Priming and personality effects on the Sense of Embodiment for human and non-human avatars in Virtual Reality

Abstract

The increasingly widespread use of Virtual Reality (VR) technology necessitates a deeper understanding of virtual embodiment and its relationship to human subjectivity. Individual differences and primed perceptual associations that could influence the perception of one’s virtual body remain incompletely explored. In the study outlined below, we exposed participants to human and nonhuman avatars, with half of the sample experiencing a concept primer beforehand. We also gathered measurements on subjective traits, in the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness and the Ten Item Personality Inventory. Results support previous work which suggests greater body ownership in human as opposed to non-human avatars, and suggest that concept priming could have an influence on embodiment and state body mindfulness. Additionally, results highlight an array of personality trait influences on embodiment and body mindfulness measures.