A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Virtual empowerment: manipulating height in virtual reality affects self-related cognitions and personal speech performance evaluation




AuthorsMacey, Anna-Leena; Macey, Joseph; Järvelä, Simo; Galeote, Daniel Fernandez; Hamari, Juho

PublisherTAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD

Publishing placeABINGDON

Publication year2025

JournalBehaviour and Information Technology

Journal name in sourceBEHAVIOUR & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Journal acronymBEHAV INFORM TECHNOL

Number of pages15

ISSN0144-929X

eISSN1362-3001

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2025.2488899

Web address https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2025.2488899

Self-archived copy’s web addresshttps://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/491824930


Abstract
Social performance situations, often crucial and expected in today's work contexts, can be perceived as highly challenging and stressful. Therefore, experiencing anxiety in public speaking situations can have a negative impact on individuals' working lives and career prospects. Virtual reality environments offer novel means to practise public speaking anywhere, safely and privately, and to replace simulations with more dynamic and innovative training environments unavailable in real-life scenarios. Additionally, these innovative tools and methods could also be used during virtually implemented real-life interactions as working conditions are increasingly shifting towards more technology-mediated forms. This research investigates the potential for a virtual reality height manipulation (i.e. raised or lowered point-of-view) to influence individuals' self-statements during a stressful speech task and, subsequently, their personal performance evaluation. Results of a strictly controlled, between-subject experiment indicate that participants perceiving themselves taller evaluated their speech performance more positively and experienced fewer negative self-statements during the speech task. Furthermore, perceived tallness was associated with lower levels of public speaking anxiety. These results suggest that even a simple, visual first-person perspective manipulation of virtual reality environment influences individuals' personal evaluation of their own performance and potentially helps them improve their task-related cognitive processes.

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Funding information in the publication
This work was supported by the Finnish Foundation for Economic Education [grant number 190111]; the Finnish Cultural Foundation [grant number 00230774]; the Academy of Finland [grant number 353268]; and the Academy of Finland Flagship [grant number 337653].


Last updated on 2025-15-05 at 09:25