Reaction Time-Based Cognitive Assessments in Virtual Reality - A Feasibility Study with an Age Diverse Sample

Area of Science:

• Cognitive psychology
• Human-computer interaction
• Virtual reality research

Background:

• Virtual reality (VR) is increasingly used in research.
• Evidence on VR's impact on cognitive performance bias is limited.
• Understanding VR's effects on cognitive assessment is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• Compare cognitive performance measurement in VR versus real-life (RL) settings.
• Investigate differences between VR and RL scenarios using cognitive psychology models.
• Analyze the reliability, validity, and feasibility of VR for cognitive testing.

Main Methods:

• Methodological observational study comparing VR and conventional computer-based testing.
• Inclusion of younger and older adult participants.
• Analysis of data reliability, validity, and technological/ergonomic aspects.

Main Results:

• No significant changes in information processing speed were observed between VR and RL testing environments within age groups.
• Both younger and older adults performed equally well in both VR and RL conditions.
• VR environments did not introduce performance bias compared to traditional assessments.

Conclusions:

• Lifelike VR environments are suitable for cognitive performance tests without altering results compared to RL assessments.
• VR offers a comparable alternative to traditional computer-based cognitive testing.
• Recommendations for technical considerations in VR reaction time paradigms are provided.