| Summary: | 博士 === 國立交通大學 === 土木工程系所 === 95 === The invention of computer and internet has led us into the digital era, and brought a new possibility of space representation in the meanwhile. Relative to the physical space that we live in, these new media has been creating a so-called “virtual space” that differs from the former space conception and breaks the existing formation of space. This study sorts these virtual spaces into two categories: one is simulation space that is generated by computer and represented through devices like computer monitor, head-mounted display, VR cave, and so on; the other is cyberspace where we communicate with others from all over the world. The research problems of this study are to investigate how the user or participant perceives the virtual space, through which factors they can recognize space and establish the sense of space, and whether they can feel live-in perception to generate presence. Therefore, the objectives are to systematically explore the definitions of virtual space from user’s aspects, to probe through which factors the users construct the sense of space, and to examine how they can further evoke the sense of presence.
There were three methodological steps in this study. The first step was to investigate the typical cyberspace― World Wide Web via participant observation method of social science. The purpose was to get the definitions and relationships of virtual space from user’s points of view, as well as to gather the determinants of sense of space and presence. The second one was the cognitive experiment of sense of space in visual websites. Using protocol analysis to examine how the subjects perceive virtual space and construct sense of space. Final step was another cognitive experiment of sense of presence in fully-immersive VR to explore presence phenomena through, again, protocol analysis method.
As a result, this study indicated four categories of the determinants of sense of space and presence. They were spatial elements, interface controlling, inner perceiving, and interchange between real and virtual. The relationships of four categories could be arranged to interpret the cognitive process in perceiving virtual space. The findings are significant to the evaluation of factors of sense of space and presence, and the understanding of user’s cognitive phenomena in virtual space. Future study will focus on the investigation of other virtual space formations, the improvement of research method, and the differentiation of subject background.
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