Selected Publications
Below are my highlighted works. You can also read my full CV, which includes a full list of publications, including journal articles, conference proceedings, non-archival conference papers/posters, and book chapters.This review article presents five canonical psychological research findings in VR over the past three decades: (1) the benefit of being there depends on the activity, (2) self-avatars influence behavior, (3) procedural training works better than abstract learning, (4) body tracking makes VR unique, (5) people underestimate distance in VR. We provide recommendations for both researchers and users of VR.
This article (1) looks at the role of virtual mobility on how/what people create in VR and (2) introduces a VR-specific creativity coding scheme. Restricted movement leads to fewer deletions, fewer 3D models, shorter creations, and less practical designs.
This article explores how different VR training methods (paper, video, VR) affect user experience, with tech anxiety influencing performance. Video or VR training helped mastery and reduced negative experiences; high tech anxiety participants struggled more regardless of method.
This 2-study article examines how virtual and physical social contexts affect nonverbal behavior. Study 1 (virtual) and Study 2 (physical) show variations in avatar movement, gaze, and interpersonal distance depending on the context.
This article discusses integrating VR into classrooms through the Virtual People course. Key insights: acclimate students, select tasks, manage technical issues, and plan physical & virtual course setups.
This article studies how virtual room properties (ceiling height, floor size) influence attitudes and nonverbal behavior during social interactions in VR. High ceilings increased restorativeness, awe, and social attention; larger floors increased awe; both factors combined influenced movement and interpersonal distance.
This 2-study article shows how avatar appearance and environmental context influence attitudes and behaviors in VR. Self-presence and realism increased over time; avatars resembling participants increased nonverbal synchrony but reduced enjoyment; outdoor spaces increased restorativeness and enjoyment.
This study examines the challenges of implementing VR in distance education. Key takeaway: students must first learn VR itself before they can learn inside VR effectively.