Objective MEC (Presence: Measurement, Effects, Conditions) has three objectives. The first is to compare different methodologies that measure Presence experiences from a psychology-based theoretical model. Secondly, questionnaire, think-aloud, distraction-paradigm, eye-movement recording and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) methodologies will be tested in different media settings. The role of Presence experiences in media-based learning processes will be investigated in the contacts of educational hypertext and VR/multimedia systems. MEC's third goal is to investigate the influence of users' motivational dispositions and skills on the development of Presence experiences. MEC will advance the methodology of Presence research, investigate interactive and immersive educational media and the psychological determinants of Presence that have been neglected in past research. MEC (Presence: Measurement, Effects, Conditions) has three objectives. The first is to compare different methodologies that measure Presence experiences from a psychology-based theoretical model. Secondly, questionnaire, think-aloud, distraction-paradigm, eye-movement recording and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) methodologies will be tested in different media settings. The role of Presence experiences in media-based learning processes will be investigated in the contacts of educational hypertext and VR/multimedia systems. MEC's third goal is to investigate the influence of users' motivational dispositions and skills on the development of Presence experiences. MEC will advance the methodology of Presence research, investigate interactive and immersive educational media and the psychological determinants of Presence that have been neglected in past research.OBJECTIVESMEC will contribute to the conceptualisation and measurement of Presence. A comparative investigation of the benefits of different measurement approaches (questionnaire, think-aloud, distraction paradigm, eye-movement recording, fMRI) will strengthen Presence Research methodology. Different effects and conditions of Presence will emerge from studying the role of Presence in media-based learning, within educational hypertext and VR systems. The project will look at the psychological conditions of Presence, especially the motivations and capabilities of the users. MEC collaborate on interdisciplinary, multi-theory and multi-method research on the nature of Presence, its effects and determinants.DESCRIPTION OF WORKThe fist half of MEC's work plan is dedicated to the comparative methodological studies on Presence research. Beginning with the elaboration of a dimensional model of Presence experiences that is based on psychology theory, media studies, neuropsychology and communication science in general. MEC will test five different methodologies to measure Presence (questionnaire, think-aloud, distraction paradigm, eye-movement recording and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)). All measures will be applied to several media settings: Linear text, hypertext, film and VR/multimedia environments. These settings are expected to elicit Presence on different dimensions, and with different intensities of experiences.Our research strategy will provide some conclusions on the relative benefits of different of measurement methodologies, as well as their (dis-) advantages in practical use. The final MEC experiments address:1) the effects of Presence on learning;2) the influence of users' motivations and skills on the formation of Presence experiences.These experiments will use the hypertext materials and the VR/multimedia environment from the methodological studies. Subjects will be screened for the user attributes under study, exposed to the educational media setting and subsequently tested for learning performance. This research design will address Presence in media-based learning processes and illustrate the role of psychological user variables that contribute to Presence experiences. Fields of science social sciencespsychologyengineering and technologymedical engineeringdiagnostic imagingmagnetic resonance imaging Programme(s) FP5-IST - Programme for research, technological development and demonstration on a "User-friendly information society, 1998-2002" Topic(s) 2002-6.2.2 - Presence Research: Cognitive sciences and future media Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator HOCHSCHULE FUER MUSIK UND THEATER HANNOVER EU contribution No data Address EMMICHPLATZ 1 30175 HANNOVER Germany See on map Total cost No data Participants (3) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all HELSINGIN KAUPPAKORKEAKOULU Finland EU contribution No data Address RUNEBERGINKATU 14-16 00101 HELSINKI See on map Total cost No data UNIVERSIDADE FERNANDO PESSOA Portugal EU contribution No data Address PRACA 9 DE ABRIL, 349, PARANHOS 4249-004 PORTO See on map Total cost No data UNIVERSITAET ZUERICH Switzerland EU contribution No data Address RAEMISTRASSE 71 8006 ZUERICH See on map Total cost No data
