Cultural Reflections in Virtual Reality: The Effects of User Ethnicity in Avatar Matching Experiences on Sense of Embodiment

Tiffany D. Do; Juanita Benjamin; Camille Isabella Protko; Ryan P. McMahan

doi:10.1109/TVCG.2024.3456196

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Cultural Reflections in Virtual Reality: The Effects of User Ethnicity in Avatar Matching Experiences on Sense of Embodiment

Tiffany D. Do, Juanita Benjamin, Camille Isabella Protko and Ryan P. McMahan

IEEE transactions on visualization and computer graphics, v 30(11), pp 1-11

Nov 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/TVCG.2024.3456196

PMID: 39250390

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http://arxiv.org/abs/2407.10412View

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Abstract

Avatars

Cultural differences

Cybersickness

diversity

Interviews

sense of embodiment

Skin

Social groups

Virtual environments

Virtual Reality

Matching avatar characteristics to a user can impact sense of embodiment (SoE) in VR. However, few studies have examined how participant demographics may interact with these matching effects. We recruited a diverse and racially balanced sample of 78 participants to investigate the differences among participant groups when embodying both demographically matched and unmatched avatars. We found that participant ethnicity emerged as a significant factor, with Asian and Black participants reporting lower total SoE compared to Hispanic participants. Furthermore, we found that user ethnicity significantly influences ownership (a subscale of SoE), with Asian and Black participants exhibiting stronger effects of matched avatar ethnicity compared to White participants. Additionally, Hispanic participants showed no significant differences, suggesting complex dynamics in ethnic-racial identity. Our results also reveal significant main effects of matched avatar ethnicity and gender on SoE, indicating the importance of considering these factors in VR experiences. These findings contribute valuable insights into understanding the complex dynamics shaping VR experiences across different demographic groups.

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7 citations in Web of Science

5 citations in Scopus

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Title: Cultural Reflections in Virtual Reality: The Effects of User Ethnicity in Avatar Matching Experiences on Sense of Embodiment
Creators: Tiffany D. Do - Drexel University
Juanita Benjamin - University of Central Florida
Camille Isabella Protko - University of Central Florida
Ryan P. McMahan - Virginia Tech
Publication Details: IEEE transactions on visualization and computer graphics, v 30(11), pp 1-11
Publisher: IEEE
Number of pages: 11
Resource Type: Journal article
Language: English
Academic Unit: Computer Science
Web of Science ID: WOS:001338569300036
Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85203794748
Other Identifier: 991021916803504721

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas: Computer Science, Software Engineering

Cultural Reflections in Virtual Reality: The Effects of User Ethnicity in Avatar Matching Experiences on Sense of Embodiment

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