Using Immersive Virtual Reality to Explore Individual Differences in Animacy Perception: A Pilot Study

Autism has been previously linked to differences in social cognition and sensory processing (Simmons et al, 2009). A classical measure of low-level social cognition is the Frith-Happé animations task which measures perceived animacy and “mentalizing” ability (mentalizing is the attribution of thoughts and feelings to others) (Abel et al., 2000). We have adapted this classic psychological paradigm to Virtual Reality (VR) and evaluated its feasibility. 3D versions of the Frith-Happé animations were constructed using the software package Unity. The animations had the appearance of solid triangles of different sizes moving on a ground plane. Participants viewed these animations in our VR lab wearing a standard Head-Mounted Display. White et al.’s (2011) multiple choice scoring system was used to categorize animations based on the perceived interaction of 3D geometrical shapes. Questionnaires were used to assess autistic traits of the 33 participants (aged 18-45). Participants’ verbal feedback indicated that the increased level of immersion available in VR helped them appreciate the animacy more. Immersive VR has thus been found to be an appropriate tool for investigating animacy and mentalizing ability.