Date of Award
Fall 9-1-2025
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Dr. Nichole S. Scheerer
Second Advisor
Dr. Eileen Wood
Third Advisor
Dr. Jeffery Jones
Abstract
The sensory environment plays a critical role in shaping learners’ attention, engagement, and retention. This thesis investigates how varying levels of sensory input in virtual reality (VR) classrooms influence learning for two age groups—children and young adults—and explores how individual differences in sensory processing moderate these effects. Using immersive VR technology to simulate classroom settings, two experimental studies were conducted. Study One involved 60 children aged 6–15 years, recruited primarily through a university-run summer camp. Study Two included 57 undergraduate students aged 18–36 years, recruited through a research participation pool. In both studies, participants were randomly assigned to either a high-sensory (with visual and auditory distractions) or low-sensory (minimal distractions) VR condition and viewed a novel, age-appropriate science lesson. Post-lesson assessments measured knowledge retention, and participants also completed measures of sensory processing (Short Sensory Profile; Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile) and cognitive ability (Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence-II). Findings from Study One indicated no significant group-level differences in learning outcomes across sensory conditions; however, age was a strong positive predictor of performance. In Study Two, adult participants in the low-sensory condition significantly outperformed those in the high-sensory group on total scores, particularly on fill-in-the-blank tasks that required active recall of lesson content. Although individual differences in sensory profiles were examined, they did not significantly influence learning outcomes in this sample. Together, these results provide some support for the importance of sensory context in learning and suggest that immersive technologies like VR could be relevant tools for studying environmental influences on cognitive tasks such as learning.
Recommended Citation
Derayati Far, Maryam, "Learning in Virtual Environments with Varying Levels of Sensory Information" (2025). Psychology Theses and Dissertations. 2.
https://scholars.wlu.ca/psyc_etd/2
Included in
Cognitive Science Commons, Educational Psychology Commons, Online and Distance Education Commons, Psychiatry and Psychology Commons