Exploring the Perception of Pain in Virtual Reality through Perceptual Manipulations

Perceptual manipulations (PMs) in Virtual Reality (VR) can steer users’ actions (e.g., redirection techniques) and amplify haptic perceptions (e.g., weight). However, their ability to amplify or induce negative perceptions such as physical pain is not well understood. In this work, we explore if PMs can be leveraged to induce the perception of pain, without modifying the physical stimulus. We implemented a VR experience combined with a haptic prototype, simulating the dislocation of a finger. A user study (n=18) compared three conditions (visual-only, haptic-only and combined) on the perception of physical pain and physical discomfort. We observed that using PMs with a haptic device resulted in a significantly higher perception of physical discomfort and an increase in the perception of pain compared to the unmodified sensation (haptic-only). Finally, we discuss how perception of pain can be leveraged in future VR applications and reflect on ethical concerns.