Metaverse, Avatar and Well-Being: Impact of avatar embodiment on well-being and decision-making in the Metaverse

PhD position (2024-09 / 2027-09)

Keywords: Embodiment, Decision-making, Well-being, Virtual Reality, Cognitive processes

Supervision

• Director: Laurent PERRINET

  • HDR obtained in 2017
  • Contribution: 50%
  • Grade: DR2

• Co-director: Olivia PETIT

  • HDR
  • Contribution: 50%
  • Grade: PA - Associate Professor

CNU classification: 69 - Neurosciences

Project Description

Digital transformation is accelerating significantly with the arrival of a new generation of consumers. The use of social networks and digital platforms is constantly evolving, particularly via the Metaverse. This immersive platform reinvents online interaction using advanced technologies such as virtual and augmented reality. In these virtual spaces, users can create, communicate and explore via their avatars, and businesses have new ways of exchanging, interacting and engaging with consumers.

However, the rapid development of these technologies raises a number of questions, particularly concerning ethical risks, user well-being and the impact on decision-making. This project aims to explore these issues to better understand user behaviour and the influence of embodiment through an avatar in these virtual platforms. By addressing these risks at an early stage, we aim to anticipate and frame the potentially negative practices of brands and influencers in the Metaverse.

Users represent themselves in this platform by an avatar whose appearance they can modify. By examining the relationship between the user and their avatar, the aim is to understand the effects on personality, behaviour and information processing during embodiment. Initially, we will explore the consequences for decision-making and well-being as a function of the avatar creation process.

To study these consequences in greater depth, we will use a virtual reality headset equipped with an eye-tracker to assess the factors influencing decision-making and the modulation of visual attention according to the embodiment process. We hypothesise that certain embodiment processes may lead to more impulsive and dangerous choices, resulting from different information processing.

Finally, to analyse brain activity during decision-making in the Metaverse, we will conduct an fMRI experiment. The aim of this final stage is to define and understand the different decision-making processes in the Metaverse according to the type of incarnation of the avatar, in order to anticipate and control impulsive and risky decision-making.