Advancing Psychological Research: A Controlled Virtual Reality Environment for Exploring Social Dynamics in Immersive Conversational Interactions

This paper explores the innovative development of a controlled virtual reality (VR) environment tailored for psychology and social experiments, using the renowned Cyberball paradigm as a focal point. The transition from traditional, physically based Cyberball implementations to an immersive VR setting marks a significant leap in experimental control and realism. Moreover, unlike conventional Cyberball implementations, our approach departs from traditional balltossing activities to explore interpersonal dynamics through conversational interactions involving participants engaging in an immersive virtual reality chat room. We delve into the meticulous design, implementation, and evaluation of this controlled VR environment, emphasizing the pivotal role it plays in shaping the future of psychological research. Key considerations include scripted audio content, virtual player animations, and participant engagement strategies. Through a detailed examination of the Cyberball paradigm within this VR framework, our work contributes to the establishment of best practices and guidelines for designing controlled environments in VR, fostering a more nuanced understanding of social dynamics and psychological phenomena.