HEALTH AND SAFETY IMPLICATIONS OF VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS - MEASUREMENT ISSUES

Investigations of the potential impact of virtual environments on user health and safety require a methodological framework to identify both the effects of VE participation and the role of influential factors i n causing those effects. This first in a series of 12 experiments was designed to evaluate methods, but also provided preliminary data regar ding psychological and physiological effects. This discussion centers upon the value of self-reports and performance measures and the genera l methodological problems of evaluating participation in virtual envir onments.