Tap into Reality: Understanding the Impact of Interactions on Presence and Reaction Time in Mixed Reality

TL;DR

This study investigates how different interaction methods in mixed reality influence user presence and reaction time, revealing a significant negative correlation that links interaction quality with perceived presence.

Contribution

It provides empirical evidence on the relationship between interaction types, presence, and reaction time in mixed reality, highlighting the importance of interaction design.

Findings

Presence and reaction time are negatively correlated (r = -0.54).

Interaction impacts both presence and reaction time.

Direct and symbolic interactions differ in their effects.

Abstract

Enhancing presence in mixed reality (MR) relies on precise measurement and quantification. While presence has traditionally been measured through subjective questionnaires, recent research links presence with objective metrics like reaction time. Past studies examined this correlation with varying technical factors (object realism and behavior) and human conditioning, but the impact of interaction remains unclear. To answer this question, we conducted a within-subjects study (N=50) to explore the correlation between presence and reaction time across two interaction scenarios (direct and symbolic) with two tasks (selection and manipulation). We found that presence scores and reaction times are correlated (correlation coefficient of $-0.54$), suggesting that the impact of interaction on reaction time correlates with its effect on presence.