The Effect of VR Avatar Embodiment on Improving Attitudes and Closeness Toward Immigrants

Abstract

Past research has discussed how the embodiment of an outgroup avatar in virtual reality (VR) can reduce intergroup bias. However, little is known about the mechanisms and boundary conditions that shape this effect. This study examines how the embodiment of both outgroup and ingroup VR avatars in different orders influences attitudes and perceived closeness toward a co-ethnic immigrant outgroup in Singapore. It also investigates the role of empathy and social identity orientation (SIO) in this relationship. An experiment with four avatar embodiment conditions (ingroup-then-outgroup, outgroup-then-ingroup, ingroup-only, and outgroup-only) was carried out with 171 participants from a public university in Singapore. Results showed that embodying an outgroup avatar alone, compared to embodying an ingroup avatar alone, significantly improves both attitudes and closeness toward an immigrant outgroup. The order of embodiment matters to an extent, suggesting the greater effectiveness of outgroup-first over ingroup-first embodiment in reducing bias. Empathy mediates the effect of all three outgroup embodiment conditions on improved attitudes and closeness toward immigrants. It was also found that the stronger one’s SIO is, the more effective embodiment is in improving perceived closeness with the outgroup via empathy. Theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.

The use of virtual reality in studying prejudice and its reduction: A systematic review

“…Banakou et al [ 73 ] also show that experiencing the world from the minority outgroup’s (i.e. Black people) perspective improves attitudes towards that group, and so do Peck et al [ 74 ], Salmanowitz [ 75 ], Christofi et al [ 76 ], Chen et al [ 77 , 78 ], Chowdhury et al [ 79 ], Tong et al [ 53 , 80 ], and Zhang et al [ 81 ]. However, other studies contest these findings by showing that intergroup contact experienced from the minority perspective does not necessarily have any effect on intergroup attitudes.…”

“…However, there is also evidence that both intergroup contact [ 56 , 72 ] and embodiment in an outgroup avatar [ 74 , 77 , 78 ] in VR can successfully be used to decrease racial bias. Furthermore, evidence by Hasler et al [ 56 ] and Hasson et al [ 48 ] suggests that the effect of VR contact is not specific for interracial attitudes, but can also improve in other, critical intergroup conflict situations: both studies showed that Jewish Israelis’ attitude towards Palestinians could be improved using VR.…”

“…By contrast, sixteen studies enacting bias-reducing interventions exclusively used explicit measures. A considerable number of them found a decrease in prejudice following embodiment in an outgroup member [ 52 , 53 , 76 – 78 , 80 , 92 ]. Two studies by Peña et al [ 71 ] and Steltzmann et al [ 70 ] conversely found increased levels of prejudice after engaging in virtual intergroup contact with an outgroup member, and Hadjipanayi and Michel-Grigoriou [ 83 ] and Kalyanaraman et al [ 84 ] obtain similar results through embodiment of an outgroup member.…”

“…Those studies that explicitly examined moderating variables point to the importance of two participant-level factors that should be considered in a study design: on the one hand, participants differ on traits that make them more or less susceptible to effects of any prejudice-reduction intervention, such as empathy [ 76 ] or the importance they generally place on group memberships [ 78 ]. On the other hand, participants’ involvement in and identification with the VR experience can contribute to more desirable effects [ 54 ].…”

I can see my virtual body in a mirror: The role of visual perspective in changing implicit racial attitudes using virtual reality

“…Second, the scope of our questionnaires was limited to measure participants' subjective ratings of ownership, agency and appearance during the VR embodiment. There are indications 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.989582 Frontiers in Psychology 08 frontiersin.org that, at the individual level, traits (e.g., empathy or nervousness during the VR immersion) might contribute to enhance prejudice reduction in VR (Peck et al, 2013;Chen et al, 2021) and future studies might want to include questionnaires to evaluate participants also along those dimensions. Finally, future studies should explore whether the changes in the race IAT observed here using VR are also associated with changes in behavior.…”