Arousing Real or Real Threat? How Realism in Avatars Affects the Perception of Virtual Reality Pornography and Relationships for Heterosexual Women

Eunice Cijntje () and Marnix S. Gisbergen
Additional contact information
Eunice Cijntje: Breda University of Applied Sciences
Marnix S. Gisbergen: Breda University of Applied Sciences

A chapter in Extended Reality and Metaverse, 2023, pp 319-331 from Springer

Abstract: 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.

Keywords: Virtual Reality; Realism; Pornography; Fidelity; Relationship; Sexuality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:prbchp:978-3-031-25390-4_28

Ordering information: This item can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/9783031253904

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

Access Statistics for this chapter

More chapters in Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics from Springer
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().