Collingwoode-Williams, Tara. 2025. The Psychological Impact of the Configuration of Self-Representation in Immersive Virtual Reality. Doctoral thesis, Goldsmiths, University of London [Thesis]

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Abstract or Description

This thesis presents an exploratory examination of Self-Representation through the technical configuration of Embodiment, meaning the subjective feeling of owning a virtual representation in Virtual Reality (VR). More specifically, it relates to how we prioritise and configure objective attributes of Embodiment such as Avatar fidelity and multi-sensory stimuli. This research aims to understand how different technical configurations of Embodiment in certain contexts in virtual environments could psychologically impact participants’ perceptions of themselves and others. This research hopes to inform the development of successful embodied experiences and social interaction in various VR applications, ranging from training simulations to gaming experiences.

There are three studies conducted in this thesis. Two in-lab studies centre around configurations of synchronicity or Embodied Consistency, and the final in-application study focuses on configurations of Embodied Virtual Perspective-Taking for practice based use-cases in VR. A summary of each can be found below.

Study 1 assessed the impact of the configuration of Agency in consistent and inconsistent arm movement and lip sync whilst embodied in a full-body Self-Avatar. The survey results showed an interaction effect, which suggested that there were higher levels of Embodiment in consistent conditions where there was Agency and that adding lip sync is not critical to facilitating more elevated levels of Embodiment.

Study 2 explored the impact of the configuration of a full-body Self-Avatar versus just controllers in a collaborative Embodied Social Virtual Environment (ESVE) and the consistency of Avatar representation between the two players. In the first study, one player was a confederate (Exp1 ), and in the second study, both players were participants (Exp2 ). The level of trust post-VR was measured using a questionnaire and a trust game. Exp1 suggested that participants were more likely to give higher scores to the confederate (regardless of the confederate’s representation) when they had an Avatar. Exp2 suggested that participants trusted each other more in consistent conditions and that Consistency also impacted the pattern of their performance in the collaborative task.

Study 3 consisted of two pilot studies investigating the impact of different configurations of Embodied Virtual Perspective Taking in a medical communication training application on Self-Evaluation. Participants were instructed to give bad news to an angry parent (AP) regarding their child’s operation whilst embodied in an Avatar of a Doctor in scrubs. We tested whether being able to review the virtual consultation from the AP’s perspective versus a third-person perspective could manipulate Self-Efficacy. Results suggested no significant influence of perspective; however, there was a slight effect of participant’s occupation and personality on how they perceived their performance. Nurses and those with less confidence (nervousness) had a significant shift in their ratings compared to Doctors and more confident participants between their initial consultation in VR and watching their consultation back in VR. This preliminary study suggests this framework may be utilised better by early-stage practitioners who are less confident in their roles. However, more research needs to be done to confirm this effect.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Identification Number (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.25602/GOLD.00039042
Keywords:	Embodiement, Virtual Reality (VR), Social Virtual Reality, Human Computer Interaction (HCI), Self-Representation
Departments, Centres and Research Units:	Computing
Date:	31 May 2025
Item ID:	39042
Date Deposited:	19 Jun 2025 15:26
Last Modified:	19 Jun 2025 15:26
URI:	https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/39042

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