IMMERSIVE UX RESEARCH  /  2022–2024 / Carleton University

How avatar design shapes comfort and self-disclosure.

Studying the relationship between anthropomorphism, trust and disclosure in therapeutic VR interactions.

DESIGN ARTIFACT  /  WORKFLOW MODEL

01

Prototype human-like and abstract avatars

02

Run controlled VR interactions and surveys

03

Compare comfort and disclosure patterns

01 / CONTEXT

The project at a glance

MY ROLE

UX Researcher · VR environment design, avatar prototyping, surveys, behavioral analysis

COLLABORATORS & TOOLS

Carleton University research collaborators and study participants

Rstudio · FIGMA · LateX · Unity · Blender · Excel

02 / CHALLENGE

The problem behind the interface

THE PROBLEM

In virtual therapeutic interactions, the appearance of an avatar can change how people feel about sharing sensitive information. More realism is not necessarily better for every person or task.

WHY IT MATTERS

A design choice that looks aesthetic can influence comfort, attention and willingness to disclose information.

03 / PROCESS

How I approached it

01

FRAME THE QUESTION

Defined avatar anthropomorphism and self-disclosure as interaction variables.

02

DESIGN

Designed immersive environments, avatars and study flows to explore different presentation styles.

03

EVALUATE

Combined participant feedback and observed interaction patterns to interpret disclosure and comfort.

04 / DESIGN JUDGMENT

The decisions and their rationale

DECISION 01

Treat avatar appearance as interaction design

WHAT I DID

Compared different levels of human likeness rather than choosing a visual style based on aesthetics.

WHY IT HELPED

Makes an implicit social cue visible as a testable UX variable.

DECISION 02

Feedback without unnecessary interruption

WHAT I DID

Used perception surveys and disclosure analysis rather than a single satisfaction score.

WHY IT HELPED

Helps avoid equating reported comfort with meaningful engagement or disclosure.

View environment design

05 / OUTCOME

Outcome, evidence and limitations

89%

User comfort

Was identified for the humanoid avatars while certain nuances were better read by the other designs

Human-like vs abstract

Comparison standards for designs in therapy

SCALING

Expanding to include nuanced designs and nuanced use-cases of therapy to build off of the foundation created here

Read thesis

06 / REFLECTION

how avatar anthropomorphism influences comfort, trust, and self-disclosure in virtual reality. Further research with a broader participant group could help validate the findings and inform more inclusive therapeutic VR experiences.