Farmer, Harry ORCID: 0000-0002-3684-0605, Bevan, C. ORCID: 0000-0002-2823-420X, Green, D., Rose, M., Cater, K. ORCID: 0000-0002-3435-2392 and Stanton Fraser, D. ORCID: 0000-0002-3062-731X (2021) Did you see what I saw?: Comparing attentional synchrony during 360° video viewing in head mounted display and tablets. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 27 (2). pp. 324-337. ISSN 1076-898X (Print), 1939-2192 (Online) (doi:https://doi.org/10.1037/xap0000332)

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Abstract

Advances in head mounted displays (HMDs) have increased the interest in cinematic virtual reality as an art form. However, the freedom of a viewer in 360 video presents challenges in ensuring that audiences do not inadvertently miss important events and locations. We examined whether the high level of immersion provided by HMDs encourages participants to synchronize their attention during viewing. Sixty-four participants watched the 360° documentary Clouds Over Sidra (VRSE.works, 2015) using either an HMD or via a flat screen tablet display. We used intersubject correlation (ISC) analysis to measure attentional synchrony over the course of the video and to examine whether spatial and temporal factors led to different amounts of correlation both within and between groups. We found significantly greater ISC for the HMD compared to the tablet group. This effect was greatest for scenes with a unidirectional focus and at the start of scenes. We discuss our results in terms of the visual properties and the motor affordances of HMDs versus tablets. Our results show the value of HMDs in increasing attentional synchrony and may provide producers of 360° content insight in how to encourage or discourage synchronization of viewing direction.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	virtual reality; intersubject correlation; attentional synchrony; 360 video; visual attention
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology N Fine Arts > N Visual arts (General) For photography, see TR Q Science > QA Mathematics > QA76 Computer software
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > School of Human Sciences (HUM)
Last Modified:	06 May 2022 12:56
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/36032

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