating them to a rapid stop in about 1.5 s. The number of stops tolerated by a subject before reaching the motion sickness endpoint served as his score. In Experiment 1, subjects were tested twice with their eyes open and twice with their eyes blindfolded. They tolerated fewer sudden stops when permitted sight of the experimental chamber. In Experiment 2, the effect of having the eyes-open or closed at different stages of the motion profile was evaluated. Having the eyes open during any stage of the test was more stressful than having the eyes closed, but this was especially true during the sudden stops. The findings are discussed in terms of their general implications for understanding a) situations in which vision alone elicits symptoms of motion sickness, and b) situations involving vestibular stimulation where vision heightens susceptibility.