Can virtual reality increase emotional responses (Arousal and Valence)? a pilot study

Abstract

Emotions in the context of UX are generally evaluated in regard to product appearance and sensorial experience. The use of virtual reality can be a way to study UX in consumer products. We want to evaluate if we could increase emotional responses using a virtual reality immersive system. For that purpose, we used the GAPED picture database and compared valence and arousal ratings of GAPED and those obtained using virtual reality. Results showed that arousal was higher in virtual reality for all images, and valence was negatively extreme for images of living creatures usually associated with phobias (spiders and snakes). Nonetheless being this is a pilot study, we conclude that there is a tendency for Virtual Reality to increase emotional responses. © 2014 Springer International Publishing Switzerland.