Arousing real or real threat? How realism in avatars affects the perception of Virtual Reality pornography and relationships for heterosexual women.

E Cijntje; M.S. Van Gisbergen

doi:10.1007/978-3-031-25390-4_28

Arousing real or real threat? How realism in avatars affects the perception of Virtual Reality pornography and relationships for heterosexual women.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Scientific › peer-review

Abstract

New immersive technologies and COVID lockdowns increase the attention for Virtual Reality Pornography (VRP). In this study, heterosexual women were interviewed about the effect of realism in VRP, using a new VRP Role-framework based on six dimensions. Results showed that VRP evokes strong negative and positive emotions. Different types of realism evoked confusion around fidelity and pornography and triggered different relationship boundaries, roles, and rules. Feelings of betrayal and fidelity seemed less when the partner experiences 360° recorded VRP (VR-type-dimension) alone (companion-dimension). Acceptance and confusion appear high around shared computer-generated experiences with control over avatars (interactive-dimension) that look like the self (resemblance-dimension). Feelings of doubt and betrayal seem high when the partner experiences VRP with strangers using realistic-looking avatars (realism-dimension) that resemble (well)known persons or the partner. This study helps companies explore ways to improve VRP content while considering ethical questions society raises concerning VRP’s impact on relationships.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Extended Reality and Metaverse - Immersive Technology in Times of Crisis
Editors	T Jung, C Tom Dieck, SM Correia Loureiro
Publisher	Springer
Pages	319-331
Number of pages	13
ISBN (Print)	9783031253898, 9783031253904
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25390-4_28
Publication status	Published - 2023

Publication series

Name	Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics
ISSN (Print)	2198-7246
ISSN (Electronic)	2198-7254

Keywords

Fidelity
Pornography
Realism
Relationship
Sexuality
Virtual Reality

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-031-25390-4_28

https://link-springer-com.buas.idm.oclc.org/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-25390-4_28

DIGIREAL-XL Research, Development and Innovation Center on Digital Realities for Societal-Economic Impact.
Mayer, I. (PI), Heijligers, B. (CoI), Bastiaansen, M. (CoI) & van Gisbergen, M. (CoI)
SIA
1/12/21 → 30/11/25
Project: Research

Cite this

Cijntje, E., & Van Gisbergen, M. S. (2023). Arousing real or real threat? How realism in avatars affects the perception of Virtual Reality pornography and relationships for heterosexual women. In T. Jung, C. Tom Dieck, & SM. Correia Loureiro (Eds.), Extended Reality and Metaverse - Immersive Technology in Times of Crisis (pp. 319-331). (Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25390-4_28

Cijntje, E ; Van Gisbergen, M.S. / Arousing real or real threat? How realism in avatars affects the perception of Virtual Reality pornography and relationships for heterosexual women. Extended Reality and Metaverse - Immersive Technology in Times of Crisis. editor / T Jung ; C Tom Dieck ; SM Correia Loureiro. Springer, 2023. pp. 319-331 (Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics).

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title = "Arousing real or real threat? How realism in avatars affects the perception of Virtual Reality pornography and relationships for heterosexual women.",

abstract = "New immersive technologies and COVID lockdowns increase the attention for Virtual Reality Pornography (VRP). In this study, heterosexual women were interviewed about the effect of realism in VRP, using a new VRP Role-framework based on six dimensions. Results showed that VRP evokes strong negative and positive emotions. Different types of realism evoked confusion around fidelity and pornography and triggered different relationship boundaries, roles, and rules. Feelings of betrayal and fidelity seemed less when the partner experiences 360° recorded VRP (VR-type-dimension) alone (companion-dimension). Acceptance and confusion appear high around shared computer-generated experiences with control over avatars (interactive-dimension) that look like the self (resemblance-dimension). Feelings of doubt and betrayal seem high when the partner experiences VRP with strangers using realistic-looking avatars (realism-dimension) that resemble (well)known persons or the partner. This study helps companies explore ways to improve VRP content while considering ethical questions society raises concerning VRP{\textquoteright}s impact on relationships.",

keywords = "Fidelity, Pornography, Realism, Relationship, Sexuality, Virtual Reality",

author = "E Cijntje and {Van Gisbergen}, M.S.",

note = "Funding Information: The authors would like to thank Silke Hassreiter for her valuable comments during the research. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.",

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Cijntje, E & Van Gisbergen, MS 2023, Arousing real or real threat? How realism in avatars affects the perception of Virtual Reality pornography and relationships for heterosexual women. in T Jung, C Tom Dieck & SM Correia Loureiro (eds), Extended Reality and Metaverse - Immersive Technology in Times of Crisis. Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics, Springer, pp. 319-331. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25390-4_28

Arousing real or real threat? How realism in avatars affects the perception of Virtual Reality pornography and relationships for heterosexual women. / Cijntje, E; Van Gisbergen, M.S.
Extended Reality and Metaverse - Immersive Technology in Times of Crisis. ed. / T Jung; C Tom Dieck; SM Correia Loureiro. Springer, 2023. p. 319-331 (Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Scientific › peer-review

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N1 - Funding Information: The authors would like to thank Silke Hassreiter for her valuable comments during the research. Publisher Copyright: © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

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AB - New immersive technologies and COVID lockdowns increase the attention for Virtual Reality Pornography (VRP). In this study, heterosexual women were interviewed about the effect of realism in VRP, using a new VRP Role-framework based on six dimensions. Results showed that VRP evokes strong negative and positive emotions. Different types of realism evoked confusion around fidelity and pornography and triggered different relationship boundaries, roles, and rules. Feelings of betrayal and fidelity seemed less when the partner experiences 360° recorded VRP (VR-type-dimension) alone (companion-dimension). Acceptance and confusion appear high around shared computer-generated experiences with control over avatars (interactive-dimension) that look like the self (resemblance-dimension). Feelings of doubt and betrayal seem high when the partner experiences VRP with strangers using realistic-looking avatars (realism-dimension) that resemble (well)known persons or the partner. This study helps companies explore ways to improve VRP content while considering ethical questions society raises concerning VRP’s impact on relationships.

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Cijntje E, Van Gisbergen MS. Arousing real or real threat? How realism in avatars affects the perception of Virtual Reality pornography and relationships for heterosexual women. In Jung T, Tom Dieck C, Correia Loureiro SM, editors, Extended Reality and Metaverse - Immersive Technology in Times of Crisis. Springer. 2023. p. 319-331. (Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics). doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-25390-4_28

Arousing real or real threat? How realism in avatars affects the perception of Virtual Reality pornography and relationships for heterosexual women.

Abstract

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Keywords

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Projects

DIGIREAL-XL Research, Development and Innovation Center on Digital Realities for Societal-Economic Impact.

Cite this