Characterizing first and third person viewpoints and their alternation for embodied interaction in virtual reality

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Virtual Reality Research

Background:

• The sense of body ownership is known to be malleable and influenced by sensory input.
• Virtual Reality (VR) offers a unique platform to investigate the factors influencing embodiment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine how manipulating multisensory feedback and visual perspective in VR affects the sense of embodying a virtual body.
• To assess reactions to virtual threats and the impact of perspective-switching on embodiment.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing Virtual Reality (VR) to present a virtual body with manipulated multisensory feedback (visuo-motor and visuo-tactile congruence).
• Comparing first-person and third-person visual perspectives, including the ability to alternate between them.
• Exposing participants to a virtual threat scenario.

Main Results:

• Illusory body ownership was achievable in both first-person and third-person perspectives under congruent conditions.
• Subjective body ownership and threat reactions were more pronounced in the first-person and alternating perspective conditions.
• The ability to switch perspectives did not diminish, and potentially enhanced, the sense of embodiment.

Conclusions:

• Congruent multisensory feedback in VR can induce a strong sense of body ownership regardless of perspective.
• First-person and alternating perspectives enhance embodiment and threat responses in VR.
• The flexibility to switch perspectives is compatible with robust embodiment, offering valuable insights for designing immersive VR experiences.