Measuring presence : an overview of assessment methodologies

There is a clear need for a reliable. robust and valid methodology for measuring presence, defined as the sense of 'being there' in a mediated environment. In this paper we describe a number of different approaches taken to measuring presence, divided into two general categories: subjective measures and objective corroborative measures. Since presence is a subjeclive experience. the mosl direct way to assess it is through users' subjective reports. This approach has serious limitations however, and should be used judiciously. Objective measures, such as postural, physiological, or social responses 10 media. can be used to corroborate subjective measures, thereby overcoming some of their limitations. At present, the most promising direction for presence measurement is 10 develop and use an aggregate measure of presence that is comprised of both subjective and objective component", tailored 10 the specific medium under study.