Experimental Psychology I, Institute of Psychology, Osnabrück University, Lise-Meitner-Str. 3, 49076, Osnabrück, Germany.
Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
Exp Brain Res. 2024 Dec;242(12):2765-2783. doi: 10.1007/s00221-024-06935-3. Epub 2024 Oct 12.
In psychophysiological research, the use of Virtual Reality (VR) for stimulus presentation allows for the investigation of how perceptual processing adapts to varying degrees of realism. Previous time-domain studies have shown that perceptual processing involves modality-specific neural mechanisms, as evidenced by distinct stimulus-locked components. Analyzing induced oscillations across different frequency bands can provide further insights into neural processes that are not strictly phase-locked to stimulus onset. This study uses a simple perceptual paradigm presenting images of faces and cars on both a standard 2D monitor and in an immersive VR environment. To investigate potential modality-dependent differences in attention, cognitive load, and task-related post-movement processing, the induced alpha, theta and beta band responses are compared between the two modalities. No evidence was found for differences in stimulus-dependent attention or task-related post-movement processing between the 2D conditions and the realistic virtual conditions in electrode space, as posterior alpha suppression and re-synchronization of centro-parietal beta did not differ between conditions. However, source analysis revealed differences in the attention networks engaged during 2D and 3D perception. Midfrontal theta was significantly stronger in laboratory conditions, indicating higher cognitive load than in the VR environment. Exploratory analysis of posterior theta showed stronger responses in VR, possibly reflecting the processing of depth information provided only by the 3D material. In addition, the theta response seems to be generated by distinct neuronal sources under realistic virtual conditions indicating enhanced involvement of semantic information processing and social cognition.
在心理生理学研究中，使用虚拟现实（VR）进行刺激呈现可以研究感知处理如何适应不同程度的逼真度。以前的时域研究表明，感知处理涉及特定于模态的神经机制，这可以通过不同的刺激锁定成分得到证明。分析不同频带的诱导振荡可以进一步深入了解与刺激起始不严格锁相的神经过程。本研究使用简单的感知范式，在标准 2D 显示器和沉浸式 VR 环境中呈现面部和汽车的图像。为了研究注意力、认知负荷和与运动后处理相关的潜在模态依赖性差异，比较了两种模态之间的诱导阿尔法、theta 和 beta 波段反应。在电极空间中，没有发现 2D 条件和逼真虚拟条件之间在刺激依赖性注意力或与运动后处理相关的差异，因为后阿尔法抑制和中央顶叶 beta 的重新同步在条件之间没有差异。然而，源分析揭示了在 2D 和 3D 感知期间参与的注意力网络的差异。中额叶 theta 在实验室条件下明显更强，表明认知负荷高于 VR 环境。对后部 theta 的探索性分析显示，在 VR 中反应更强，可能反映了仅由 3D 材料提供的深度信息的处理。此外，在逼真的虚拟条件下，theta 反应似乎由不同的神经元源产生，这表明语义信息处理和社会认知的参与度增强。
