I-GROUP PRESENCE QUESTIONNAIRE: PSYCHOMETRICALLY REVISED ENGLISH VERSION

Abstract

I-group Presence Questionnaire (IPQ), which is used to evaluate the mediated experience of presence -especially for virtual reality applications- is originally developed in German and translated to several other languages. However, there is not any psychometric study for these translations including English version, except the Portuguese and Persian translations. We evaluated English translation of IPQ with 36 participants through 12 VR sessions with an overall of 432 samples. Using a partial least squares based factor analysis approach, the original 14-item set is trimmed into 11-items in order to achieve better psychometric qualities. In addition, a covariance based confirmatory factor analysis is executed to compare models. Several indices, even the conservative Cronbach’s alpha indicated that the subscales of 11-item version are reliable, but not the 14-item version. Eliminated items did not lead to a decrease in scales’ sensitivity to identify different levels of Realism, Spatial Presence and Involvement for different virtual environments. Although we provided evidence to remove the items which are identically worded and inversely coded that are causing measurement error, we suggest researchers to employ the 14-items but report the results for both 14-item version and 11-item version, until the psychometric qualities of IPQ in English is confirmed with a larger sample of participants.

Keywords

• virtual reality
• spatial presence
• I-group
• PLS-CFA

Abstract

Özellikle sanal gerçeklik uygulamaları için, teknoloji aracılığı ile tecrübe edilen "mevcudiyet" (presence) deneyimini değerlendirmek için kullanılan I-grup Varlık Anketi (IPQ), orijinal olarak Almanca olarak geliştirilmiş ve diğer birçok dile çevrilmiştir. Ancak bu çeviriler için İngilizce versiyonu da dahil olmak üzere, Portekizce ve Farsça çeviriler dışında psikometrik bir çalışma bulunmamaktadır. Bu çalışmada IPQ'nun İngilizce çevirisi, 36 katılımcı ile toplam 432 örneğin derlendiği 12 VR seansı aracılığıyla psikometrik olarak değerlendirilmiştir. PLS tabanlı faktör analizi yaklaşımı kullanılarak, daha iyi psikometrik nitelikler elde etmek için orijinal 14 maddelik set, 11 maddeye indirgenmiştir. Ayrıca, modelleri karşılaştırmak için kovaryansa dayalı doğrulayıcı faktör analizi yapılmıştır. Cornbach's alfa katsayısı başta olmak üzere çeşitli indikatörler 11 maddelik versiyonun alt ölçeklerinin güvenilir olduğunu, ancak 14 maddelik versiyonun olmadığını göstermektedir. Ölçekten çıkarılan maddeler, farklı sanal gerçeklik ortamları için farklı Gerçekçilik, Mekansal Mevcudiyet ve Katılım düzeylerini belirleyen alt ölçeklerin duyarlılığında bir azalmaya yol açmamıştır. Ölçüm hatasına neden olan benzer ifadelerle yazılmış veya ters kodlanmış maddeleri ölçek haricinde tutmak için kanıt sağlanmıştır.

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