Contextual priming to increase the sense of presence in virtual reality: exploratory study

Sense of presence plays an essential role in realistic answers in virtual reality and is, therefore, relevant to promote. Prior studies suggest that a relationship exists between familiarity and presence through the memory process. Indeed, the recall of memories could reactivate the mental state and emotions associated with their context. The present study thus examined the effectiveness of contextual priming in enhancing the sense of presence in a virtual environment. The reading of an article primed participants. In the university priming condition, the article consisted of a description of the university, place well-known by the participants and relating to the virtual environment used subsequently. In the non-university condition, the article dealt with the organization of household chores. After the reading, the researcher immersed participants in a virtual classroom and had to discuss the article for three minutes. Finally, participants were invited to complete several questionnaires. Participants in the university priming condition reported a higher sense of presence during the virtual task than participants in the neutral priming group, especially regarding reality judgment. These findings suggest that contextual priming can promote a sense of presence through the activation of familiarity.