Impact of Avatar Experiences in Interacting with Others on the Proteus Effect

The Proteus Effect is a phenomenon where the appearance of avatars influences users' self-perception and behavior. However, previous research has mainly focused on participants' own avatars. In this project, we aim to expand this perspective and explore how interactions with others affect the Proteus Effect. We have conducted two experiments to date. First, we conducted an experiment where participants compared the contrasting appearances of their own avatars and others' avatars while playing the drums (wearing either a traditional robe or a suit). The results showed that the combination of avatars influenced the participants' playing behavior, making it more vigorous or subdued. Furthermore, in a Social VR platform called Cluster, we developed a cooperative multiplayer VR game where participants' avatars' appearances and abilities were complementary during cooperation with others. In this context, we investigated how role assignment affects the Proteus Effect. The findings suggested that it's not just role assignment on its own but the interaction between role assignment and individual personality traits that may influence the Proteus Effect. Moving forward, we will continue our research to uncover the influence of avatars in interactions with others in Social VR and Metaverse environments.