# Exploring the Role of Distraction in Weak Flow-Performance Link Based on VR Searching Tasks
## 5 Empirical Study 1: Testing the Role of Distraction in Weak Flow-Performance Link
### Results  
A total of 64 valid data were collected. We firstly performed a pre-test to ensure that the weak flow-performance link occurred in our constructed VR environment. According to [PERSON] et al. [2; 7], the weak link was tested with the regression analysis. A significant prediction from flow to performance means strong flow-performance link, while an insignificant prediction from flow to performance means weak flow-performance link. Then, correlation analysis and regression analysis were performed. Results showed that the correlation between flow (M = 61.13, SD = 7.94) and task performance (M = 4.45, SD = 1.59) was low and the prediction from flow to performance was marginally significant (\(\beta\) = 0.215, \(p\) = 0.086). These results showed that the designed distractors could be used as disjointed features to induce weak association to some extent.  
Next, to examine the role of distraction in weak link, 44 data (half in high distraction condition, half in low distraction condition) were finally selected for analysis according to the operational definition of high distraction and low distraction. The visual comfort and familiarity with VR during the task were measured, and there was no difference between the two groups (\(ps>0.05\)).  
After performing correlation analysis and regression analysis, results showed that there was no significant correlation between flow and task performance in high distraction condition, and flow did not significantly predict task performance (\(\beta=0.198\), \(p=0.391\)). In comparison, data from low distraction condition showed that there was significant correlation between flow and performance, and flow significantly predicted task performance (\(\beta=0.437\), \(p=0.042\)). These results support H1 and demonstrate that in VEs where the artifacts are disjointed with the primary task, distraction level caused by disjointed features is a direct antecedent of weak flow-performance link. When obvious distractions occur, this problem will arise.  
If the results of this study support that distraction is an antecedent of weak flow-performance link, how can we alleviate this problem by dealing with distractions? WAM suggested a basic design guideline [2], which is to improve the congruence between interactive artifacts and primary tasks (or reduce the disjointed features on the other side). Based on the basic guideline, two more specific design guidelines can be proposed to deal with distractions in VR activities: (1) Reducing conspicuous but irrelevant distractors directly; (2) Increasing the congruence between distractors and primary task by guiding attention. As to the latter, we got inspiration to utilize visual cues to guiding attention from some previous work. [PERSON] et al. proposed an adaptation of different existing gaze guidance stimuli to immersive environments and investigated the efficiency of five different gaze guidance techniques [29]. In augmented reality-based assistance system, guiding attention towards the relevant targets will reduce the time needed for visual search and reduce errors, based on the several attention-guiding techniques developed in [30]. We think it is a constructive way to guide attention and transfer distracted behavioral consequences to task-relevant cues through appropriate visual or interaction design. The effectiveness of the two guidelines was tested in the following studies 2 and 3.