Observe or participate: the effect of point-of-view on presence and enjoyment in 360 degree movies for head mounted displays

The current study investigated the relationship between the point-of-view (POV) of a 360-degree film for Head Mounted Displays and the level of presence and enjoyment. We created two conditions with a 360-degree movie, with different POVs (actor and observer). Participants from the actor condition scored significantly higher on Spatial Presence compared to participants from the observer condition. However, the expected differences in enjoyment and other subscales of presence between the two conditions were not found. Finally, we provide a recommendation on what POV (actor or observer) is the most presence and enjoyment enhancing.