2024 Participants
Virtual reality for children: A pilot study to examine how individual difference factors relate to game play
Faculty advisor/course instructor: Rachel Flynn
Entry #9
Active video games (AVGs) for VR platforms have potential to increase both exercise and cognition for children based on the immersive nature of the technology. Prior research indicates that technology usage among children is highly enjoyed. Little research, however, has examined commercially-available VR AVGs for neurotypical physically healthy children. The current research utilizes descriptive and correlational analysis to explore types of VR games children enjoy and what influences gameplay. There were 30 9 to 13-year-old participants (Average Age = 10 years old) that participated in the study at San Francisco-based youth development programs. Participants played three different VR games during one 1-hour session. Data was collected through use of surveys of prior media use, and feedback on VR game play. Interviews with children consisted of structured and semi-structured questions. Although analysis is ongoing, we found that children generally enjoyed playing the virtual reality games. Most (77%) participants rated VR exercise games as “a lot of fun” and 23% rated VR exercise games “kind of fun” on a scale of 1 (not at all fun) to 5 (very fun). In the future, we plan on analyzing how the difficulty of the game impacts enjoyment. Understanding the types of VR games children enjoy and how their individual differences effect gameplay will lead to further research on the effects of VR AVG’s on children’s cognitive and physical health.
Past Participants
2023
Virtual Reality for Children: An Exploratory Study
Faculty advisor/course instructor: Rachel Flynn
Entry #24
Virtual reality is an up and coming device for people of all ages to play games and engage in a completely new fashion from the comforts of ones own home. Still in its infancy stage, the use of its technology has already shown so many nuanced ways to engage and interact. Active video games offer numerous physical benefits for children and can also improve cognition. Very little research has examined commercially-available VR AVGs for neurotypical, physically healthy children. This study takes the first steps in utilizing descriptive and correlational research designs to explore which types of VR games children enjoy playing, and how children’s individual differences and innate cognitive abilities may directly impact how they play and engage in our world and the world of virtual reality. Data will be collected in a 1.5-2 hour session. Aside from consent/assent, there are three phases of the data collection. The first being baseline information of children’s individual differences. These factors include and are not limited to; Parental surveys, surveys on media influence, physical activity, measures of cardiorespiratory fitness and cognitive tests. The second phase is VR game feedback and interest. Each child will have different natural interests that will directly affect their ability to learn and engage with each game. Phase 3 will consist of VR game play and debrief. This topic is timely for informing how VR fits into children’s digital landscape. Specifically, we selected a total of 20 Oculus VR games from the E for Everyone category of games, including puzzle solving, sports games, music games, drawing, meditation, etc. The current pilot research will fill a gap in the literature by using commercially available VR games to examine how children age 9 -13 years old respond physically to VR games.