How effective are 3D anaglyph stimuli? An analysis in emotional recognition

Abstract The aim of this study was to examine the role of virtual environments in visual recognition. A classic and economically accessible technique was chosen: anaglyph. A battery of images that differed in their emotional charge was developed. The emotional valence of the new stimulus was evaluated using the SAM battery. 2D and anaglyph modalities were also tested. 32 subjects participated in the first study and 42 subjects in the recognition task. The results: i) Participants were more accurate in classic 2D environments compared to 3D, ii) participants were more efficient in the negative 3D condition compared to the rest of the emotional conditions in this category, while the neutral environment was the most efficient for 2D. It is suggested that coding information would be simpler for a 2D stimulus, however, effects as robust as emotional charge would manifest more clearly in a deeper presentation.