Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society

Cognitive science has much to contribute in regard to the development of accurate and valid virtual environments wherehumans act as operators. For example, optimal performance for visual-motor tasks may require a strong sense of immersionwith respect to flow and interactivity. The present research examined the relation of presence/absence of operator handsduring simulated flight simulation to a series of key immersion factors (N=47). Furthermore, the impact of levels ofimmersion (using self-report scales) on operator performance were also investigated. Results show that hand presenceaffected both absorption and interactivity. Importantly, operator performance showed greater precision when absorptionand interactivity were rated higher. These findings suggest that the development of virtual environments requiring humanoperators and complex cognitive functions must consider the impact of embodiment and levels of immersion.