Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 14, 2026
07:04
Virtual Reality Tools for Assessing Unilateral Spatial Neglect: A Novel Opportunity for Data Collection
Published on: March 10, 2021
Cross-Cultural Evaluation of Associative Memory Intervention Using Virtual Reality
Prince Ampofo1, Andrea Vitali1, Francesca Morganti1
1University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy.
Studies in Health Technology and Informatics
|May 12, 2026
Summary
Associative memory is culturally invariant, but processing speed varies by culture. Virtual reality (VR) offers a promising, adaptable platform for assessing and training associative memory across diverse populations.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Associative memory is crucial for daily life.
- Current virtual reality (VR) interventions for associative memory are limited.
- Investigating cultural impacts on associative memory is important.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine associative memory performance across different modalities (object-name, object-sound).
- To investigate the influence of culture on associative memory performance and response times.
- To assess the utility of VR as a platform for associative memory research.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-two healthy young adults (18-26 years) from Italy and Ghana participated.
- Participants completed object-name and object-sound matching tasks in a VR environment.
- Eight training trial sessions were conducted for each task.
Main Results:
- Performance improved across trials for both tasks.
- Object-name matching showed higher accuracy and faster response times than object-sound matching.
- No significant cross-cultural differences in performance were found, but Italians responded faster than Ghanaians.
Conclusions:
- Associative memory appears to be culturally invariant.
- Response time differences suggest cultural influences on cognitive processing strategies.
- VR is a viable and culturally adaptable tool for associative memory assessment and training.
