Abstract
This paper explores the impact of self-representation (full body Self Avatar vs. Just Controllers) in a Collaborate Virtual Environment (CVE) and the consistency of self-representation between the users. We conducted two studies: Study 1 between a confederate and a participant, Study 2 between two participants. In both studies, participants were asked to play a collaborative game, and we investigated the effect on trust with a questionnaire, money invested in a trust game, and performance data. Study 1 suggested that having a Self Avatar made the participant give more positive marks to the confederate and that when the confederate was without an avatar, they received more trust (measured by money). Study 2 showed that consistency led to more trust and better productivity. Overall, results imply consistency improves trust only when in an equal social dynamic in CVE, and that the use of confederate could shift the social dynamics.
Highlights
Collaborate Virtual Environments (CVE) can be used effectively in a multitude of different industries; more commonly applicable are those that utilise virtual reality (VR) for training, education, and entertainment
The results from the questionnaire revealed a significant difference in mean Liked score when participants have an avatar (AV compared to JC), regardless of the condition of the confederate
As we believed, there were high scores across all three components with those who were in consistent conditions supporting H1. This is unexpected as previous studies have shown that a Self Avatar can positively impact Place Illusion
Summary
Collaborate Virtual Environments (CVE) can be used effectively in a multitude of different industries; more commonly applicable are those that utilise virtual reality (VR) for training, education, and entertainment. With the rise of consumer-ready and accessible HMDs (such as the Oculus Quest, Rift S, HTC Vive, and PlayStation VR), socialising and collaborating in CVE is becoming common practice with many international conferences transitioning to online formats During these digital conferences, users are able to explore, chat and collaborate together in different tasks that require the need for clear and optimal implementations of avatar-mediated communication (see Figure 2). The authors’ conclude that participants’ virtual representation was able to change how they interacted with each other within the CVE From these studies, we can see evidence of how the setup of self-representation can have a strong psychological effect on social dynamics
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