Effects of virtual reality’s viewing medium and the environment’s spatial openness on divergent thinking

Virtual Reality (VR) technology is used in various fields, and research on VR creative activities has been widely conducted. This study examined the effects of VR environment on divergent thinking, a component of creative thinking. Specifically, two experiments were conducted to test the prediction that viewing visually open VR environments with immersive head-mounted displays (HMD) affects divergent thinking. Divergent thinking was evaluated using Alternative Uses Test (AUT) scores; AUT was performed while the participants viewed the experiment stimuli. In Experiment 1, I manipulated the VR viewing medium by having one group view a 360° video with an HMD and a second group view the same video on a computer screen. Additionally, I established a control group that viewed a real-world laboratory instead of the videos. The HMD group showed higher AUT scores than the computer screen group. In Experiment 2, I manipulated the spatial openness of a VR environment by having one group view a 360° video of a visually open coast and a second group view a 360° video of a visually closed laboratory. The coast group showed higher AUT scores than the laboratory group. In conclusion, exposure to a visually open VR environment on an HMD promotes divergent thinking. The limitations of this study and suggestions for further research are discussed.