The Fidelity-based Presence Scale (FPS): Modeling the Effects of Fidelity on Sense of Presence

2025-04-06

AI Summary

Current VR research lacks validated presence measurement tools capable of attributing presence to specific technical components—such as visual, interactive, and auditory fidelity—and suffers from a lack of consensus on questionnaire selection. To address this, we propose the Fidelity-Driven Perceived Presence Scale (FPS), the first instrument explicitly designed for system-level attribution of presence to fidelity dimensions. Developed via a Delphi process to achieve expert consensus and refined through exploratory factor analysis (EFA), the FPS integrates theoretical construction with empirical validation. The final 12-item scale demonstrates strong reliability and validity, and clearly differentiates the distinct contributions of visual, interactive, and auditory fidelity subdimensions to perceived presence. By enabling granular, component-level attribution of presence, the FPS fills a critical gap in VR evaluation methodology. It provides a standardized, psychometrically robust tool for optimizing VR system design and facilitating cross-study comparisons.

Technology Category

• Humans and AI: Game Design — Virtual Humans, NPCs and Autonomous Characters
• Computer Vision: Motion & Tracking
• Knowledge Representation and Reasoning: Preferences

Application Category

• Security and Privacy: Large-scale security measurements
• Search and Retrieval-Augmented AI: Web evaluation methodologies and metrics
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Web performance, measurement, and characterization

Abstract

Within the virtual reality (VR) research community, there have been several efforts to develop questionnaires with the aim of better understanding the sense of presence. Despite having numerous surveys, the community does not have a questionnaire that informs which components of a VR application contributed to the sense of presence. Furthermore, previous literature notes the absence of consensus on which questionnaire or questions should be used. Therefore, we conducted a Delphi study, engaging presence experts to establish a consensus on the most important presence questions and their respective verbiage. We then conducted a validation study with an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The efforts between our two studies led to the creation of the Fidelity-based Presence Scale (FPS). With our consensus-driven approach and fidelity-based factoring, we hope the FPS will enable better communication within the research community and yield important future results regarding the relationship between VR system fidelity and presence.

Problem

• Lack of VR questionnaire linking components to presence
• No consensus on presence measurement tools in VR
• Need to relate VR system fidelity with presence

Innovation

• Delphi study with presence experts
• Exploratory factor analysis (EFA)
• Fidelity-based Presence Scale (FPS)