Enhancing Meditation Through Virtual Reality: The Effect of VR on Mindfulness and Well-Being.

Yupu Chen, Yaakulya Sabbani, Ronit Singh, Ethan Zhao.

Fall 2023

Abstract
In the evolving nexus of ancient traditions and technological progress, the fusion of millennia-old meditation practices with Virtual Reality (VR) unfolds a captivating frontier for well-being. Our research, following a preliminary research on this topic [1], aims at comparing it to traditional audio practices in the dimensions of concentration, temporal perception, and stress reduction. Our research also explores group dynamics in VR meditation effect. A pilot study with with 6 college students showed that participants adapted well to the VR environment, with no increase in anxiety during meditation. In both the Audio and VR groups, 50% showed a decrease in stress levels, indicating similar efficacy in anxiety reduction. Likewise, 50% in both VR individual and group settings reported stress reduction, suggesting comparable effectiveness in these VR meditation formats. Participants across all groups experienced varying concentration levels,with the Audio group showing a notableincrease in concentration (e.g., StroopEffect 174ms to 125.5ms), as opposed toless distinct changes in the VR groups. Thissuggests a potential advantage of audio meditation in enhancing concentration . Nosignificant differences in creating immersive environments among different groups were found.In both the VR individual and VR group settings, 50% of participants reported decreased stress levels, indicating that the co-presence of others does not lead to a significantly different effect in reducing participant stress. Similarly, both individual and group meditations in a VR setting do not show a significant difference in terms of perceived concentration and temporal durations. No relation between meditation outcome and co-presence in VR wasfound.

• [1] Sin, Nancy L., and SonjaLyubomirsky. "Enhancing Well-Being and AlleviatingDepressive Symptoms withPositive PsychologyInterventions: A Practice-Friendly Meta-Analysis." Journal of Clinical Psychology,vol. 65, no. 5, 2009, pp. 467-487, doi:10.1002/jclp.20593.

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How does Realism Impact Human Emotions in VR?

Youssef Aouni, Aya Amine, Noah Pietrafesa, Nourhane Sekkat

Fall 2023

Abstract
Virtual Reality (VR) is becoming more accessible through affordable technology with new platforms such as the Meta-verse. This surge in VR adoption compels developers and creators to build VR applications and VR games for the wider public. It is therefore important to understand the effect of design choices and their emotional responses towards the user. Our study focuses on this crucial aspect, exploring how varying degrees of realism in Virtual reality environments can influence user emotions like calmness, relaxation, anxiety, and fear. Our findings aim to provide essential insights for VR creators, guiding them in designing experiences that resonate authentically with users in this new, virtual frontier. This study aims to investigate the impact of realism in virtual reality on emotional responses, specifically focusing on calm and fear reactions. The research explores four environments: Low realism calm, high realism calm, low realism scary, and high realism scary. By examining participants' responses in these varied settings, the study seeks to understand how the level of realism in VR affects user experience. This includes measuring reported emotional states and observing the participants' reactions in person. Ultimately, the objective is to contribute to the broader understanding of how virtual realism influences human emotions and to inform the design of more effective VR experiences for various applications, ranging from entertainment to therapeutic interventions. The study was conducted on 10 participants in the form of a pilot experiment. Four distinct VR simulations were created, comprising of two environments designed to induce fear, and two to evoke calmness. The distinguishing factor between the fear-inducing and calm environments was the level of realism and graphic quality, with two environments featuring realistic graphics and the other two adopting a more cartoonish style. To enhance immersion, participants experienced consistent ambient audio stimuli within each category.

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Effects of Praise on Young Female Adults

Fall 2023

Sara Almulla, Ghalia Al Matroushi, Dariga Shokayeva, Riley Ha

Abstract
For our study, we wanted to investigate the effects of praise from authority figures on young female adults (with low to average self-esteem) in a Virtual Reality (VR)classroom environment. It is statistically shown that men tend to have higher self-esteem than women, and this is the case cross-culturally as illustrated by the study by Bleidorn et. al 2015, which examined the self-esteem of men and women across 48nations. Since women tend to have lower self-esteem, this study aimed to see how this can be addressed in terms of increasing it (even if momentarily) using authority figures. We want to see it, like in the case of children, modest praise is more beneficial at acknowledging and valuing the participants' performance, without demanding continued exceptional performance and in turn pressuring them. Our main hypothesis is that young female adults with low-to-average self-esteem respond better to modest praise rather than inflated/ no praise. The VR pilot was conducted with female student participants between the ages of 20 and 24. Before the experiment, participants filled in a consent form and completed a questionnaire to determine their self-esteem level. During the experiment, participants answered questions asked by the professor in a VR classroom environment and received either inflated praise, moderate praise, or no praise. Post-experiment, participants completed questionnaires to see how different praises influenced their experience perception and self-esteem. Our study has shown a slight negative correlation between praise and honesty, implying that more inflated praise led to the participants’ reduced perception of the received feedback’s honesty. More inflated praise also led to increased seriousness. The study found no statistically significant correlation between the type of praise received and participants' self-perceptions of honesty, seriousness, or sincerity. The correlations, where present, were not robust enough to indicate any meaningful trends. We also used the TextBlob Python library to run sentiment analysis to evaluate the participants’ feedback polarity on the question to provide thoughts on the Professor’s feedback to their responses in VR. There is a statistically significant positive correlation between received praise and feedback polarity, which implies that more inflated praise led to more positive thoughts on the feedback overall.

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How does virtual human companionship impact stress levels in patients in preoperative surgeries?

Aditya Pandhare, Darko Skulikj, Jun Lee, Pierre Maged

Fall 2024

Abstract
Surgical procedures often induce significant anxiety and stress inpatients, particularly in the pre-operative phase [1]. Research hasdemonstrated that the presence of a companion during this criticalperiod can significantly reduces emotional distress, fostering a sense ofcomfort and security [2]. However, not everyone has companions withthem during these critical stages. This research explores the potential of virtual reality (VR) as aninnovative tool for pre-operative stress, focusing on the presence ofvirtual human companionship. By examining the effects of VR-basedsocial presence, we aim to explore how virtual interactions mightalleviate pre-operative stress among patients. While preliminary studieshave reported promising results in reducing anxiety among adultsundergoing elective and oncological surgeries [3, 4], this researchseeks to further understand and validate the efficacy of VR inenhancing emotional well-being prior to surgery. This pilot involved 20 participants (young adults age 18-23) divided into two groups: 10 with prior surgical experience and 10 without. Each group was further split into two subgroups each to test the independent variable 'companions'.Participants were placed in the simulation using the Oculus Quest 2and stress levels were measured throughout the simulation using apulse sensor integrated with an Arduino system to track heart rate to which we got an average heart rate per participant forthe whole simulation. The VR simulation placed participants in a hospital lobby where they embodied a patient with a mirror in front of them. They are waiting fora virtual doctor to inform them of their upcoming surgery. After the VR experience, participants completed a questionnaire assessing stress, comfort, and the realism and engagement of thescene, using a 5-point Likert scale. The analysis of average heart rates across all four groups showed a very minimaldecrease in heart rates for participants exposed to virtual companions ("withfriends") compared to those without companions, regardless of prior surgicalexperience. However, this difference was too small to be consideredsignificant. On the other hand, the questionnaire results demonstrated that participants in the "with friends" condition consistently rated slightly higher onmeasures of comfort, stress reduction, much better distraction and a higherperceived engagement with the virtual human companionship. However, itshould be noted that participants in the "without friends" condition reportedthat they felt the scene was more realistic than the group “with friends”.

• [1] Roshangar, F., Lotfi, M., Aghazadeh, A. M., Asghari, E., & Aghaei, E. (2020). The Effect of “Nurse Companionship” on Anxietyand Vital Sign Changes of Cesarean Section Candidates: A Randomized Control Trial. Crescent Journal of Medical andBiological Sciences, 7, 2148–9696.
• [2] Jawaid, M., Mushtaq, A., Mukhtar, S., & Khan, Z. (2007). Preoperative anxiety before elective surgery. NeurosciencesJournal. https://nsj.org.sa/content/12/2/145.short
• [3] Chiu PL, Li H, Yap KY, Lam KC, Yip PR, Wong CL. (2023) Virtual Reality-Based Intervention to Reduce Preoperative Anxiety in AdultsUndergoing Elective Surgery: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Oct 2;6(10):e2340588.
• [4] El-Gabalawy R, Sommer JL, Hebbard P, Reynolds K, Logan GS, et al. (2024) An Immersive Virtual Reality Intervention forPreoperative Anxiety and Distress Among Adults Undergoing Oncological Surgery: Protocol for a 3-Phase Development andFeasibility Trial. JMIR Res Protoc. 2024 May 14;13:e55692. doi: 10.2196/55692. PMID: 38743939; PMCID: PMC11134251.

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VR Embodiment Impact on Cognitive Ability

Marcos Hernández, Yumi Omori, Tinh Ngo, Sabrina Song, Gulsim Azirakhmet

Fall 2024

Abstract
Virtual Reality (VR) has the potential to create a sense of body ownership over an artificial body [1]. This sense of ownership can influence how individuals perceive themselves, enhancing mood and promoting perspective-taking [2]. Building on this, the study Virtually Being Einstein [3] explores whether embodying a high-cognitive-ability individual in VR can improve cognitive performance. Our pilot study aims to replicate this experiment with modifications, including expanding the participant pool to include female participants and allowing avatar gender selection to enhance embodiment. A total of 8 NYUAD students (5 male, 3 female, aged between 20 and 24 years old) took part in this pilot study. Our pilot was conducted over two visits: First Visit: Participants received a briefing about the experiment and complete three assessment tests: the Tower of London (TOL), the Age Implicit Association Test (IAT), and a pre-experiment survey. Second Visit (Two Days Later): Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups: the Scientist Avatar group (Albert Einstein or Marie Curie) or the Normal Avatar group (Male or Female). After completing a VR task involving arranging numbers in descending order, participants took the assessment tests again and completed a post-experiment survey addressing their VR experience. Participants' performance varied depending on the avatar they embodied for the VR task. The average error count and time spent on the task highlight differences in cognitive engagement or efficiency, potentially influenced by the chosen avatar's identity. In the TOL assessments, participants showed a decrease in mean total scores. However, there was an improvement in cognitive efficiency, as reflected in reduced mean solution time and execution time. These results suggest that embodying high-cognitive-ability avatars like Albert Einstein or Marie Curie in VR may enhance cognitive efficiency, despite the observed decline in task accuracy. Further analysis could explore the underlying factors influencing these patterns, such as avatar identity and participant engagement. The pilot study so far supports previous findings.

• [1] Botvinick, Matthew, and Jonathan Cohen. “Rubber hands ‘feel’ touch that eyes see.” Nature, vol. 391, no. 6669, Feb. 1998, p. 756. https://doi.org/10.1038/35784..
• [2] Osimo, Sofia Adelaide, et al. “Conversations between self and self as Sigmund Freud—A virtual body ownership paradigm for self counselling.” Scientific Reports, vol. 5, no. 1, Sept. 2015, https://doi.org/10.1038/srep13899.
• [3] Banakou, D., Kishore, S., Slater, M. “Virtually Being Einstein Results in an Improvement in Cognitive Task Performance and a Decrease in Age Bias.” Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 9, June 2018, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00917.

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Autonomy and Mindfulness in VR Sandbox

Aribah Zaman, Yiyang Zu, Haziel de Oliveira, Mariam Fatima.

Fall 2024

Abstract
Research shows VR can enhance mindfulness training and meditation, particularly in nature-based environments [1]. VR's visual and auditory elements help users focus on the present moment [2], while mindfulness itself improves well-being, emotional regulation [3], and reduces stress and anxiety [4]. However, research hasn't examined how VR design elements, especially user control, affect mindfulness. This pilot study will investigate whether VR sandbox environments can facilitate mindfulness practices, measuring outcomes through presence and anxiety levels, with particular focus on how user control impacts the experience. Ten participants were divided into control and no-control conditions, with two females and three males per condition. Prior to VR experience, participants completed the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) for baseline measurement. The “Has control” group selected from four environments (daytime forest, sunset forest, sunset mountains, or nighttime mountains). They were able to move freely within their chosen scene. “No control” group was placed in a randomly selected environment without movement abilities. All participants listened to identical guided meditation audio with breathing exercises. Participants completed both the STAI and Presence Questionnaire following the VR experience. Sessions conclude with debriefing discussions. The results suggest that having autonomy over the VR environment significantly enhances mindfulness experiences. This aligns with fundamental mindfulness principles where personal agency and conscious choice play crucial roles in maintaining present-moment awareness. However, the relationship between autonomy and immersion appears more complex, with zero to minimally negative correlation, suggesting that autonomy might slightly decrease presence in the virtual environment. The higher variability in immersion scores for the autonomy group might indicate that different participants utilize autonomy features differently, or they could spot the “incongruencies” in the VR environment easilier. The discrepancy between mean and median scores in the immersion data suggests that individual differences play a substantial role in how autonomy affects presence. Meanwhile, we received positive feedback on the guided meditation, which could have constituted an inalienable part to the conducted mindfulness practice.

• [1] Ma, Jingni, et al. “The Effectiveness of Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) Based Mindfulness Training on Improvement Mental-Health in Adults: A Narrative Systematic Review.” EXPLORE, Elsevier, 5 Aug. 2022, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1550830722001227.
• [2] Seabrook, Elizabeth, et al. “Understanding How Virtual Reality Can Support Mindfulness Practice: Mixed Methods Study.” Journal of Medical Internet Research, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 18 Mar. 2020, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7113800/.
• [3] Keng, Shian-Ling, et al. “Effects of Mindfulness on Psychological Health: A Review of Empirical Studies.” Clinical Psychology Review, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Aug. 2011, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3679190/.
• [4] Bartlett, Larissa, et al. “Mindfulness Is Associated with Lower Stress and Higher Work Engagement in a Large Sample of MOOC Participants.” Frontiers, Frontiers, 16 Aug. 2021,.

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The Impact of Perspective Taing on Empathy

Mariam Al M., Mariam Al K., Shamma Al J., Yonathan W. .

Abstract
This project investigates the potential of virtual reality (VR) as a tool for understanding and influencing human behavior in emotionally charged scenarios based on the Golden Rule hypothesis [1]. By immersing participants in a VR restaurant simulation, the study focuses on their responses as witnesses to a conflict between a rude customer and a waiter. The simulation aims to evoke empathy and critical thinking by placing participants in the role of a bystander observer and then reliving this experience form the perspective of the victim, following earlier examples [1]. Through this perspective, the study examines how witnessing escalating aggression impacts participants’ emotional responses and decision-making. Eight participants (4 males and 4 females) 18 years of age and above took part in a pilot and completed the Empathy Quotient (EQ) questionnaire before and after the VR experience. This tool is designed to measure participants' ability to pick up on and respond to others' feelings. Pre- and post-VR assessments compared changes in emotional engagement and empathy after witnessing a staged conflict in a VR restaurant setting. Responses were scored on a Likert scale, categorizing empathy levels into four ranges: low, average, above average, and high. During the VR Experience, participants embodied a witness, observing a staged conflict between a fellow customer and a waiter in the restaurant. Afterwards they relived the experience but from the perspective of the waiter. Conflict stages progress from verbal aggression to shouting. There was an increase in EQ scores post experience, but overall response times revealed no signicant changes in decision-making time, i.e. when measuring the intervening time to stop the conflict after they re-exeprience the conflict as the bystander.

• [1] Slater, M., & Banakou, D. (2021). The Golden Rule as a Paradigm for Fostering Prosocial Behavior With Virtual Reality. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 30(6), 503-509.

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A child's Voice

The embodiment illusion depends on the voice feedback being congruent with the age of the virtual body.

Abstract
People's mental representations of their own body are malleable and continuously updated through sensory cues. Altering one's body-representation can lead to changes in object perception and implicit attitudes. Virtual reality has been used to embody adults in the body of a 4-year-old child or a scaled-down adult body. Child embodiment was found to cause an overestimation of object sizes, approximately double that during adult embodiment, and identification of the self with child-like attributes. Here we tested the contribution of auditory cues related to one's own voice to these visually-driven effects. In a 2×2 factorial design, visual and auditory feedback on one's own body were varied across conditions, which included embodiment in a child or scaled-down adult body, and real (undistorted) or child-like voice feedback. The results replicated, in an older population, previous findings regarding size estimations and implicit attitudes. Further, although auditory cues were not found to enhance these effects, we show that the strength of the embodiment illusion depends on the child-like voice feedback being congruent or incongruent with the age of the virtual body. Results also showed the positive emotional impact of the illusion of owning a child's body, opening up possibilities for health applications.

• Ana Tajadura-Jiménez, Domna Banakou,
  Nadia Bianchi-Berthouze & Mel Slater
• Sci Rep., 14 March 2018
• doi:10.1038/s41598-017-09497-3