How do we make sense of our self-worth through customization and virtual embodiment of photorealistic avatars?

• Main Author: Koek, Dominic Wei Jie
• Other Authors: Interdisciplinary Graduate School (IGS)
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: 2024
• Subjects: Social Sciences; Virtual reality; Avatar embodiment; Avatar customization
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/175761; https://www.icahdq.org/mpage/ica24
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

There has been sustained interests in the development of technologies and applications that enable users to generate and customize photorealistic avatars. These avatars can be further imported into Virtual Reality (VR) systems that enable users to embody those avatars and interact with others. However, further research is needed to understand how users perceive the process of customizing and embodying photorealistic avatars in VR, and how those experiences shape the way that they feel about themselves. To address this research gap, a study that employed semi-structured interviews among 36 participants was conducted to understand their experiences toward customizing and embodying a photorealistic avatar. Findings from the study revealed the nuances of customization and virtual embodiment of a photorealistic avatar. Most participants highlighted a sense of dissociation from their actual selves during the avatar customization and virtual embodiment experience. Those reasons include the absence of social interactions, perceived gamified experience, and diversion of self-focused attention through the interactive affordances. However, the avatar customization process was not completely devoid of self-related thoughts. Participants cited moments where they experienced psychological discomforts and self-doubts toward their physical appearance during the avatar customization and virtual embodiment process. Yet, the process of customizing the photorealistic avatar also presented the opportunity for them to recognize and visualize positive attributes of themselves. This involves affirmation of their personal strengths and acceptance of physical attributes that were less than ideal. These experiences underscored the complex nature of customizing and embodying photorealistic avatars in VR. They also highlighted the technological and psychological factors that contribute to the way users make sense of their self-worth, warranting further examination in future studies.