From virtual to physical environments when judging action opportunities: are diagnostics and trainings transferable?

The proper evaluation of whether our given bodily capabilities and environmental properties allow particular actions is indispensable for pertinent decisions, so-called affordance judgments. These can be impacted by older age or brain damage. Virtual Environments (VEs) may provide an efficient opportunity to offer trainings. But do people make affordance judgments in VEs in the same way that they do in Physical Environments (PEs)? And are these decisions trainable by use of VEs? We investigated 24 healthy young adults' judgment performance of whether or not they could fit their hand into a given aperture. They were presented with a set of opening-increments and indicated their judgments by pressing a yes- or no-button. The stimuli were presented in PE using an aperture apparatus and in VE displayed by use of Oculus Rift goggles. Our results demonstrated the level of equivalence to be specific to the variable: While we found equivalence between VE and PE for the accuracy parameter, results were uncertain or non-equivalent for perceptual sensitivity and for judgment tendency, respectively. When applying training in VE, judgment accuracy improved significantly when tested subsequently within VE. Improvement appeared detectable in PE only on a descriptive level. Furthermore, equivalence testing post-training revealed that perceptual sensitivity performance in VE approached a PE-level. Promisingly, the VE training approach appeared applicable and efficacious within the VE. Future studies need to specify factors that enhance equivalence for detection theory variables and that facilitate transfer from VEs to PEs when judging action opportunities.

Automated summary

The proper evaluation of affordance judgments is crucial for decision-making, and virtual environments (VEs) provide an opportunity for efficient trainings. This study investigated how affordance judgments are made in VEs compared to physical environments (PEs). The results showed that while accuracy was equivalent between VE and PE, perceptual sensitivity and judgment tendency varied. Training in VE improved judgment accuracy within VE and showed promising potential for transfer to PE. Future studies should focus on enhancing equivalence and transferability between VEs and PEs in judging action opportunities.