Immersive virtual environment for psychodiagnostics

Mgr. Michal Sedlák

Bachelor's thesis

Abstract:

Imerzívna virtuálna realita prináša nové možnosti pre interakciu človeka s počítačom. Ponúka automatizáciu a inovácie v mnohých oblastiach ľudskej činnosti. Jednou z nich je psychodiagnostika a meranie inteligencie, ktoré sa často opiera o tradične administrované metódy s použitím pera a papiera. Avšak tento typ administrácie je náchylný na chyby, meranie času nie je presné a test sa často vykonáva v prostredí s rušivými vplyvmi. Táto diplomová práca predstavuje Immersive Virtual Intelligence Scale (IVIS), ktorý bol vytvorený ako moderný nástroj pre meranie inteligencie v imerzívnej virtuálnej realite. Performačné subtesty WAIS-III (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale) boli adaptované a inovované pre použitie v imerzívnej VR. To prinieslo výhody ako zjednodušenie administrácie, zníženie rizika chýb, zvýšenie presnosti merania, automatizáciu výpočtu výsledkov a adaptívne testovanie. Poskytuje virtuálnu miestnosť pre psychologické merania. Objavenou nevýhodou je, že v súčasnosti dostupné VR headsety neposkytujú dostatočnú kvalitu zobrazenia pre niektoré úlohy. To by sa avšak malo vyriešiť budúcim technologickým vývojom.

Abstract:

Immersive virtual reality brings new possibilities to the way people interact with computers. It offers automatization and novelty to many areas of human activity. One of them is psychodiagnostics and intelligence assessment, which often rests on traditionally administrated methods with the use of pen and paper. However, this type of administration is prone to errors, the time measuring is not precise, and the test is often conducted in environment with disturbing influences. This thesis presents the Immersive Virtual Intelligence Scale (IVIS) created as a modern tool for intelligence assessment in immersive virtual reality. Performance subtests of the WAIS-III (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale) were adapted and innovated to the immersive VR form. This brought advantages such as simplification of the administration, reduced risk of error, increased accuracy of measurements, automatization of results calculation, and adaptive testing. It provides a virtual room for psychological assessment. The discovered disadvantage is that the currently available VR headsets do not have sufficient displaying capabilities for some tasks. However, this should be resolved by the future technological development.

Keywords

virtual reality, virtual environment, VR, VE, psychology, psychodiagnostics, intelligence assessment, HTC Vive, Unity

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 12. 1. 2021

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 2. 7. 2021
• Supervisor: Mgr. David Kuťák
• Reader: Mgr. Vojtěch Brůža

Masaryk University

Faculty of Informatics

Bachelor programme / field:
Applied Informatics / Applied Informatics