Interacting with autistic virtual characters: intrapersonal synchrony of nonverbal behavior affects participants’ perception

Introduction

 

Have you ever wondered how we perceive and interact with virtual characters that have autism? A recent study explored this question using a novel approach. They used virtual characters that were modeled after the nonverbal behavior of real people with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD). They then measured how participants perceived and responded to these characters in a virtual reality (VR) setting.

 

What is intrapersonal synchrony?

 

Intrapersonal synchrony (IaPS) is the temporal coordination of multimodal signals within individuals while engaged in interactions. For example, when we speak, we also use our gaze, gestures, facial expressions, and body posture to convey meaning and emotion. These signals are synchronized in time, meaning that they occur at the same time or in a predictable pattern. IaPS is assumed to be a prerequisite for interpersonal synchrony, which is the temporal coordination of multimodal signals between interaction partners. Interpersonal synchrony is important for establishing rapport, trust, and empathy.

 

How does autism affect intrapersonal synchrony?

 

Studies have shown that individuals with ASD have systematic variations in IaPS compared to neurotypical individuals. For instance, they tend to have less congruent gaze and speech, meaning that they look away more often while speaking or look at the listener while listening. They also tend to have less congruent gestures and speech, meaning that they use fewer gestures or gestures that do not match what they are saying. These variations in IaPS may affect the degree of interpersonal synchrony and the quality of social interactions.

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How did the researchers create autistic virtual characters?

 

The researchers used a VR platform called Social VR, which allows users to create and interact with virtual characters in a naturalistic way. They recorded the nonverbal behavior of 12 individuals with ASD and 12 neurotypical individuals while they engaged in a conversation with an interviewer. They then mapped the recorded behavior onto virtual characters, creating 24 characters in total. The characters had different levels of IaPS, ranging from low to high, based on the congruence of their gaze, gestures, and speech.

 

How did the participants interact with the virtual characters?

 

The participants were 48 neurotypical individuals who wore a VR headset and entered a virtual room. They were instructed to have a conversation with one of the virtual characters, who was sitting on a couch. The conversation topic was about hobbies and interests. The participants could choose from a list of predefined questions to ask the character, or type their own questions using a keyboard. The character responded with pre-recorded answers that matched the questions. The participants interacted with four different characters, each with a different level of IaPS. After each interaction, the participants rated the character on various dimensions, such as likability, intelligence, trustworthiness, and empathy.

 

What did the researchers find?

 

The researchers found that the level of IaPS of the virtual characters had a significant effect on how the participants perceived and responded to them. Specifically, they found that:

  • Participants liked the characters with high IaPS more than the characters with low IaPS.
  • Participants rated the characters with high IaPS as more intelligent, trustworthy, and empathic than the characters with low IaPS.
  • Participants felt more comfortable, engaged, and connected with the characters with high IaPS than the characters with low IaPS.
  • Participants had longer and more fluent conversations with the characters with high IaPS than the characters with low IaPS.
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What are the implications of the study?

 

The study demonstrates that IaPS is a crucial factor in how we perceive and interact with virtual characters, especially those that have autism. The study also suggests that VR can be a useful tool for studying and improving social communication skills in individuals with ASD. By creating and manipulating virtual characters that mimic the nonverbal behavior of real people with ASD, researchers can investigate how different aspects of IaPS affect social interactions and outcomes. Moreover, by exposing neurotypical individuals to virtual characters that have autism, researchers can increase their awareness and understanding of the challenges and strengths of people with ASD.

Source:

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00406-023-01750-3

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