From Virtual to Physical: Investigating the Carryover Effects of Avatar-Mediated Communication in Intergenerational Contexts
Kensuke Nomura(JP) , Yuji Hatada(JP),Takuji Narumi (JP), Hideaki Kuzuoka (JP)
– ACM Symposium on Applied Perception 2025, Avatars & Entertainment
Keywords – avatar, interpersonal impression, intergenerational communication, virtual reality
Summary – Previous studies show that avatars hiding personal traits can reduce psychological barriers and increase closeness in virtual settings, but it is unclear if this effect lasts offline. This study examined how avatar-based communication influences impressions and later face-to-face interactions between young adults (20–39) and older adults (40–59). Results showed that avatars initially reduced social distance online, but the effect did not continue offline. Participants judged partners mainly by voice and conversation, not avatar appearance. The findings suggest that avatars have limited short-term impact unless users strongly identify with them.
