Avatar Embodiment Research Articles

Into the virtual worlds: conceptualizing the consumer‐avatar journey in virtual environments

AbstractAs digital representations of human controllers, consumer‐avatars play a pivotal role in enabling immersive consumer experiences in virtual environments. Despite their significance in digital marketing research, the literature on consumer‐avatars is highly fragmented and lacks comprehensive analysis across studies. To address this gap, we conducted a systematic literature review and developed a comprehensive conceptual framework of the consumer‐avatar journey, encompassing three unique phases: Self Representation, Avatar Embodiment, and Avatar‐Mediated Interactions. By integrating empirical evidence with multiple theoretical perspectives, including motivation, self‐concept, identification, and presence theories, we explored consumer motivations for self representation, how avatar identification occurs, and how avatar‐mediated interactions are facilitated by the sense of presence. Additionally, we examined the moderating roles of technological, social, and individual factors in these processes. Our study provides significant theoretical contributions to the current literature by consolidating fragmented research and offers practical insights for marketers to design effective strategies around consumer‐avatars. By elaborating on each phase of the consumer‐avatar journey, we developed 11 propositions and 5 research questions to guide future research on consumer‐avatars.

Virtual reality: towards a better prediction of full body illusion — a mediation model for healthy young women

The application of advanced embodied technologies, particularly virtual reality (VR), has been suggested as a means to induce the full-body illusion (FBI). This technology is employed to modify different facets of bodily self-consciousness, which involves the sense of inhabiting a physical form, and is influenced by cognitive inputs, affective factors like body dissatisfaction, individual personality traits and suggestibility. Specifically, VR-based Mirror Exposure Therapies are used for the treatment of anorexia nervosa (AN). This study aims to investigate whether the “Big Five” personality dimensions, suggestibility, body dissatisfaction and/or body mass index can act as predictors for FBI, either directly or acting as a mediator, in young women of similar gender and age as most patients with AN. The FBI of 156 healthy young women immersed in VR environment was induced through visuomotor and visuo-tactile stimulations, and then assessed using the Avatar Embodiment Questionnaire, comprising four dimensions: Appearance, Ownership, Response, and Multi-Sensory. Data analysis encompassed multiple linear regressions and SPSS PROCESS macro’s mediation model. The findings revealed that the “Big Five” personality dimensions did not directly predict FBI in healthy young women, but Openness to experience, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism exerted an indirect influence on some FBI components through the mediation of suggestibility.

Collaborative online shopping: customer satisfaction and the influence of product type, gender and involvement

PurposeOnline shopping has recently been evolving more toward the subject area of collaborative online shopping (COS), and customer satisfaction is one of the key determinants for the success of COS. In this study, we investigate the effect of product type and gender and their interaction with customer satisfaction through user involvement in a collaborative online shopping context.Design/methodology/approachWe developed a lab experiment with a mixed two-by-two factorial design to test the proposed research model. We chose gender (male versus female) as the between-subjects factor and product type (utilitarian product versus hedonic product) as the within-subjects factor.FindingsThe obtained results indicate that collaborative shopping may require group members to be more involved for a hedonic product than a utilitarian product. When collaboratively shopping for utilitarian products, male groups tend to show a higher level of involvement than female groups. In contrast, female groups show a higher level of involvement than male groups when collaboratively shopping for hedonic products. Furthermore, our results indicate that greater involvement in COS may lead to higher satisfaction.Social implicationsWebsites that sell hedonic products should first adopt the design elements that support COS. Meanwhile, online sellers should be aware that the gender gap still exists as online shopping evolves toward social online shopping. In addition, COS websites should provide more design elements (e.g. co-browsing, avatar embodiment, video chat and voting tools) to stimulate user involvement.Originality/valueIn this paper, we employ the theory of consumption values, which decomposes COS value into the utilitarian and hedonic dimensions, as a theoretical foundation to investigate the effect of product type and gender together as well as their interactions in the COS context. The obtained findings may provide various insights and empirical evidence to improve the understanding of how to target male and female customers across different product types in the COS context.

Effects of first vs. third-person perspective and self- versus other-avatars on user movements in virtual reality

Social science experiments in virtual reality (VR) frequently manipulate the perspective from which a user views an avatar and the identity of an avatar to change participant perceptions and attitudes. However, avatar embodiment may also influence physical behaviors—i.e., the way participants move—during the VR experience. For example, users may shift their position to align with avatars they see from a first-person perspective, a phenomenon known as the self-follower effect. We conducted a between-subjects, pre-registered study to understand how common techniques such as manipulating perspective and appearance might affect participant movements while in VR. We demonstrate that even when participants do not have agency over their avatars' movements, viewing avatar movements influences their own actions, whether these are viewed from the first or the third-person perspective. These phenomena hold potential as interventions to prompt participant movements in other contexts.

Gender Moderates the Relationship Between Avatar Customization and Enjoyment in Popular Video Games.

Using online survey methods (n = 153), this study investigates whether exposure to different levels of customization in games will increase the experiences of enjoyment, both directly and indirectly, through the experience of avatar embodiment, as well as whether these relationships are influenced by gender identity. Results indicate a positive relationship between level of exposure to customization and enjoyment for women-identified participants. These outcomes may provide insight into gendered preference in gaming, potentially providing an avenue by which to make games more inclusive to women gamers.

Beyond the pixelated mirror: Understanding avatar identity and its impact on in-game advertising and consumer behavior

<p>This article examines the complex dynamics between avatars and in-game advertising, probing how virtual representations influence consumer behavior within digital environments. It delves into the psychological interplay between self-perception and avatar embodiment, suggesting that while younger users may treat avatars as accessories showcasing personal interests, adults tend to opt for idealized selves, affecting their interaction with and responsiveness to virtual marketing. The study contemplates the avatar’s function as both a consumer and influencer in the expanding metaverse, considering the escalating integration of branded items in games. It also highlights potential shifts in consumption patterns as digital and physical realities converge. The article advocates for future research to explore the multifaceted impacts of avatars, such as age-related differences, the role of artificial intelligence in self-representation, and cross-platform avatar utilization, utilizing longitudinal data from sources like Second Life and social media profiling. In synthesizing these perspectives, the article underscores the necessity to further understand how avatars contribute to shaping digital consumerism, paving the way for a new domain in consumer psychology that navigates the evolving interface of the metaverse. The findings suggest that the nuances of digital identity formation are significant factors in the effectiveness of in-game advertising and indicate a transformative phase in marketing strategies tailored for virtual worlds.</p>

Beyond the pixelated mirror: Understanding avatar identity and its impact on in-game advertising and consumer behavior

<p>This article examines the complex dynamics between avatars and in-game advertising, probing how virtual representations influence consumer behavior within digital environments. It delves into the psychological interplay between self-perception and avatar embodiment, suggesting that while younger users may treat avatars as accessories showcasing personal interests, adults tend to opt for idealized selves, affecting their interaction with and responsiveness to virtual marketing. The study contemplates the avatar’s function as both a consumer and influencer in the expanding metaverse, considering the escalating integration of branded items in games. It also highlights potential shifts in consumption patterns as digital and physical realities converge. The article advocates for future research to explore the multifaceted impacts of avatars, such as age-related differences, the role of artificial intelligence in self-representation, and cross-platform avatar utilization, utilizing longitudinal data from sources like Second Life and social media profiling. In synthesizing these perspectives, the article underscores the necessity to further understand how avatars contribute to shaping digital consumerism, paving the way for a new domain in consumer psychology that navigates the evolving interface of the metaverse. The findings suggest that the nuances of digital identity formation are significant factors in the effectiveness of in-game advertising and indicate a transformative phase in marketing strategies tailored for virtual worlds.</p>

Avatar embodiment prior to motor imagery training in VR does not affect the induced event-related desynchronization: a pilot study

Motor-imagery brain-computer interfaces (MI-BCIs) have the potential to improve motor function in individuals with neurological disorders. Their effectiveness relies on patients’ ability to generate reliable MI-related electroencephalography (EEG) patterns, which can be influenced by the quality of neurofeedback. Virtual Reality (VR) has emerged as a promising tool for enhancing proprioceptive feedback due to its ability to induce a sense of embodiment (SoE), where individuals perceive a virtual body as their own. Although prior research has highlighted the importance of SoE in enhancing MI skills and BCI performance, to date, no study has successfully isolated nor manipulated the SoE in VR before MI training, creating a gap in our understanding of the precise role of the priming effect of embodiment in MI-BCIs. In this study, we aimed to examine whether the virtual SoE when induced, as priming of avatar embodiment, and assessed before MI training, could enhance MI-induced EEG patterns. To achieve this, we divided 26 healthy participants into two groups: the embodied group, which experienced SoE with an avatar before undergoing VR-based MI training, and the non-embodied group, which underwent the same MI training without a prior embodiment phase, serving as a control. We analyzed subjective measures of embodiment, the event-related desynchronization (ERD) power of the sensorimotor rhythms, lateralization of ERD, and offline classification BCI accuracy. Although the embodiment phase effectively induced SoE in the embodied group, both groups exhibited similar MI-induced ERD patterns and BCI classification accuracy. This suggests that the induction of SoE prior to MI training may not significantly influence the training outcomes. Instead, it appears that the integration of embodied VR feedback during MI training itself is sufficient to induce appropriate ERD, as evidenced by previous research.

Temporal visuomotor synchrony induces embodiment towards an avatar with biomechanically impossible arm movements

Visuomotor synchrony in time and space induces a sense of embodiment towards virtual bodies experienced in first-person view using Virtual Reality (VR). Here, we investigated whether temporal visuomotor synchrony affects avatar embodiment even when the movements of the virtual arms are spatially altered from those of the user in a non-human-like manner. In a within-subjects design VR experiment, participants performed a reaching task controlling an avatar whose lower arms bent in inversed and biomechanically impossible directions from the elbow joints. They performed the reaching task using this “unnatural avatar” as well as a “natural avatar,” whose arm movements and positions spatially matched the user. The reaching tasks were performed with and without a one second delay between the real and virtual movements. While the senses of body ownership and agency towards the unnatural avatar were significantly lower compared to those towards the natural avatar, temporal visuomotor synchrony did significantly increase the sense of embodiment towards the unnatural avatar as well as the natural avatar. These results suggest that temporal visuomotor synchrony is crucial for inducing embodiment even when the spatial match between the real and virtual limbs is disrupted with movements outside the pre-existing cognitive representations of the human body.

Your money or your data: Avatar embodiment options in the identity economy

In the physical world, choices about self-representation are tied to the body. However, avatar embodiment offers users many more options. These options are often constrained or promoted according to the economic models of the platforms that support different virtual worlds. Still, work on user motivations for avatar embodiment has generally not accounted for these constraints. To help explain users' interest (or lack of interest) in immersive technology, we discuss the mismatch between platform intentions and avatar affordances. We describe how user and platform motivations intersect in the ‘embodied identity economy’, a model in which users either ‘pay’ for access to embodied experiences with data from their physical identity or fund economy with cash payments. We present a framework of avatar embodiment using two dimensions: consistency versus discrepancy with the user’s physical identity, and experiential versus identity-based self-presence. We describe three ways in which avatars can be consistent with the user’s physical body: through appearance, through behavior, and the extent to which avatar data is linked with the user’s identity in the physical world. We relate this concept to recent discussions of a proposed ‘metaverse’ as a hub for life online.

Exploring the Relationship Between Attribute Discrepancy and Avatar Embodiment in Immersive Social Virtual Reality.

Social virtual reality (VR) is an emerging set of platforms where users interact while embodying avatars. Given that VR headsets track real physical movements and map them onto one's avatar body, the nature of one's digital representation is an important aspect of social VR. However, little is known about how the visual proximity of an avatar to the self shapes user experience in naturalistic, social VR environments. In this article, we use this context to explore how embodiment is influenced by the perceived differences between the physical attributes of a user and the virtual attributes of their avatar. We selected a number of attributes for this measure that have been shown to be important for customization and representation in VR. Participants created an avatar, spent time in social VR, and reported on their experience in a questionnaire. Our results demonstrate a significant negative association between attribute discrepancy and avatar embodiment, the psychological experience of one's virtual body as their own body. We discuss implications for theories of self-representation and suggest urgency on the part of games and VR designers to improve the methods of creating avatars.

Exploring the association between the Proteus effect and intention to play massive multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs)

PurposeMassive multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) are representative metaverse games that are thriving in academia and the industry. This study aims to develop an integrated model based on Yee's motivations and the Proteus effect to explore individuals' intentions of playing MMORPGs.Design/methodology/approachThe data were gathered by conducting an online survey (n = 441) for the players of World of Warcraft, an MMORPG. The collected data were analyzed with a structural equation model.FindingsThe outcomes of this research reveal that the Proteus effect positively influenced the intentions of the players to play the game via mediations of social, immersion, achievement motivations and enjoyment. Furthermore, the players influenced by the Proteus effect, which enables avatar embodiment and identification, exhibited a stronger intention to play MMORPGs.Originality/valueThis research is one of the first attempts to establish a theoretical framework involving the Proteus effect and Yee's motivations. In addition, the findings of this study imply that the Proteus effect should be considered when investigating the individual experience of metaverse games.

A psychosocial investigation of exercise preferences in real and virtual environments

Three studies explored exercise preferences in real-world and virtual environments, and their relationship with social physique anxiety (SPA), social comparison, and self-presentational efficacy (SPE). In Study 1 (N = 230), real-world exercise preferences were explored. Study 2 (N = 228) measured preferences for real-world and virtual reality (VR) exercise, and Study 3 (N = 249) investigated preferences for avatar embodiment and virtual companions within VR. Results revealed that participants who preferred home-based exercise had lower exercise behaviour, more negative fitness-related social comparisons, or lower SPE expectancy and outcome value (Study 1). Individuals with lower exercise behaviour, more negative fitness-related social comparisons, lower SPE expectancy, or higher SPA were also more likely to choose VR than real-world exercise (Study 2). In a VR exercise setting, participants with higher SPA and more negative social comparisons also preferred to embody a non-human and fantasy avatar more than a realistic avatar. A heightened threat of negative social comparison when imagining exercise with a physically superior virtual companion resulted in the strongest preference to embody a fantasy avatar (Study 3). The results suggest that individuals who place high importance on self-presentation and have low belief in their capacity to project an image of competence to others, are more likely to prefer exercise contexts that minimise physique- and fitness-related evaluation. Moreover, VR may afford a less psychosocially threatening context for individuals who feel self-conscious or comparatively inferior to others during exercise.

Embodiment of virtual feet correlates with motor performance in a target-stepping task: a pilot study

Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) has gained popularity in neurorehabilitation for its potential to increase patients’ motivation and engagement. A crucial yet relatively unexplored aspect of IVR interfaces is the patients’ representation in the virtual world, such as with an avatar. A higher level of embodiment over avatars has been shown to enhance motor performance during upper limb training and has the potential to be employed to enhance neurorehabilitation. However, the relationship between avatar embodiment and gait performance remains unexplored. In this work, we present the results of a pilot study with 12 healthy young participants that evaluates the effect of different virtual lower limb representations on foot placement accuracy while stepping over a trail of 16 virtual targets. We compared three levels of virtual representation: i) a full-body avatar, ii) only feet, and iii) no representation. Full-body tracking is computed using standard VR trackers to synchronize the avatar with the participants’ motions. Foot placement accuracy is measured as the distance between the foot’s center of mass and the center of the selected virtual target. Additionally, we evaluated the level of embodiment over each virtual representation through a questionnaire. Our findings indicate that foot placement accuracy increases with some form of virtual representation, either full-body or foot, compared to having no virtual representation. However, the foot and full-body representations do not show significant differences in accuracy. Importantly, we found a negative correlation between the level of embodiment of the foot representation and the distance between the placed foot and the target. However, no such correlation was found for the full-body representation. Our results highlight the importance of embodying a virtual representation of the foot when performing a task that requires accurate foot placement. However, showing a full-body avatar does not appear to further enhance accuracy. Moreover, our results suggest that the level of embodiment of the virtual feet might modulate motor performance in this stepping task. This work motivates future research on the effect of embodiment over virtual representations on motor control to be exploited for IVR gait rehabilitation.

Hospitalized older adults' experiences of virtual reality-based group exercise therapy with cycle ergometers: An early feasibility study

Sedentary behavior among hospitalized older adults is a well-described challenge that can increase the risk of loss of function and mortality. Therefore, it is important to encourage physical activity (PA) during hospitalization. Exertion Games (exergames) have repeatedly been suggested as a tool to encourage and sustain motivation in rehabilitation programs. This article presents early findings from a convergent parallel mixed methods study that explored whether social presence and PA could be combined through the novel use of immersive virtual reality technology in a feasible group exercise constellation. Inpatients (n=10, 50% female, 80.3±8.2 years) were invited to participate in a bi-weekly VR group session. Most participants (62%) responded that it was a good experience to a large/great extent, which they would like to use repeatedly (76%). The technology was easy for untrained healthcare professionals and had minimal adverse events for the participants. However, a major finding illustrates that the enclosing immersiveness of the headset hindered conversation during exercise sessions. The exclusion of sight likely had a negative effect on forming relations between the participants, which conversely caused the participants to experience a lack of cohesion and relatedness with the other participants. VR-mediated group therapy may be a promising solution to existing physiotherapy practices since it may incorporate basic psychological needs. However, to optimize for social interaction, future systems will need to afford a higher degree of social presence, e.g., through avatar embodiment in a shared virtual environment, to support older adults' autonomous motivation for PA through social interaction and novel technologies.

Adding tactile feedback increases avatar ownership and makes virtual reality more effective at reducing pain in a randomized crossover study

Severe pain is a widespread health problem in need of novel treatment approaches. In the current study we used real water to give virtual objects (i.e., animated virtual water) more realistic physical properties (wet liquid qualities). Healthy volunteers aged 18–34 participated in a within-subject randomized study comparing participants’ worst pain during brief thermal stimuli with (1) No Immersive Virtual Reality (VR), versus (2) during VR + no tactile feedback versus (3) VR + real water (with tactile feedback from co-located real objects). Tactile feedback significantly decreased pain intensity (VR analgesia, p < 0.01), compared to VR with no tactile feedback, and compared to No VR (baseline). Tactile feedback made the virtual water feel significantly more real, increased participant’s sense of presence, and both VR conditions were distracting (significantly reduced accuracy on an attention demanding task). As a non-pharmacologic analgesic, mixed reality reduced pain by 35% in the current study, comparable to the analgesia from a moderate dose of hydromorphone in previous published experimental studies. Tactile feedback also significantly increased avatar embodiment, the participants illusion of ownership of the virtual hands, which has potential to improve the effectiveness of avatar therapy for chronic pain in future studies. Mixed reality should be tested as treatment in pain patients.

Influence of Virtual Out-of-Body Experiences on Fear of Death

Virtual reality (VR) has a demonstrated capacity to embody participants in a virtual avatar and induce body ownership illusions. Previous research has leveraged avatar embodiment to create virtual out-of-body experiences (OBEs) for participants. These induced experiences have subsequently been linked to influencing participants’ fear of death (FOD). Because perceptions of mortality have important clinical implications for palliative and hospice care, there has been growing research interest in the efficacy of utilizing VR technologies to influence FOD. This exploratory study extends this line of research by examining the impact of VR OBEs on FOD in a between-groups experiment with three conditions: (1) a control condition where participants remained in control of the avatar body; (2) an out-of-body (OBE) experimental condition in which participants drifted out of the avatar body and lost visuotactile contact with their avatar; and (3) a “drifting body” (DBE) experimental condition in which participants drifted out of the avatar body but retained visuotactile contact with their avatar. Preliminary data analysis revealed non-significant reductions in FOD in the OBE and DBE experimental conditions. Furthermore, qualitative measures indicated that participants were more disturbed by the OBE condition than by the DBE condition. We provide a discussion of these results, as well as study limitations and future continuation of research under ideal conditions.

The Influence of Avatar Personalization on Emotions in VR

In this paper, we investigate the impact of avatar personalization on perceived emotions. Avatar embodiment is a crucial aspect of collaborative and social virtual reality (VR) systems. Previous research found that avatar appearance impacts the acceptability of the virtual body and changes users’ behavior. While virtual embodiment has been extensively investigated, we know very little about how embodiment affects users’ experienced emotions. In a user study (N = 40), we applied an autobiographical recall method to evoke happiness and investigated the influence of different types of avatar embodiment (personalized same-gender, personalized opposite-gender, non-personalized same-gender, and non-personalized opposite-gender) on participants’ perceived emotion. We recorded both self-reported assessments and physiological data to observe participants’ emotional responses resulting from the emotions elicited by the use of different avatars. We found significant differences in happiness with the personalized same-gender avatar and the personalized opposite-gender avatar. We provide empirical evidence, demonstrating the influence of avatar personalization on emotions in VR. We conclude with recommendations for users and designers of virtual reality experiences.

Avatar-mediated service encounters: impacts and research agenda

ABSTRACT Technology has been expanding the service encounter concept. Avatars, including virtual and robotic avatars, have been gaining popularity as an emerging technology to generate more human-like and even enhanced remote interactions in technology-mediated service encounters. However, service researchers have paid lesser attention to human-controlled avatar technologies compared to service robots as autonomous avatars. In response to the emerging business and research interests, the technology-mediated service encounter model needs to be updated by integrating avatar technologies. To address this gap, this study develops a conceptual framework of avatar-mediated service encounters. This concept amalgamates features of traditional technology-mediated service encounters and service robots from the aspects of service flexibility and interaction modality. The applications of avatar technologies are categorized based on two axes – user type and avatar embodiment type – and the impacts and research agenda are outlined for each category. The proposed framework contributes to improving remote service experiences and realizing resilient service workplaces.

Investigating metaverse marketing for travel and tourism

The metaverse, defined as an interoperated persistent network of shared virtual environments, engenders perception of holistic presence for audiences through avatar embodiment as well as psychological and physiological immersion in synchronous interaction with other agents and objects. Metaverse tours is a newly emerged phenomenon requiring deepened understanding in the travel and tourism industry. The current study, applying pertinent concepts of enactive cognition and positive psychology, proposes and verifies a theoretical framework. As the research result suggests, concomitant effect exercised by perception of holistic presence containing subdimensions of spatial-presence, social-presence, and self-presence alongside holistic happiness comprising hedonia and eudaimonia serves to reinforce actual visit intention towards a tourism destination in the metaverse context. The current study contributes to explicating an effective avenue conducive to bringing out optimal impact of metaverse tours for travel and tourism marketing.