Embodying an opposite-sex virtual reality avatar appears to alter perceptions of touch
... Heterosexual individuals tend to find intimate touch from a same-sex virtual avatar to be more pleasant when they are “wearing” a virtual body of the opposite sex, according to new research that used immersive VR technology to induce a body swap illusion among participants. ...
In the study, participants reclined in a chair as they wore an Oculus Rift virtual reality headset. They passively observed from a first person perspective as a male or female virtual avatar delivered caresses to their foot, knee, pelvis, chest, head, and hand. The participants were not physically touched. Instead, the caresses were only delivered to the participants’ virtual body. ...
Moreover, we also focused on intimate touch, which would be unethical in normal circumstances.” ...
See the full story here: https://www.psypost.org/2021/12/embodying-an-opposite-sex-virtual-reality-avatar-appears-to-alter-perceptions-of-touch-62254
