Testing the Mechanisms Underlying Improved Distance Judgments in Virtual Environments

Virtual environments (VEs) presented via head-mounted displays are typically perceived as smaller in scale than intended. Visual–motor experience in VEs can reduce this underestimation of distance, though the mechanisms underlying this improved accuracy of distance estimates are unknown. To address this question, we created a mismatch between biomechanical and visual indicators of self-movement within the VE, and assessed the effect on distance and size judgments. Our results suggest that visual–motor feedback influences subsequent distance judgments by recalibrating perceptual–motor relationships, but we found no evidence that perceived size, which was substantially underestimated, changed as a function of this feedback. In contrast to recent studies that suggest that feedback in VEs causes a broad rescaling of virtual space, our results are consistent with a visual–motor recalibration account for much of the improvement in distance judgments following VE experience.