Virtual reality offers many advantages for standardized experimental setups as well as for manipulating selected parameters. This study describes the developrnent of a three dimensional virtual Environment for sports as well as the evaluation of its effectiveness by means of a comparative test. The test consists of measuring the participants' (n=33) rnean simple reaction times (RT) of an appearing ball in a real, a two dimensional and the developed virtual environment. To assess the participant's sensation of reality in the two dimensional and virtual environment, a short-questionnaire was used. Simple reaction times were ineasured by accelerometers fixed onto the participant's wrist. The results of the ANOVA und post-hoc analysis (Bonferroni) showed a significant difference (p<0.001) of RT between each environment. RT between real environment (188ms (±37ms)) and virtual environment (286 ms (±69 ms)) was 53% lower than between real and two dimensional environment (373 ms (±68 ms)). Results of the questionnaire showed that the majority of participants had a higher sensation of reality in the virtual environment than in the two dimensional environment. This leads to the conclusion that the virtual environment evokes a more realistic behavior than the two dimensional environment which is important for research and training in sports.
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