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Exploring the Relationship Between Attribute Discrepancy and Avatar Embodiment in Immersive Social Virtual Reality.
Cyan DeVeaux1, Eugy Han1, James A Landay2
1Department of Communication, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA.
Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking
|October 18, 2023
Summary
In social virtual reality (VR), greater differences between your physical self and your avatar decrease your sense of embodiment. This finding highlights the need for better avatar customization in VR experiences.
Area of Science:
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Virtual Reality Studies
- Psychology of Self-Representation
Background:
- Social virtual reality (VR) platforms enable users to interact via avatars, with VR headsets mapping physical movements to digital representations.
- The user's digital representation (avatar) is crucial in social VR, yet its impact on user experience, particularly embodiment, is understudied.
- Avatar attributes significantly influence user customization and self-representation within virtual environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how perceived differences between a user's physical attributes and their avatar's virtual attributes affect avatar embodiment in social VR.
- To explore the relationship between attribute discrepancy and the psychological experience of embodying a virtual self.
Main Methods:
- Participants created custom avatars in a social VR environment.
- Users engaged in social interactions within the VR platform.
- Post-experience questionnaires assessed attribute discrepancy and avatar embodiment.
Main Results:
- A significant negative association was found between attribute discrepancy and avatar embodiment.
- Higher perceived differences between physical and virtual attributes led to a reduced sense of the avatar being one's own body.
- Avatar attribute discrepancy directly impacts the psychological experience of embodiment.
Conclusions:
- Attribute discrepancy negatively influences avatar embodiment in social VR.
- Findings have implications for theories of self-representation and the design of virtual identities.
- VR and game designers should prioritize improved avatar creation methods to enhance user embodiment and experience.
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