The Effects of Immersion and Interactivity on Presence, Arousal, and Fear When Public Speaking in Front of a Virtual Audience

Abstract Virtual reality (VR) may assist individuals who have public speaking anxiety. However, technical factors that influence the level of immersion experienced and ability to interact with the environment may determine the effectiveness of VR-based treatment. The current study investigated the effect of immersion and interactivity in a virtual public speaking scenario on presence, physiological arousal, and state anxiety. Participants (N = 78) with a self-reported fear of public speaking gave impromptu speeches in a virtual environment. Participants were assigned to one of two immersion groups of either a computer monitor showing a video from a static position (low immersion) or a head-mounted display showing a 360° video (high immersion) and completed two impromptu speeches using no interactive elements or by interacting with a visual aid. Presence was influenced by immersion in that the head mounted display evoked greater presence than the computer monitor. Heart rate and state anxiety did not differ between immersion groups. However, heart rate was higher in the non-interactive condition than during the baseline measurement whereas there was no difference from baseline for the interactive condition. These findings support the use of head-mounted solutions over monitors in exposure programs for the fear of public speaking. High levels of physical interactivity are less necessary, although future research could focus on interactive virtual social elements in treatments for social fears.