This study from Stanford University looks at how digital avatars and virtual environments affect how people act and feel over time. Over 8 weeks, nearly 220 people joined in to see how their behavior and emotions changed in different virtual settings. The study digs into how avatars that look like you can actually help people move and connect better during virtual hangouts. They found that “avatars that resembled participants increased synchrony, similarities in moment-to-moment nonverbal behaviors between participants.” Meaning, when your avatar looks like you, the interaction feels more real and natural.
The researchers want to understand how VR can help people learn and build social connections as the metaverse grows. They state, “as the metaverse expands, understanding how people use virtual reality to learn and connect is increasingly important.” This ties right into digital humanities.
The authors of this study are E. Han Miller, C. DeVeaux, H. Jun, K.L. Nowak, J.T. Hancock, N. Ram, and J.N. Bailenson.