Participant FAQs
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With any emerging technology, there is a likely to be questions from participants. People haven’t seen it before and don’t necessarily understand how it works. Here’s what to say when those typical VR questions arise…
“I wear glasses. Can I participate?”
Yes – the manufacturers didn’t leave anyone out! All VR headsets are in theory designed to be worn over glasses but depending on the participant’s frames and how short-sighted they are, comfort may vary. Spend some time with the participant ensuring that the headset fits and is comfortable when wearing their glasses, and the film is in focus. It’s not ideal, but if comfort cannot reasonably be achieved, ask the participant to hold the headset in place on their face making sure they can clearly see the film.
“I will look silly with the headset on.”
No - this is the future! Everyone who wears the headsets and experiences VR looks the same. Some people would argue that VR headsets look really cool and futuristic – the complete opposite of silly. Encourage the participant to get involved and have a go and if they are unsure, watch a few people have a go first to show that no one is making fun of them.
“I’m worried that it will make me feel sick or give me vertigo.”
Sickness and vertigo have been major concerns for VR developers. Sickness appears to occur because there is a mismatch between the movement detected by the inner ear and the motion the participant sees with their eyes, however this is still being heavily researched as the technology develops. Because VR is so new, and most people will never have experienced it before, participant sickness may crop up at some point. As we get more used to the immersive nature of the technology, this will likely go away, however in the meantime advise your participants to:
Sit down when they watch the film so they feel anchored
Eat a ginger sweet or biscuit (if you have these available!)
Avoid showing the film to someone with an ear infection as this can cause balance issues
Stop watching and take the headset off immediately if they feel unwell.
The good news is if someone does feel unwell, as soon as they stop watching the film and remove the headset, they are likely to feel better almost instantly. If they don’t, then they should be referred to a First Aider in the usual way.
“I’m worried about nightmares or false memories.”
This is a major concern with VR, especially in young people. There is still a lot of research being conducted in respect of the acquisition of false memories, however, with the correct de-brief after showing participants the film, the vast majority of people will not experience this. Leading a discussion with concerned participants about what they saw and felt may calm their nerves and should there be a rare case that viewing the film has negatively affected someone’s life, then you should refer to the appropriate safeguarding channels within the school or organisation.
