2026-05-20T09:16:05Zhttps://keep.lib.asu.edu/oai/request

oai:keep.lib.asu.edu:node-2015072025-05-12T19:35:22Zoai_pmh:alloai_pmh:repo_items

201507 https://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.2.N.201507 http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ All Rights Reserved 2025 215 pages Doctoral Dissertation Academic theses en Siegle, Robert Franklin Craig, Scotty D Nelson, Brian C Atkinson, Robert K Arizona State University Partial requirement for: Ph.D., Arizona State University, 2025 Field of study: Human Systems Engineering The creation of educational material requires many design decisions. Research has shown that many of these decisions impact one another. Supporting or hindering learning outcomes while in or out of congruence with each other. This study investigated the impact of participant embodiment and agent aesthetic on learning outcomes and perceptions in virtual reality (VR) educational environments. A two (agent aesthetic: cartoon, realistic) by two (embodiment: video, embodied) factorial design was conducted to investigate the interaction effect between agent aesthetic and the embodiment afforded to learners. The results revealed that embodiment significantly enhanced learning retention, learning transfer, and user perceptions of both the agent and learning materials. In contrast, agent aesthetic had minimal impact, influencing only select perceptual measures such as dynamism, credibility, and engagement. Notably, interaction effects between embodiment and agent realism provided novel insights: a congruency between realistic agents and embodied experiences led to superior learning outcomes, but pairing embodiment with animated agents produced diminished learning results. Mediation analyses found partial support for user satisfaction as a mediating variable between embodiment and learning outcomes. Mediating retention and perceptual scales aligned with learning but not for learning transfer or speaker perception. These findings underscore the importance of aligning agent realism with embodied experiences in virtual reality educational design and highlight the need for future research exploring more dynamic agent interactions, alternative hardware, and content complexity. Educational technology Psychology Education Agent Aesthetic Agent Design Embodiment Immersive Learning Environments Pedagogical Agents Virtual Reality Embodiment and Aesthetic Agent Design in Virtual Worlds: The Congruence of User Embodiment and Aesthetic Agent Realism on Learning and Perception Outcomes in Immersive Virtual Learning