The factor structure of cybersickness

Cybersickness embraces a range of clinical symptoms reported in response to simulated motion in a computer generated, virtual reality environment. The Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ) has been the standard tool for measuring observed responses; however, many of the observed SSQ variables are highly correlated, so it is not clear which ones are appropriate to use as a basis for building an explanatory model. In this study, responses to the SSQ were analyzed using principal components analysis, and four significant factors – general cybersickness, vision, arousal and fatigue – were identified. An initial interpretation of these factors is provided in the context of a broader cybersickness model, with a view to constructing a new questionnaire with fewer, more focused questions.

► Four factors are identified as an explanatory model for cybersickness.
► Identified increased anxiety as a trigger for cybersickness.
► Physiological changes resulting from increased anxiety generate cybersickness symptoms.