Exploring avatar representations to support perception and social cognition in virtual environments

Abstract

Avatar representation of individuals in the virtual world is a key component in creating a reliable virtual reality (VR) experience. It influences user performance and experience, contributing to successful interaction and communication within immersive virtual environments. Many studies have examined avatar representation in virtual environments and its effect on the overall VR user experience. However, other aspects of its influence should be explored to better support user perceptions and social cognition. This thesis focuses on the impact of avatar representation on user experiences in VR environments, specifically examining spatial perception, interpersonal communication, and intergroup bias reduction. It investigates how different avatar designs and functionalities influence human perception and social cognition. The methodologies include experiments assessing users' distance judgments in virtual architectural interiors and evaluations of social presence, trust, and bias mitigation in virtual social environments. The research presents three significant contributions: First, it examines the impact of photo-realistic static virtual avatars of familiar persons on spatial perception, investigating how such avatars affect users' distance judgments in virtual architectural interiors. Second, it explores the influence of real-time animated realistic avatars on interpersonal communication, particularly regarding social presence and trust in virtual social environments. Finally, it introduces the VR-Contact Modality for bias reduction, a new contact modality method that utilizes real-time animated realistic avatars for real-time communication aimed at reducing intergroup racial bias. These contributions aim to provide guidelines and suggestions for enhancing the VR user experience, making it more effective and inclusive.