Virtual reflections: self-mirroring and its influence on self-presence in virtual reality environments

초록

With the continuous advancement of virtual reality (VR) technology and devices, the issue of hardware accessibility is gradually being resolved, but the demand for quality VR content has emerged as a new challenge. In response, this study investigates the effects of self-mirroring, where a user sees their entire virtual body reflected in a mirror or window, rather than only their hands or feet in a first-person perspective on self-presence and user experience. An experiment (N = 56) was conducted using a 2(Self-mirroring: present vs. absent) X 2(Narrative: present vs. absent) between-subjects design. Primary findings indicate that while self-mirroring is strongly correlated with self-presence, this relationship is not always positive. This suggests that effective content design must account for psychological dissonance and prioritize meaningful self-representation rather than simply displaying the user's full body. The study also reveals that self-mirroring alone does not necessarily enhance user experience. Instead, its integration within a narrative context plays a more critical role in fostering engagement. This suggests that transforming users into characters through story-driven self-representation may be a more effective approach for increasing identification and engagement in virtual environments. Lastly, self-representation does not necessarily require a physical image in the form of an avatar, as the textual narrative alone can enable users to visualize their own avatar in the VR environment.

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