How Do We Read Texts in VR?: The Effects of Text Segment Quantity and Social Distraction on Text Readability in Virtual Museum Contexts

Virtual museums are increasingly used to present cultural and educational content, often relying on textual descriptions to convey essential information. However, when users interact with text objects in virtual environments, the optimal text segment quantity for readability and comprehension remains unclear, especially when social distractions such as other visitors are present. This study investigated the effects of text segment quantity and the presence of other visitors on text readability and comprehension in the context of virtual museums. Participants read exhibit descriptions under four text-segment length conditions (1, 2, 4, and 8 lines) with or without simulated visitor agents. The results indicated that readability and comprehension were maximized when text was presented in intermediate segmentation lengths (2 and 4 Lines), while both excessively short (1 line) and long (8 lines) text segments hindered reading performance. Additionally, a significant interaction between text length and the presence of visitors was observed. Specifically, the presence of visitors led to increased comprehension task completion times only in the intermediate segmentation conditions, suggesting that social presence imposes an additional cognitive demand as social distractions in optimal text segment conditions. These findings provide empirical guidelines for designing effective text-based information systems in virtual museums, optimizing both user engagement and learning outcomes in immersive cultural environments.