A Virtual Reality Implementation of the Trier Social Stress Test Using Head-Mounted Displays

Høngaard, Jens Stokholm ; Thomsen, Andreas Møller ; Christensen, Patrick Mark Houmann

4. term

Medialogy, Master

2016

2016-05-26

44 pages

A Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) is designed to induce stress in participants by having them give a presentation to three unknown people, whom act as a committee, as well as other exercises. A previous study using a virtual reality TSST in a CAVE was a success, but an easier way of conducting the test in virtual reality was deemed necessary. Using a CAVE is expensive, and as such, a virtual reality system using head-mounted displays (HMDs) was requested. A problem with HMDs is that people are not able to see their own limbs while wearing it. This problem makes it hard to measure the participants stress level during the TSST. The way of measuring stress levels in this case is through cortisol in saliva samples. Taking these saliva samples requires the participants to chew on a cotton swab for at least 10 seconds, and doing this without seeing the real world could prove difficult. An experiment with comparisons of three different methods of taking a saliva sample through cotton swabs, or in our case pieces of similar shaped candy, while wearing a head mounted display was conducted. All our results point toward a method without facilitator assistance yielding the best outcome.

Trier social stress test ; TSST ; Virtual Reality ; VR ; HMD ; Optitrack ; Oculus Rift

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