Immersion or Non-Immersion? That is the Question. Is Immersion Useful in a Spatial Perspective Taking Task?

Results in literature suggest that immersion and presence in virtual reality facilitates spatial reasoning, but is it really so? The present paper describes a methodology and the set-up of an experiment aimed at assessing the relation between immersion in virtual reality, presence and performance in spatial reasoning. "In Your Eyes" is a virtual reality game to support the development of the spatial perspective taking skill, which is one of the basic abilities in spatial reasoning. The game has been developed in three different versions: one in complete immersion, using a Head Mounted Display; one in semiimmersion in which all movements are still possible but the room is seen from a computer monitor; and a non-immersive one with a fixed view on the virtual room. A wide test with children from 8 to 10 years of age was planned with the aim of assessing whether the use of immersion impacts on reported presence and on performance in the perspective taking task. Six elementary classes are involved in playing with the three versions of the game. The data collected will be the basis for a deeper research on spatial immersion, presence and their impact on performance and learning of visual reasoning skills.