Synchrony and social connection in immersive Virtual Reality

Scientific Reports
B TarrEmma Cohen

Abstract

Synchronising movements in time with others can have significant positive effects on affiliative attitudes and behaviors. To explore the generalizability of synchrony effects, and to eliminate confounds of suggestion, competence and shared intention typical of standard laboratory and field experiments, we used an Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) environment. Participants, represented as virtual humans, took part in a joint movement activity with two other programmed virtual humans. The timings of the co-participant characters' movements were covertly manipulated to achieve synchrony or non-synchrony with the focal participant. Participants in the synchrony condition reported significantly greater social closeness to their virtual co-participants than those in the non-synchrony condition. Results indicate that synchrony in joint action causes positive social effects and that these effects are robust in a VR setting. The research can potentially inform the development of VR interventions for social and psychological wellbeing.

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Citations

Sep 17, 2019·PloS One·Yilu SunAndrea Stevenson Won
Jun 20, 2019·The Journal of Social Psychology·Liam CrossSabrina Golonka
Oct 13, 2019·Scientific Reports·Laura GalbuseraMiriam Kyselo
Aug 21, 2020·NeuroImage·Elin H WilliamsEmily S Cross
Jun 29, 2021·Frontiers in Psychology·Bavo Van KerrebroeckPieter-Jan Maes
Aug 24, 2021·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Aniruddh D Patel
Aug 21, 2020·The Behavioral and Brain Sciences·Patrick E SavageW Tecumseh Fitch
Jul 5, 2020··Philippe PasquierJohn Desnoyers-Stewart
May 27, 2020··Nazely HartoonianTheresa Jean Tanenbaum
Apr 30, 2019··Ekaterina R. StepanovaJohn Desnoyers-Stewart
Oct 16, 2020··Christopher ClarkePatrick Chiu

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