ABSTRACT

The current study explores whether different stressors in a virtual reality (VR) military training scenario cause increases in physiological stress. This would validate the use of VR simulation for stress training, as well as the physiological monitoring of trainees for educational purposes. Military cadets (n = 63) performed a patrol scenario (military convoy) in which they answered questions about their surroundings. Stressors (task difficulty, noise, lighting changes, social evaluations, electric muscle stimulation, and a simulated attack on the convoy) were stepwise added in four phases. Electrocardiogram, blood pressure, electrodermal activity, cortisol, and the cadets’ subjective threat/challenge appraisal were measured. We found that only the first phase caused a significant increase in physiological stress, as measured with heart rate, heart rate variability, and electrodermal activity. Physiological stress appeared to stay high in the second phase as well, but decreased to baseline level in the third and fourth phases, even though these phases were designed to be the most stressful. Cadets classified as threat responders based on physiological data (n = 3) scored significantly higher on subjective threat/challenge appraisal than those classified as challenge responders (n = 21). It seems that in the tested VR training scenario, the novelty of the scenario was the only effective stress stimuli, whereas the other implemented stressors did not cause a measurable physiological response. We conclude that if VR training scenarios are to be used for stress training, these should confront trainees with unpredictable but context-specific demands.

 抽象的

目前的研究探讨了虚拟现实（VR）军事训练场景中的不同压力源是否会导致生理压力增加。这将验证 VR 模拟在压力训练中的应用，以及出于教育目的对受训者进行生理监测。军事学员（ n = 63）进行了巡逻场景（军事车队），其中他们回答了有关周围环境的问题。压力源（任务难度、噪音、灯光变化、社会评价、肌肉电刺激和对车队的模拟攻击）分四个阶段逐步添加。测量了心电图、血压、皮肤电活动、皮质醇和学员的主观威胁/挑战评估。我们发现，根据心率、心率变异性和皮肤电活动的测量结果，只有第一阶段会导致生理压力显着增加。生理压力似乎在第二阶段也保持较高水平，但在第三和第四阶段下降至基线水平，尽管这些阶段被设计为压力最大的阶段。根据生理数据分类为威胁响应者的学员 ( n = 3) 在主观威胁/挑战评估方面的得分明显高于被分类为挑战响应者的学员 ( n = 21)。看来，在测试的 VR 训练场景中，场景的新颖性是唯一有效的压力刺激，而其他实施的压力源并没有引起可测量的生理反应。我们的结论是，如果 VR 训练场景用于压力训练，那么受训者应该面临不可预测但特定于环境的需求。