Virtual Environmentents as Laboratories for Studying Human Behavior: Modeling, Testing, and Validation

这项研究的目的是调查虚拟环境作为研究动态环境中人类行为的媒介的使用。该项目有两个推动力：一个是针对先进的场景建模技术，以满足实验对适应受试者行为的可复制经验的需求，另一个是在虚拟自行车模拟器中调查儿童骑自行车行为的实验组件。虚拟环境为人类行为研究提供了一种令人兴奋的新媒介，它结合了受控实验室实验的严谨性和自然实验的生态有效性。他们让受试者沉浸在看似真实但条件可控的世界中。此外，他们可以逼真地模拟危险的情况，而不会有伤害受试者的风险。为了开发虚拟环境作为研究人类行为的实验室的潜力，必须在控制充满车辆、行人、骑自行车的人和红绿灯的虚拟环境的动态的技术方面取得重大进展。在实验中，正确的事情必须在正确的时间和地点发生。此外，活动应该保持一种自发的外观；主体应该感觉到他们有行动的自由，其他对象的行为也是正常的。这项研究将探索在线方向作为一种自适应协调模拟对象在实验期间的行为的手段。心理学研究将作为测试和强化情景控制方法的试验场。在虚拟环境中进行的实验将与在真实环境中进行的实验进行比较，以验证模拟器作为研究人类行为的实验室的使用。这项工作融合了高保真模拟、复杂行为控制、人为因素和发展心理学的研究。这项研究将推进虚拟环境技术、实验方法和模拟器验证，并增加我们对儿童伤害的主要原因的理解。

The objective of this research is to investigate the use of virtual environments as a medium for the study of human behavior in dynamic environments. The project has two thrusts: a computational component directed at advancing scenario modeling techniques to meet the needs of experiments for replicable experiences that adapt to subject behavior, and an experimental component that investigates children's bicycle riding behavior in a virtual bicycling simulator. Virtual environments present an exciting new medium for the study of human behavior that combines the rigor of controlled laboratory experiments with the ecological validity of natural experiments. They immerse subjects in worlds that appear physically real, but where conditions can be controlled. In addition, they can realistically simulate dangerous circumstances without risking injury to subjects. To exploit the potential of virtual environments as laboratories for studying human behavior, significant advances must be made in techniques for controlling the dynamics of virtual environments populated with vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists, and traffic lights. In experiments, the right things must happen at the right time and place. Furthermore, the activity should maintain an appearance of spontaneity; subjects should feel that they have freedom of action and that other objects are behaving normally. The research will investigate on-line direction as a means to adaptively coordinate the behaviors of simulated objects during experiments. Psychological studies will serve as a proving ground to test and harden scenario control methodologies. Experiments conducted in virtual environments will be compared to experiments conducted in real environments to validate the use of simulators as laboratories for the study of human behavior. This work integrates research on high-fidelity simulation, control of complex behaviors, human factors, and developmental psychology. The research will advance virtual environment technology, experimental methods, and simulator validation, and increase our understanding of a leading cause of childhood injuries.