Representing

the Body
in Virtual Reality
Sofia Seinfeld
PhD, Associate Professor
Centre de la Imatge i Tecnologia Multimèdia
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Outline
 User Representations
 Embodiment in VR (Building Blocks)
 Spatial Perception and Tool Embodiment
 Impact of Avatar´s Visual Appearance
 Conclusions

3
User Representations in HCI

 artificial extensions of users’ physical bodies

 continuous control through motor commands
Seinfeld, S., Feuchtner, T., Maselli, A., & Müller, J. (2021). User representations in human-computer interaction. Human–Computer
Interaction, 36(5-6), 400-438.
 User Representations
Motor control,
input methods,
and mappings
Visual appearance & Visual perspective &
affordances self-location
Feeling of body
ownership
Spatial perception &
Sense of agency
tool embodiment

Multimodal feedback

Seinfeld, S., Feuchtner, T., Maselli, A., & Müller, J. (2021). User representations in human-computer interaction. Human–Computer
Interaction, 36(5-6), 400-438.
Embodiment in VR (Building Blocks)
Motor control,
input methods,
and mappings
Visual appearance & Visual perspective &
affordances self-location
Feeling of body
ownership
Spatial perception &
Sense of agency
tool embodiment

Multimodal feedback

Seinfeld, S., Feuchtner, T., Maselli, A., & Müller, J. (2021). User representations in human-computer interaction. Human–Computer
Interaction, 36(5-6), 400-438.
Feeling of Body Ownership

7
Botvinick, M., & Cohen, J. (1998). Rubber hands ‘feel’touch that eyes see. Nature, 391(6669), 756-756.
Video courtesy of the Event Lab (University of Barcelona)
 Embodiment in VR (Building Blocks)
Sense of Agency

Image source: Seinfeld et al., 2021

Haggard, P. (2017). Sense of agency in the human brain. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 18(4), 196–207. doi:10.1038/nrn.2017.14
Limerick, H., Coyle, D., & Moore, J. W. (2014). The experience of agency in human-computer interactions: a review. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 8, 643.
Embodiment in VR (Building Blocks)
Sense of Agency

Video source: Seinfeld et al., 2020

10
Limerick, H., Coyle, D., & Moore, J. W. (2014). The experience of agency in human-computer interactions: a review. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 8, 643.
 Embodiment in VR (Building Blocks)
Sense of Self-Location

Image source: Seinfeld et al., 2021

Galvan Debarba, H., Bovet, S., Salomon, R., Blanke, O., Herbelin, B., & Boulic, R. (2017). Characterizing first and third person viewpoints and their alternation for
embodied interaction in virtual reality. PloS one, 12(12), e0190109..
 User Representations
Motor control,
input methods,
and mappings
Visual appearance & Visual perspective &
affordances self-location
Feeling of body
ownership
Spatial perception &
Sense of agency
tool embodiment

Multimodal feedback

Seinfeld, S., Feuchtner, T., Maselli, A., & Müller, J. (2021). User representations in human-computer interaction. Human–Computer
Interaction, 36(5-6), 400-438.
 Visual Appearance

Ogawa, N., Narumi, T., Kuzuoka, H., & Hirose, M. (2020, April). Do you feel like passing through walls?: Effect of self-avatar appearance on facilitating realistic
behavior in virtual environments. In Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 1-14).
Visual Appearance

Images Source: Microsoft Rocketbox Avatars

Domestic Violence Study

Seinfeld, S., Arroyo-Palacios, J., Iruretagoyena, G., Hortensius, R., Zapata, L. E., Borland, D., ... & Sanchez-Vives, M. V. (2018). Offenders
become the victim in virtual reality: impact of changing perspective in domestic violence. Scientific reports, 8(1), 2692.
Domestic Violence Study

Seinfeld, S., Arroyo-Palacios, J., Iruretagoyena, G., Hortensius, R., Zapata, L. E., Borland, D., ... & Sanchez-Vives, M. V. (2018). Offenders
become the victim in virtual reality: impact of changing perspective in domestic violence. Scientific reports, 8(1), 2692.
Domestic Violence Study

Seinfeld, S., Zhan, M., Poyo-Solanas, M., Barsuola, G., Vaessen, M., Slater, M., Sanchez-Vives, M., & de Gelder, B. (2021). Being the
victim of virtual abuse changes default mode network responses to emotional expressions. Cortex, 135, 268-284.
 Racial Bias Study

Peck, T. C., Seinfeld, S., Aglioti, S. M., & Slater, M. (2013). Putting yourself in the skin of a black avatar reduces implicit racial bias. Consciousness
and cognition, 22(3), 779-787.
 Racial Bias Study

Peck, T. C., Seinfeld, S., Aglioti, S. M., & Slater, M. (2013). Putting yourself in the skin of a black avatar reduces implicit racial bias. Consciousness
and cognition, 22(3), 779-787.
 Racial Bias Study

Banakou, D., Beacco, A., Neyret, S., Blasco-Oliver, M., Seinfeld, S., & Slater, M. (2020). Virtual body ownership and its consequences for implicit racial bias are
dependent on social context. Royal Society open science, 7(12), 201848.
Banakou, D., Hanumanthu, P. D., & Slater, M. (2016). Virtual embodiment of white people in a black virtual body leads to a sustained reduction in their implicit
racial bias. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 601.
 User Representations
Motor control,
input methods,
and mappings
Visual appearance & Visual perspective &
affordances self-location
Feeling of body
ownership
Spatial perception &
Sense of agency
tool embodiment

Multimodal feedback

Seinfeld, S., Feuchtner, T., Maselli, A., & Müller, J. (2021). User representations in human-computer interaction. Human–Computer
Interaction, 36(5-6), 400-438.
Tool Embodiment/Spatial Perception

Maravita, A., & Iriki, A. (2004). Tools for the body (schema). Trends in cognitive sciences, 8(2), 79-86. 24
 Tool Embodiment/Spatial Perception

Seinfeld, S., Feuchtner, T., Maselli, A., & Müller, J. (2021). User representations in human-computer interaction. Human–Computer
25
Interaction, 36(5-6), 400-438.
Tool Embodiment/Spatial Perception

26
Conclusion
Several psychological and cognitive factors need to be considered
when representing users in VR through avatars.
Conclusion
VR provides the unique possibility of experiencing a virtual
representation, as if it was our own real body.
Conclusion
The visual appearance of an embodied artificial body might be
exploited to enhance certain attitudes and behaviors.
Prof. Mavi Sanchez-Vives Prof. Mel Slater Prof. Beatrice de Gelder Prof. Jörg Müller Prof. Tiare Feuchtner Dr. Antonella Maselli

Dr. Minye Zhan Dr. Ruud Hortensius

Dr. David Borland Dr. Jorge Arroyo-Palacios Dr. Luis Zapata
 Thanks!
Questions?
email: sofia.seinfeld@citm.upc.edu
Twitter: @SeinfeldSofia