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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 9, 2026

Creating Virtual-hand and Virtual-face Illusions to Investigate Self-representation
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Embodying an avatar with a dissimilar appearance enhances insight problem solving.

Shih-Yu Lo1, Li-Jung Hsu2

  • 1Institute of Communication Studies, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan. shihyulo@nycu.edu.tw.

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|December 8, 2025
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Summary

Using dissimilar avatars in immersive virtual reality (IVR) enhances creative problem-solving. This research shows that psychological distance induced by avatars boosts insight problem-solving performance.

Keywords:
Construal level theoryCreativityProteus effectPsychological distanceVirtual reality

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Human-Computer Interaction
  • Virtual Reality

Background:

  • Construal Level Theory posits psychological distance enhances creativity.
  • Immersive technologies like immersive virtual reality (IVR) allow users to embody digital representations (avatars).
  • The impact of avatar similarity on psychological distance and creativity remains underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if embodying a dissimilar avatar in IVR enhances creative thinking and insight problem-solving.
  • To test the hypothesis that avatar dissimilarity induces psychological distance, thereby improving creative performance.
  • To explore practical applications of immersive technology for enhancing human performance.

Main Methods:

  • Participants completed creativity and insight problem-solving tasks within an immersive virtual reality (IVR) environment.
  • Participants embodied avatars that varied in similarity to their own appearance.
  • Performance metrics included the number of insight problems solved.

Main Results:

  • Participants embodying a dissimilar avatar solved significantly more insight problems compared to those embodying a similar avatar.
  • The findings support the hypothesis that avatar dissimilarity enhances psychological distance.
  • Embodying dissimilar avatars led to improved creative problem-solving outcomes.

Conclusions:

  • Embodying dissimilar avatars in immersive virtual reality (IVR) effectively enhances insight problem-solving.
  • The study provides empirical support for Construal Level Theory in the context of immersive technologies.
  • Immersive technology presents a viable tool for boosting creative performance in various domains.