Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 16, 2026
06:53
Creating Virtual-hand and Virtual-face Illusions to Investigate Self-representation
Published on: March 1, 2017
Can avatar affective valence determine whether virtual reality embodiment reduces implicit workplace ageism?
Ronit Elyoseph1, Ehud Bodner1,2, Doron Friedman3
1Department of Social and Health Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Frontiers in Psychology
|July 15, 2026
Summary
Virtual reality (VR) embodiment in positive avatars, like Albert Einstein, significantly reduced implicit ageism in young men. This VR intervention offers a promising tool for combating workplace age bias.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Organizational Behavior
Background:
- Workplace ageism negatively impacts older workers' employment and well-being.
- Current interventions show limited success in reducing implicit age bias, especially in young men.
- Virtual reality (VR) embodiment in older adult avatars is a potential intervention, but the effect of avatar emotional tone is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of VR avatar embodiment with varying affective valence on implicit ageism in young men.
- To examine the influence of avatar embodiment on willingness to hire older workers and explicit ageism.
- To explore the role of self-esteem and potential collateral effects of VR avatar exposure.
Main Methods:
- A randomized, pre-post, between-subjects experiment with 107 young men (ages 20-30).
- Participants embodied one of four VR avatars: positive (Einstein), negative (Nasrallah), neutral adult, or neutral young.
- Implicit ageism (Age IAT), self-esteem, willingness to hire, and explicit ageism were measured before and after VR exposure.
Main Results:
- Embodying the positive Einstein avatar significantly reduced implicit ageism (d = 0.65).
- Embodying a neutral adult avatar also reduced implicit ageism, though to a lesser extent (d = 0.36).
- Negative avatar embodiment did not increase ageism but led to decreased self-esteem and increased implicit gender-career bias.
Conclusions:
- VR embodiment in positively valenced avatars can effectively reduce implicit workplace ageism among young men.
- Avatar affective valence plays a crucial role in VR intervention outcomes.
- Negatively valenced avatar embodiment carries potential risks, including decreased self-esteem and increased other implicit biases.
Related Concept Videos
02:55Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination
Humans are very diverse and although we share many similarities, we also have many differences. The social groups we belong to help form our identities (Tajfel, 1974). These differences may be difficult for some people to reconcile, which may lead to prejudice toward people who are different. Prejudice is a negative attitude and feeling toward an individual based solely on one’s membership in a particular social group (Allport, 1954; Brown, 2010). Prejudice is common against people who are...
02:16Stereotype Content Model
The Stereotype Content Model (SCM) was first proposed by Susan Fiske and her colleagues (Fiske, Cuddy, Glick & Xu, 2002; see also Fiske, 2012 and Fiske, 2017). The SCM specifies that when someone encounters a new group, they will stereotype them based on two metrics: warmth—or that group’s perceived intent, and how likely they are to provide help or inflict harm—and competence—or their ability to carry out that objective. Depending on the warmth-competence categorization, a person will feel...
01:24Role of Affect in Interpersonal Attraction
Affect plays a crucial role in shaping interpersonal evaluations and perceptions. Emotions influence how individuals judge and respond to others, often determining whether interactions are viewed positively or negatively. This effect can manifest directly through interactions with the person in question or indirectly via associations with unrelated emotional experiences.Direct Effects of Affect on AttractionAffect directly influences interpersonal attraction when a person’s behavior elicits...
01:24Facial Feedback Hypothesis
Charles Darwin proposed that facial expressions are an evolutionary adaptation for communication. He argued that these expressions are not influenced by culture but are universal across species. For example, a snarling expression with exposed teeth signals a threat in many animals, including humans. Darwin also suggested that displaying an emotion can intensify the feeling. Smiling, for example, could enhance one's sense of happiness. This idea laid the foundation for understanding the role of...
01:14Impression Management Techniques IV: Altercasting
Altercasting is a strategic communication technique in which an individual imposes a specific identity or social role onto another person to influence their behavior and shape the interaction. By presuming a role—such as “responsible leader” or “patient person”—altercasting encourages the target to conform to that identity, often aligning their behavior with the expectations associated with the role. The power of this tactic lies in its subtlety; once a role is assigned, it becomes socially...
01:27Halo Effect
The halo effect is a cognitive bias in which an individual's overall impression influences judgments about their specific traits. This psychological phenomenon leads people to associate positive characteristics with those they perceive as generally good and negative characteristics with those they view as bad. This effect is particularly influential in social perception, professional evaluations, and decision-making processes.The Psychological Basis of the Halo EffectThe halo effect is rooted...