Effects of False Positive and False Negative Early Warnings for Hand Tracking Failures on User Trust and Confidence in Virtual Reality

Abstract

Early-warning systems (EWS) mitigate hand-tracking failures in Virtual Reality (VR); yet, their effectiveness depends on reliability. Predictive warning mechanisms are prone to errors as they produce false positives (FP) and false negatives (FN). In VR, these errors directly interfere with continuous sensorimotor control and user agency when the hand is the main input channel, potentially affecting user trust and confidence in the system while changing user behavior. Thus, we conducted a within-subject study (N = 24) comparing a reliable EWS baseline with controlled FP and FN warning conditions and a no-warning condition. Results showed that both error types reduced system trust; however, FP caused a larger and immediate decline (48.7%) compared to FN (25.7%), which emerged progressively. Self-confidence remained stable across FP and FN conditions. FP led to reduced compliance over time, whereas FN was associated with more low-tracking states and higher mental and temporal demand. These findings show that FP and FN errors create distinct experiential and behavioral costs during VR hand interaction, and that warning systems should be evaluated through trust, workload, usability, and behavioral response in addition to technical reliability.