title: High fidelity, high performance?
abstract: Developers of medical simulators and instructors who use them often have questions about the level of fidelity needed in a simulation. In this article, we address the nature of fidelity with respect to virtual reality training systems. We argue that high-fidelity simulators do not always lead to better performance, and in some instances, can interfere with performance. The primary reason for these seemingly counterintuitive findings lies with a fundamental understanding of how humans perceive and process sensory information. Consequently, simulation-based training systems should be developed to maximize their effectiveness, not their fidelity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USA. mscerbo@odu.edu
authors.forename: Mark W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Scerbo
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dawson
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation / Q000592:standards*; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods*; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010465:Perception; D014584:User-Computer Interface