Research Article
The Effects of Virtual Weather on Presence
@INPROCEEDINGS{10.1007/978-3-642-11743-5_6, author={Bartholom\aa{}us Wissmath and David Weibel and Fred Mast}, title={The Effects of Virtual Weather on Presence}, proceedings={Facets of Virtual Environments. First International Conference, FaVE 2009, Berlin, Germany, July 27-29, 2009, Revised Selected Papers}, proceedings_a={FAVE}, year={2012}, month={5}, keywords={computer game virtual weather weather effects tele-presence performance}, doi={10.1007/978-3-642-11743-5_6} }- Bartholomäus Wissmath
David Weibel
Fred Mast
Year: 2012
The Effects of Virtual Weather on Presence
FAVE
Springer
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-11743-5_6
Abstract
In modern societies people tend to spend more time in front of computer screens than outdoors. Along with an increasing degree of realism displayed in digital environments, simulated weather appears more and more realistic and more often implemented in digital environments. Research has found that the actual weather influences behavior and mood. In this paper we experimentally examine the effects of virtual weather on the sense of presence. Thereby we found individuals (N=30) to immerse deeper in digital environments displaying fair weather conditions than in environments displaying bad weather. We also investigate whether virtual weather can influence behavior. The possible implications of theses findings for presence theory as well as digital environment designers will be discussed.