Changing Avatars, Changing Selves? The Influence of Social and Contextual Expectations on Digital Rendition of Identity

Toward a Humane Metaverse: Challenges and Opportunities

The metaverse, an emerging digital universe blurring the lines between reality and virtuality, offers a view into a future where human interaction transcends physical boundaries. In this article, we analyze the multidimensional facets of the metaverse, scrutinizing the landscape of challenges and opportunities it offers. The article delves into the challenges faced by human society in adapting to the metaverse, including the digital divide, ethical dilemmas, the level of trust, and the potential erosion of social and physical reality. Amid the allure of boundless creativity, questions arise about the very essence of human experience-identity, empathy, social relationships, life satisfaction, and the nature of reality itself. The metaverse, with all its complexities, challenges us to redefine the boundaries of human interaction, urging us to tread cautiously while embracing the limitless possibilities it presents. As we venture "toward a humane metaverse," we must navigate the intricate interplay of technology and humanity, shaping a future where the virtual realm enhances, rather than diminishes, the richness of the human experience.

Avatar-Based Strategies for Breast Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review

There is a lack of studies to determine if avatar-based protocols could be considered an efficient and accurate strategy to improve psychological well-being in oncology patients, even though it represents a growing field of research. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic review addressing the effectiveness of avatar-based treatments to enhance quality of life (QoL) and psychological well-being in breast cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to review the scientific literature of those studies involving avatar-based technology and breast cancer patients in order to answer the following questions. (1) Are avatar-based strategies useful to im-prove QoL and psychological well-being (anxiety and depression symptoms) in breast cancer patients? (2) Which is the best way to develop avatar-based protocols for breast cancer patients? We conducted a systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature from EBSCO, Ovid, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science (WOS), following the PRISMA statements and using "avatar + breast cancer" or "avatar + cancer" as keywords. Studies which were published in either English or Spanish and which addressed QoL and psychological well-being in breast cancer patients were reviewed. The results will contribute to developing innovative avatar-based strategies focused on breast cancer patients.

The Effect of Mental Health App Customization on Depressive Symptoms in College Students: Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Mental health apps have shown promise in improving mental health symptoms, including depressive symptoms. However, limited research has been aimed at understanding how specific app features and designs can optimize the therapeutic benefits and adherence to such mental health apps.

OBJECTIVE

The primary purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of avatar customization on depressive symptoms and adherence to use a novel cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-based mental health app. The secondary aim is to examine whether specific app features, including journaling, mood tracking, and reminders, affect the usability of the mental health app.

METHODS

College students were recruited from a university study recruitment pool website and via flyer advertisements throughout campus. A total of 94 participants completed a randomized controlled trial in which they were randomized to either customization or no customization version of the app. Customization involved personalizing a virtual avatar and a travel vehicle to one's own preferences and use of one's name throughout the app. Participants completed a 14-day trial using a novel CBT-based mental health app called AirHeart. Self-report scores for depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress were measured at baseline and after the intervention. Postintervention survey measures also included usability and avatar identification questionnaires.

RESULTS

Of the 94 enrolled participants, 83 (88%) completed the intervention and postintervention assessments. AirHeart app use significantly reduced symptoms of depression (P=.006) from baseline to the end of the 2-week intervention period for all participants, regardless of the customization condition. However, no differences in depressive symptoms (P=.17) or adherence (P=.80) were observed between the customization (39/83, 47%) and no customization (44/83, 53%) conditions. The frequency of journaling, usefulness of mood tracking, and helpfulness of reminders were not associated with changes in depressive symptoms or adherence (P>.05). Exploratory analyses showed that there were 3 moderate positive correlations between avatar identification and depressive symptoms (identification: r=-0.312, P=.02; connection: r=-0.305, P=.02; and lack of relatability: r=0.338, P=.01).

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that CBT mental health apps, such as AirHeart, have the potential to reduce depressive symptoms over a short intervention period. The randomized controlled trial results demonstrated that customization of app features, such as avatars, does not further reduce depressive symptoms over and above the CBT modules and standard app features, including journal, reminders, and mood tracking. However, further research elucidating the relationship between virtual avatar identification and mental health systems is needed as society becomes increasingly more digitized. These findings have potential implications for improving the optimization of mental health app designs.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Open Science Framework t28gm; https://osf.io/t28gm.

Self-representation through avatars in digital environments

Due to its prominent role in online social networks, avatar creation has become an important research topic in the field of computer-mediated communication. One main motive for creating avatars is the representation of one’s own identity. Previous research indicates that avatar creation depends on the activity context for which the avatar is created. Though, studies comparing avatar creation for a wide variety of activity contexts are still missing. The present study addresses this empirical gap by examining (1) the self-representation of physical, demographical, and personality characteristics through avatars, (2) differences in self-representation between various online activity contexts, and (3) between-participant variance in ascribed personality traits. Participants attributed physical, demographical, and personality characteristics to their avatar for one of six online activity contexts and indicated the same characteristics for their actual and ideal selves. We analysed the data of 568 participants and found a high level of congruence between demographical/physical characteristics of the avatar, the actual self, and the ideal self. Furthermore, we found an idealised representation of the avatar’s personality traits, which was affected by the specific activity context. Last, the between-participant variance in the avatar’s personality traits was mainly larger than the variance in the ideal self but smaller than the variance in the actual self, indicating a link between avatar creation and social norms. These results deliver new insights into the strategies behind avatar creation in different contexts and build a basis for future research and practical implications for developers and designers of virtual worlds.

The Efficacy of Psychological Intervention on Body Image in Breast Cancer Patients and Survivors: A Systematic-Review and Meta-Analysis

The experience of breast cancer and related treatments has notable effects on women's mental health. Among them, the subjective perception of the body or body image (BI) is altered. Such alterations deserve to be properly treated because they augment the risk for depression and mood disorders, and impair intimate relationships. A number of studies revealed that focused psychological interventions are effective in reducing BI issues related to breast cancer. However, findings are inconsistent regarding the dimension of such effects. This meta-analysis synthesizes and quantifies the efficacy of psychological interventions for BI in breast cancer patients and survivors. Additionally, since sexual functioning emerged as a relevant aspect in the BI distortions, we explored the efficacy of psychological interventions on sexual functioning related to BI in breast cancer patients and survivors. The literature search for relevant contributions was carried out in March 2020 through the following electronic databases: Scopus, PsycINFO, and ProQUEST. Only articles available in English and that featured psychological interventions for body image in breast cancer patients or survivors with controls were included. Seven articles with 17 dependent effect sizes were selected for this meta-analysis. Variables were grouped into: Body Image (six studies, nine dependent effect sizes) and Sexual Functioning Related to the Body Image in breast cancer patients and survivors (four studies, eight dependent effect sizes). The three-level meta-analysis showed a statistically significant effect for Body Image [g = 0.50; 95% CI (0.08; 0.93); p < 0.05] but no significant results for Sexual Functioning Related to Body Image [g = 0.33; 95% CI (−0.20; 0.85); p = 0.19]. These results suggest that psychological interventions are effective in reducing body image issues but not in reducing sexual functioning issues related to body image in breast cancer patients and survivors. Future review efforts may include gray literature and qualitative studies to better understand body image and sexual functioning issues in breast cancer patients. Also, high-quality studies are needed to inform future meta-analyses.

Me, Myself, and Not-I: Self-Discrepancy Type Predicts Avatar Creation Style

In video games, identification with avatars—virtual entities or characters driven by human behavior—has been shown to serve many interpersonal and intraindividual functions (like social connection, self-expression, or identity exploration) but our understanding of the psychological variables that influence players' avatar choices remains incomplete. The study presented in this paper tested whether players' preferred style of avatar creation is linked to the magnitude of self-perceived discrepancies between who they are, who they aspire to be, and who they think they should be. One-hundred-and-twenty-five undergraduate gamers indicated their preferred avatar creation style and completed a values measure from three different perspectives: their actual, ideal, and ought selves. The average actual/ideal values discrepancy was greater among those who preferred idealized avatars vs. those who preferred realistic avatars. The average actual/ought values discrepancy was greater among those who preferred completely different avatars (i.e., fantasy/role-players) vs. those who preferred realistic avatars. These results, therefore, offer additional evidence that self-discrepancy theory is a useful framework for understanding avatar preferences.

Extended Reality for the Clinical, Affective, and Social Neurosciences

Brain science research often involves the use of low-dimensional tools and stimuli that lack several of the potentially valuable features of everyday activities and interactions. Although this research has provided important information about cognitive, affective, and social processes for both clinical and nonclinical populations, there is growing interest in high-dimensional simulations that extend reality. These high-dimensional simulations involve dynamic stimuli presented serially or concurrently to permit the assessment and training of perceivers' integrative processes over time. Moreover, high-dimensional simulation platforms can contextually restrain interpretations of cues about a target's internal states. Extended reality environments extend assessment and training platforms that balance experimental control with emotionally engaging background narratives aimed at extending the affective experience and social interactions. Herein, we highlight the promise of extended reality platforms for greater ecological validity in the clinical, affective, and social neurosciences.

Avatars and the Disease: Digital Customization as a Resource for Self-Perception Assessment in Breast Cancer Patients

Avatars, or users' renditions within digital environments, may change depending on modifications of users' self-conception. According to literature, chronic health conditions influence patients and survivors' identity, because living with a disease requires people to reconfigure their self-representation and their own daily life and future plans. This is especially true for breast cancer, whose treatment and surgery also affect patients' body image, sexual identity, and sense of womanhood. In this study, 22 breast cancer survivors were asked to create multiple avatars resembling their actual self (AS), their ideal self (IS), and their self connected to the disease experience; then, they were asked to rate their attitudes toward their three avatars. Results show that disease avatars are significantly different in patients' attitudes toward them from AS and IS avatars. In addition, attitudes toward one's own avatars appeared partially related to clinically relevant psychological states, such as anxiety and depression. Discussion explores suggestions for usage of avatars in interventions for assessment and quality-of-life promotion among chronic patients.

Videogames for Emotion Regulation: A Systematic Review

INTRODUCTION

Emotion regulation (ER) supports multiple individual functions and promotes mental health and wellbeing. Among the tools that may be used to help people in managing their affective states, videogames are reaching attention and are showing positive effects. Yet, little is known about their effectiveness.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to assess the amount and quality of studies investigating the effects and modalities of the use of videogames for ER.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A systematic literature search according to PRISMA guidelines was performed. Subsequently, according to expert advice other few studies have been added.

RESULTS

Twenty-three studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review; they can be categorized into three groups, namely (1) cross-sectional and qualitative studies, (2) experimental studies investigating the effects of videogame experience on ER and (3) ER intervention with serious games.

DISCUSSION

Discussion of the reviewed studies highlights that frequent gaming with commercial games offers more opportunities for ER improvement (related to gameplay and enjoyment of fictional properties) than limited-time experiences, such as those supported by bespoke serious games. This research area is still in its infancy and findings need to be interpreted with caution; furthermore, future reviews are encouraged to include clinical populations.

CONCLUSION

Videogames offer several opportunities for ER and a challenge for educational and psychological interventions.