The Effect of Scaled Grid Patterns on Time Perception in Virtual Landscapes

Sense of time is crucial for perceiving and engaging with the physical environment. Patients with time perception disorders, such as depression or schizophrenia, are diagnosed and treated through time manipulation using various VR applications. This paper presents a novel approach to manipulating time perception in a virtual landscape using five distinct virtual landscapes, systematically scaled from largest to smallest, with scale as the sole variable, while maintaining consistency in all other aspects. We assessed time perception in 20 participants across eight categories – time estimation duration, the passage of time, vection, general boredom, general presence, spatial presence, involvement, and experienced realism – by applying the Subjective Time, Self, and Space (STSS) and the Igroup Presence Questionnaire (IPQ). The research indicates that scaling the grid patterns in a virtual landscape substantially manipulates time perception, resulting in a gain in perceived time. A decrease in the scale of the grid patterns significantly accelerates the perception of time passage, and a strong positive correlation exists between the perception of time passage and vection. Future research could focus on creating holistic and immersive scaled environments to help individuals with a fear of heights adapt more effectively. Integrating design factors such as materials, form, cognitive tasks, or virtual human representations could provide deeper insights into their combined effects on time perception. Consequently, the findings of this research emphasize the potential for these insights to revolutionize therapeutic approaches for mental health disorders, optimize landscape and urban planning and design, and enhance the realism and immersion of video games and virtual reality platforms.