Sustained Effects of Avatars on Skin Temperature and Thermal Sensation in Virtual Reality

Abstract

Perceived temperature and thermoregulation are not only influenced by actual temperature but also by visual perception. For instance, the hue-heat hypothesis posits that warm-colored lighting can increase perceived temperature. Recent work indicates that embodying avatars with visual cues suggesting extreme temperatures influences thermal perception and thermoregulation. However, recent work is limited by short exposure times, inconsistent temperature effects, and the absence of a baseline comparison. Thus, we conducted a study where participants embodied ice, neutral, and fire hands in virtual reality for 15 minutes. We show that thermal sensation is significantly higher with fire hands compared to ice hands, but found no consistent effects on skin temperature. As the effects on thermal sensation remain consistent at least over 15 minutes, we conclude that avatars' appearance can be used to systematically influence users' thermal perception.