The Influence of Avatar Realism and Similarity in Shaping Group Dynamics in Collaborative Virtual Environments

Given the increasing use of social virtual reality applications, it is crucial to understand the impact of avatar design on social dynamics in populated virtual environments. This study investigates the impact of avatar realism and avatar similarity on dyadic relationships, with participants embodying either cartoony or realistic avatars. Participants interact with counterparts using the same or opposite avatar type, resulting in three conditions across pairs: realistic avatars group, cartoony avatars group, and mixed avatars group (one using a realistic avatar, the other a cartoony avatar). Through collaboration on puzzle tasks designed to foster interaction and cooperation, participants’ experiences are assessed using a blend of questionnaires and behavioural metrics. The findings suggest that dyads perform better at collaborative tasks in the realistic avatars group condition, while the mixed avatars group outperforms the cartoony avatars group. These results provide valuable insights for optimizing avatar design and avatar similarity to enhance collaborative virtual environments.