몰입형 소셜 VR 환경에서 아바타의 비언어적 커뮤니케이션 단서가 자기-노출에 미치는 영향 : 아바타 간 거리와 상대 아바타의 신체적 매력도를 중심으로 = The Influences of Nonverbal Communication Cues of Avatars on Self-Disclosure in Immersive Social VR : Focusing on Inter-Avatar Distance and Physical Attractiveness of the Interlocutor’s Avatar

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Initial entry stage of interpersonal interaction play a critical and indispensable role in the enduring relationships with others in one's social interaction. Despite the extensive body of literature addressing initial face-to-face communication, there have been very few studies on the initial stage of interpersonal communication in immersive social virtual reality (ISVR) environments. Within virtual spaces, interactions are facilitated by avatars, which serve as both the users' digital self-representations and agents. In this context, it is crucial to understand how these avatars' mediated communication cues influence the initial entry stages of virtual social interactions. This study aims to examine the influences of nonverbal communication cues exhibited by avatars on communication outcomes during initial interaction in ISVR. Specifically, the study investigates the influences of inter-avatar distance, avatar gender, and avatar attractiveness as nonverbal communication cues on individuals' self-disclosure during the initial interaction in context of ISVR. To this end, 54 college students participated in an experiment involving interactive sessions utilizing Meta's Horizon Workrooms, a VR work collaboration platform. During each session, participants engaged in interactions with confederates of the opposite sex, thereby fostering interpersonal engagements within the experimental context. The data observed from 2 (avatar gender: male vs. female) × 2 (inter-avatar distance: close vs. far) × 2 (physical attractiveness of the interlocutor's avatar: high vs. low) between-subjects design were analyzed using both frequentist and Bayesian approach. The results showed that there were significant main effects of inter-avatar distance, avatar gender, and avatar’s physical attractiveness on individuals' self-disclosure during the initial interaction in ISVR. Thus, participants employed self-disclosure strategies characterized by higher levels of quantity and intimacy when the inter-avatar distance was closer, when the avatar was female, or the avatar was attractive. Additionally, a weak interaction effect between inter-avatar distance and the physical attractiveness of the interlocutor's avatar on self-disclosure was found. The empirical findings of this study imply to emphasize the interrelation between the user's perception of personal spatial boundaries and the physical attractiveness of the interlocutor within the context of ISVR. This study sought to extend knowledge from the field of interpersonal communication to the realm of virtual space by verifying the potential impact of nonverbal communication cues mediated through avatars in an ISVR environments. This attempt will not only expand our conceptual and emprical understanding of social interactions, but also help lay a strong foundation for devising more effective communication strategies in technologically mediated social interactions in the future.

국문 초록 (Abstract)

최근 개인이 사회적 상호작용에 참여할 수 있는 새로운 커뮤니케이션 채널로 몰입형 소셜 가상환경이 등장하였다. 사회적 상호작용 측면에서 대인 커뮤니케이션이 시작되는 초기 단계는 상대방과의 안정적인 관계를 형성할 수 있는 단초가 되는 중요한 지점이다. 실제 세계에서 개인 간 초기 상호작용에 대한 방대한 양의 문헌에도 불구하고, 몰입형 소셜 가상환경에서 초기 대인 커뮤니케이션에 대한 과학적 지식은 여전히 제한적이다. 이에 본 연구는 몰입형 소셜 가상환경에서의 사회적 상호작용 과정에서 아바타의 비언어적 커뮤니케이션 단서가 이용자의 커뮤니케이션 결과에 미치는 영향을 살펴보고자 한다. 구체적으로 말하자면, 몰입형 소셜 가상환경에서의 최초 상호작용에서 성별, 아바타 간 거리, 그리고 상대 아바타의 신체적 매력도가 개인의 자기-노출에 미치는 영향을 탐색하는 것이 본 연구의 주요 목적이다. 이를 위해 <Horizon Workrooms> 몰입형 소셜 가상환경 플랫폼을 통해 54명의 대학생들을 대상으로 실험실 연구를 진행하였으며, 각 시행에는 연구 참여자와 반대 성별의 공조자가 참여하였다. 2(성별: 남성 vs. 여성) × 2(아바타 간 거리: 가까운 거리 vs. 먼 거리) × 2(상대 아바타의 신체적 매력도: 고 vs. 저)의 집단 간 요인설계는 빈도주의 및 베이지안 접근법의 3-way ANOVA를 통해 분석되었다. 분석 결과, 성별, 아바타 간 거리, 상대 아바타의 신체적 매력도의 주효과를 발견하였다. 또한 이러한 자기-노출에 미치는 아바타 간 거리와 상대 아바타의 신체적 매력도의 약한 상호작용 효과도 확인되었다. 본 연구는 몰입형 소셜 가상환경에서 아바타를 통해 매개되는 비언어적 커뮤니케이션 단서의 잠재력을 검증하였다는 점에서 대인 커뮤니케이션에 대한 이론적 논의의 확장에 기여한다. 또한 아바타 간 초기 상호작용을 촉진하는 데 있어 타인에 대한 불확실성을 감소시킬 수 있는 시스템적 전략 수립에 대해 실무적 함의를 시사한다.

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