Are you caught in the dilemma of metaverse avatars? The impact of individuals' congruity perceptions on paradoxical emotions and actual behaviors

Abstract

As the foundation of the metaverse, three-dimensional avatars are increasingly shaping our personal and professional lives. However, a nuanced reading of avatar literature proposes that avatars can exhibit both positive and negative dimensions, leading to a paradoxical phenomenon. This study aims to conceptualize a holistic framework elucidating the intricate interplay between perceptions, emotions, and actual behaviors to substantiate the salience of paradoxical emotions. Employing a mixed-methods approach comprising think-aloud experiments and interviews (Phase 1), surveys (Phase 2), and follow-up interviews (Phase 3), the study endeavors to develop and validate a model grounded in a three-congruity perspective encompassing self, privacy, and function. Research findings underline that perceived control, social presence, and avatar perception heighten individuals' emotional attachment toward avatars, while social presence mitigates emotional paradoxes. Avatar privacy concern increases emotional paradox without affecting emotional attachment. Additionally, emotional attachment negatively correlates with actual metaverse resistance, whereas emotional paradox positively influences such resistance; conversely, emotional attachment positively correlates with actual metaverse avatar usage. This study extends the existing dual-congruity theory and provides practical implications for metaverse platforms to improve interactive experiences with avatars.