Behavioral avoidance dynamics in the presence of a virtual spider

Author

Renaud, Patrice ; Bouchard, Stéphane ; Proulx, Robert

Author_Institution

Quebec Univ., Hull, Que., Canada

Volume

6

Issue

3

fYear

2002

Firstpage

235

Lastpage

243

Abstract

Tracking behavior with a virtual spider and a neutral target is compared in fearful and nonfearful subjects. Head-tracking in virtual environments appears to be a scale-free behavior with long-range fractal-like patterns. Moreover, these fractal patterns change according to what the target affords the tracker and the level of behavioral avoidance manifested by the subjects. Results are interpreted in terms of ecological psychology and nonlinear dynamics, and implications for virtual reality (VR) psychology are outlined.

Keywords

medical computing; patient treatment; psychology; user interfaces; virtual reality; anxiety; behavioral avoidance dynamics; ecological psychology; head tracking; long-range fractal-like patterns; nonlinear dynamics; presence; psychology; scale-free behavior; virtual environments; virtual reality; virtual spider; Concrete; Fractals; Head; Information processing; Nonlinear dynamical systems; Presses; Psychology; Target tracking; Virtual environment; Virtual reality; Adult; Animals; Chronic Disease; Computer Graphics; Computer Simulation; Environment; Fear; Female; Head Movements; Humans; Male; Motion Perception; Phobic Disorders; Psychomotor Performance; Reproducibility of Results; Self Assessment (Psychology); Sensitivity and Specificity; Severity of Illness Index; Spiders; Treatment Outcome; User-Computer Interface;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Information Technology in Biomedicine, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1089-7771

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TITB.2002.802381

Filename

1033952