Ecological Validation of Virtual Reality Mall Cognitive Assessment and Evaluation

Abstract

Virtual reality has the advantage of being able to implement specific circumstances or situations just like a real environment. Virtual Reality (VR) technology is being widely recognized as a potential tool for the assessment and rehabilitation of human cognitive and functional processes. Virtual Environments (VE) are dynamic stimulus environments, in which all executive function abilities can be recorded. It is not just interesting for games and defense applications but, is also known for its usage in the medical field. The commonly employed paper and pencil test used to assess executive functions was inadequate due to its limited ecological validity. A novel task has been done using Virtual Reality Mall (VRM) to assess executive function abilities, for this a group of 30 graduate students aged between 20-25 years, perform various tests such as VRM, BADS test (Rule Shift Card )and the Tower of London test. Another group composed of 10 working employees, belonging to the age group 30-40 years performs the same tests as the graduate students and results were analyzed. Analysis of these working employees’ data shows a decline in the VR score performance relative to the graduate students. The ecological validity of VRM scores is confirmed with the help of Tower of London tests.