title: Attentional Demand of a Virtual Reality-Based Reaching Task in Nondisabled Older Adults.
abstract: Attention during exercise is known to affect performance; however, the attentional demand inherent to virtual reality (VR)-based exercise is not well understood. We used a dual-task paradigm to compare the attentional demands of VR-based and non-VR-based (conventional, real-world) exercise: 22 non-disabled older adults performed a primary reaching task to virtual and real targets in a counterbalanced block order while verbally responding to an unanticipated auditory tone in one third of the trials. The attentional demand of the primary reaching task was inferred from the voice response time (VRT) to the auditory tone. Participants' engagement level and task experience were also obtained using questionnaires. The virtual target condition was more attention demanding (significantly longer VRT) than the real target condition. Secondary analyses revealed a significant interaction between engagement level and target condition on attentional demand. For participants who were highly engaged, attentional demand was high and independent of target condition. However, for those who were less engaged, attentional demand was low and depended on target condition (i.e., virtual > real). These findings add important knowledge to the growing body of research pertaining to the development and application of technology-enhanced exercise for elders and for rehabilitation purposes.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: Yi-An
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: Yu-Chen
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Proffitt
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wade
authors.affiliation: Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: Carolee
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Winstein
keywords: Attention; Attentional focus; Exercise; Motivation; Older adults