What They Say
A study in the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication studied how the ability to completely transform oneself in virtual environments could lead to positive psychological outcomes.
A key takeaway from these results is that for more productive and collaborative interactions – for instance for workplace or professional purposes – self-avatars are the preferred option. “When you’re getting serious in the metaverse, you want to look like you,” says Bailenson, the founding director of Stanford’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab (VHIL) and also a study co-author.
Importantly, the two experiments found that the reported benefits of interacting virtually as certain avatars and in certain environments grew over time. Bailenson says those findings suggest the effects are enduring and not just isolated, positive VR experiences.
What We Think
It’s fitting that we get some positive feedback today about the metaverse after hearing that John Carmack left Meta because he couldn’t take how badly they were messing up their VR development. For some veterans of the display and graphics industries, VR and the metaverse strategies don’t always add up and seem like more of the same old, same old. But, younger generations, brought up in a world that is defined for them virtually, and for whom a digital connection is a necessity, the promise of VR and the metaverse is boundless.
That means, none of this technology is going away. Demand will be there, and it may actually prove to be a boon for communications among certain groups. One of the reasons that JPR wanted to acquire Display Daily was because its analysts could see how the digital world was going to be superimposed on the real world, that the expansion of 3D technologies would creating new viewing opportunities and experiences. All that and the sterling work of Bob Raikes in building the site and audience.
