Toward Understanding the Impact of a Biomimetic Virtual Hand on Behavior and Embodiment in Virtual Reality

Abstract

Embodied representations are known to impact user behavior in Virtual Reality (VR) through stereotypes associated with their appearance, a phenomenon known as the Proteus effect, or through perceived affordances. This latter concept refers to the interaction possibilities suggested by the environment, as perceived from the capabilities of the user's avatar. VR offers the unique potential of allowing non-anthropomorphic embodiment, enabling new interaction modalities. In this context, we propose to explore the possibilities offered by wildlife inspired avatars. We designed a chimeric avatar providing new interaction possibilities and developed an experiment to assess the effect of embodying a giant crab claw compared to a regular hand on participants' sense of embodiment and behavior when interacting in the virtual environment. This study is a work in progress and will inform designers about the potential of biomimetic avatars to shape user behaviors while supporting embodiment in VR.