Eye contact in virtual reality – A psychophysiological study

This experiment investigated whether eye contact would evoke similar attention and emotion related psychophysiological responses in virtual reality (VR) as in a face-to-face interaction. Participants viewed a confederate in a live interaction (Live condition) and a confederate's avatar in VR (V...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Computers in human behavior 2020-11, Vol.112, p.106454, Article 106454
Main Authors: Syrjämäki, Aleksi H., Isokoski, Poika, Surakka, Veikko, Pasanen, Tytti P., Hietanen, Jari K.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Arousal
Attention
Avatar
Avatars
Deceleration
Emotions
Eye contact
Eye gaze
Heart rate
Mediated communication
Physiological effects
Physiology
Resistance
Virtual reality
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Summary:This experiment investigated whether eye contact would evoke similar attention and emotion related psychophysiological responses in virtual reality (VR) as in a face-to-face interaction. Participants viewed a confederate in a live interaction (Live condition) and a confederate's avatar in VR (VR condition). In both conditions, the confederate/avatar was portraying direct and laterally averted gaze. Heart rate deceleration responses reflecting attention orienting were greater to direct gaze compared to averted gaze, and the effect was not significantly different between Live and VR conditions. However, skin conductance responses reflecting physiological arousal were larger in response to direct than averted gaze only in the Live condition. These results suggest that while eye contact with a live person evokes substantial attention and emotion related psychophysiological responses, the physiological effects of eye contact are diminished in VR. •The study investigated psychophysiological responses to virtual and real eye contact.•Heart rate deceleration responses were greater to direct gaze than averted gaze.•Larger skin conductance responses to direct vs. averted gaze only in live interaction.
ISSN:0747-5632
1873-7692
DOI:10.1016/j.chb.2020.106454