Exploring the Influence of Environmental Context on Visual Attention and Spatial Perception in Virtual Reality
Authors: Salehi Faezeh , Dixit Manish 
Published: February 2025

Spatial perception plays a fundamental role in how individuals navigate and interact with their environments, and visual attention, particularly fixation patterns and durations, is a key component of this process. This study examines how fixation behaviors vary across different environmental contexts using Distance Perception (DP) and Size Perception (SP) tests conducted in virtual reality (VR). Participants were placed in three distinct environments: a cityscape with familiar landmarks (Control Group), a simulated Martian surface with limited spatial cues (Experiment Group 1), and an outer space simulation devoid of recognizable reference points (Experiment Group 2). Eye-tracking data captured variations in fixation counts and durations to explore how these factors are influenced by environmental familiarity and complexity. In the DP test, participants demonstrated the highest fixation counts in the Control Group, with an average of 24.59 fixations, compared to 21.25 in EG1 and 22.19 in EG2. The analysis suggested significant shifts in visual attention strategies when participants moved from the familiar cityscape setting (CG) to EG2, where fixation counts dropped notably. Between the CG and EG2, patterns were more comparable, with similar fixation counts suggesting overlapping visual engagement demands. Additionally, fixation durations were longest in the CG, averaging 4.80 seconds, indicating sustained engagement with the stimuli. In contrast, durations in the EG1 (4.17 seconds) and EG2 (4.23 seconds) environments were shorter, reflecting a reduced level of sustained focus in unfamiliar or visually sparse conditions. The SP test provided further insights into how participants directed their attention across objects within each environment. Participants in the Control Group exhibited the highest fixation frequencies, with an average of 28.34 fixations per trials, compared to 22.67 fixations in Experiment Group 1 and 23.12 fixations in Experiment Group 2. Alongside the increased fixation frequency, the Control Group also demonstrated longer average fixation durations when interacting with objects, indicating stronger engagement and familiarity with the environment. A clear relationship emerged between fixation counts and durations, suggesting that objects attracting more frequent gazes also held participants’ attention for longer periods. Changes in fixation behaviors were most pronounced when comparing the Control Group to the Martian environment (EG1), highlighting the cognitive adjustments required when transitioning to less familiar settings. These findings illustrate how environmental context influences visual attention patterns and, by extension, spatial perception. Environments with familiar visual landmarks, such as the cityscape, supported greater fixation counts and longer durations, reflecting enhanced cognitive engagement and processing efficiency. In contrast, the Martian and space environments (Eg1 and EG2), characterized by reduced or unfamiliar spatial cues, required participants to adopt different visual strategies, leading to altered fixation patterns. This research highlights the importance of environmental familiarity in influencing visual attention and spatial perception. It also emphasizes the importance of eye-tracking data in designing effective training and operational environments, especially for fields like space exploration, where adapting to unfamiliar conditions is crucial. Future research should explore the effects of demographic factors and task complexity to create more targeted strategies for improving spatial performance in demanding contexts.