Active View and Passive View in Virtual Reality Have Different Impacts on Memory and Impression

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Cognitive Psychology
• Virtual Reality

Background:

• Virtual reality (VR) via head-mounted displays (HMDs) offers novel experiences but its impact on user memory is not fully understood.
• Effective application of HMDs in fields like education requires clarity on factors influencing user memory.
• Head-tracking in HMDs enables immersive, real-world-like simulations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how active versus passive viewing within VR environments affects users' memory of content.
• To determine if the viewing mode in VR influences long-term retention of information.

Main Methods:

• A psychological experiment was conducted using HMDs.
• Participants experienced VR content under two conditions: active viewing (view changes with head movement) and passive viewing (fixed, recorded view).
• Memory recall was tested on the day of viewing and two weeks later.

Main Results:

• Memory test performance was significantly lower in the active viewing group compared to the passive viewing group after two weeks.
• Active viewing within VR demonstrated an inhibitory effect on long-term memory retention.

Conclusions:

• Passive viewing of VR content may lead to better long-term memory recall than active viewing.
• Findings suggest that VR design, particularly viewing modes, should be carefully considered for educational and training purposes to optimize memory retention.