How the Effect of Virtual Reality on Cognitive Functioning Is Modulated by Gender Differences.

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Virtual reality (VR) offers immersive simulations, but its cognitive impact remains unclear.
• VR's immersivity may challenge divided attention and executive functions.
• Potential gender differences in VR's cognitive effects warrant investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate cognitive multitasking performance in VR versus computer-based environments.
• To examine gender differences in cognitive task performance across these platforms.

Main Methods:

• Participants completed cognitive tasks (span, reasoning) in VR (head-mounted display) and on a PC.
• Tasks included span forward/backward, logical-arithmetic, and visuospatial reasoning.
• Comparative analysis of performance based on administration mode and gender.

Main Results:

• Overall impairment in executive functioning was observed in VR compared to PC.
• Women demonstrated superior visuospatial reasoning performance in VR relative to men.
• Findings align with previous research on VR's detrimental cognitive effects.

Conclusions:

• VR administration can negatively affect executive functions.
• Gender moderates cognitive performance in VR, particularly for visuospatial tasks.
• Further research is needed to understand VR's nuanced effects on cognition.