{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,4]],"date-time":"2026-07-04T00:33:28Z","timestamp":1783125208520,"version":"3.54.6"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,1]],"date-time":"2025-07-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1751328000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Indonesian Endowment Fund for Education (Lembaga Pengelola Dana Pendidikan\/LPDP)"},{"name":"Open Access Publication Fund of Humboldt-Universit\u00e4t zu Berlin"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["MTI"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Many studies have recognized that individual variability shapes user experience in virtual reality (VR), yet little is known about how these differences influence objective cognitive engagement and performance outcomes. This study investigates how cognitive factors (IQ, age) and technological familiarity (tech enthusiasm, tech fluency, first-time VR experience) influence EEG-derived cognitive responses (alpha and theta activity) and task performance (trial duration) during VR interactions. Sixteen autistic and sixteen neurotypical participants engaged with various VR interactions while their neural activity was recorded using a Muse S EEG. Correlational analyses showed distinct group-specific patterns: higher IQ correlated with elevated average alpha and theta power in autistic participants, while tech fluency significantly influenced performance outcomes only in neurotypical group. Prior VR experience correlated with better performance in the neurotypical group but slower adaptation in the autistic group. These results highlight the role of individual variability in shaping VR engagement and underscore the importance of personalized design approaches. This work provides foundational insights toward advancing inclusive, user-centered VR systems.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/mti9070067","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,1]],"date-time":"2025-07-01T07:42:06Z","timestamp":1751355726000},"page":"67","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Individual Variability in Cognitive Engagement and Performance Adaptation During Virtual Reality Interaction: A Comparative EEG Study of Autistic and Neurotypical Individuals"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"9","author":[{"given":"Aulia Hening","family":"Darmasti","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Computer Science, Humboldt-Universit\u00e4t zu Berlin, 10099 Berlin, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9866-9455","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Raphael","family":"Zender","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ZF Endowed Chair of Virtual Reality Systems, Zeppelin University, 88045 Friedrichshafen, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7989-6350","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Agnes","family":"Sianipar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Indonesia, Depok 16424, Indonesia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7076-9737","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Niels","family":"Pinkwart","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Computer Science, Humboldt-Universit\u00e4t zu Berlin, 10099 Berlin, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"355","DOI":"10.1080\/08856257.2011.593831","article-title":"State-of-the-art of virtual reality technologies for children on the autism spectrum","volume":"26","author":"Parsons","year":"2011","journal-title":"Eur. 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