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The Utilitarian Virtual Self - Using Embodied Personalized Avatars to Investigate Moral Decision-Making in
IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics
|March 4, 2024
Summary
Personalized avatars in moral dilemmas increase physiological arousal and presence. Motor control enhances decision-making, showing avatars are valuable tools for studying real-life actions.
Area of Science:
- Virtual Reality and Human-Computer Interaction
- Cognitive Psychology and Neuroscience
- Moral Psychology and Decision-Making
Background:
- Embodied personalized avatars offer a novel method to study moral decision-making by immersing users in simulated scenarios.
- Previous research has not fully explored the impact of avatar personalization and motor control on user experience and decision outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how avatar personalization and motor control influence moral decision-making, physiological responses, and subjective experiences (embodiment, presence).
- To compare user interactions with personalized versus generic avatars, and avatars with versus without motor control.
Main Methods:
- Seventeen participants engaged in moral dilemmas involving a semi-autonomous car, embodying four types of avatars (personalized/generic, motor control/no motor control).
- Collected data included behavioral choices (utilitarian approach), physiological measures (skin conductance responses, heart rate), reaction times, and self-reported embodiment, presence, and avatar perception.
Main Results:
- Participants consistently adopted a utilitarian approach, prioritizing outcomes over actions.
- Personalized avatars and motor control conditions elicited heightened physiological arousal (SCRs, heart rate).
- Motor control led to slower reaction times and increased presence, while personalized avatars enhanced embodiment.
Conclusions:
- Avatar personalization and motor control significantly impact user engagement and physiological responses in moral decision-making tasks.
- These findings underscore the potential of personalized, embodied avatars as powerful tools for simulating and studying complex real-world behaviors and decisions.
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