A Preliminary Investigation on Bullying Bystanders' Attention by Using Eye-Tracking in a 360-degree Virtual Reality Environment

Bullying is a serious global issue. Several anti-bullying programs have been developed and applied in educational settings to reduce bullying. Previous programs or studies were challenging to simulate a bullying situation and collect related information due to the sensitive nature of bullying. The development of virtual reality (VR) technology allows the simulation of such harmful situations. Besides, integrating with physical signals could provide more information on the users' VR experience. The primary purpose of this study is to incorporate eye-tracking data to evaluate the usability of the 360-degree VR-based bullying scenario. Also, this study presents a low-cost eye-tracking data collection method based on the eye-tracking technology found in consumer VR devices. Integrating these methods and interviews allowed researchers to uncover how people focus and process information in bullying situations while linking these patterns to their past experiences, reactions, and decision-making. The results show that the 360-degree VR scenario and the eye-tracking data collection method effectively capture and analyze individuals' attention in bullying situations. These findings can be used to create better educational tools and anti-bullying programs, helping educators and researchers design strategies to reduce bullying and support victims more effectively.