How the Human Brain Goes Virtual: Distinct Cortical Regions of the Person-Processing Network Are Involved in Self-Identification with Virtual Agents

Millions of people worldwide engage in online role-playing with their avatar, a virtual agent that represents the self. Previous behavioral studies have indicated that many gamers identify more strongly with their avatar than with their biological self. Through their avatar, gamers develop social networks and learn new social-cognitive skills. The cognitive neurosciences have yet to identify the neural processes that underlie self-identification with these virtual agents. We applied functional neuroimaging to 22 long-term online gamers and 21 nongaming controls, while they rated personality traits of self, avatar, and familiar others. Strikingly, neuroimaging data revealed greater avatar-referential cortical activity in the left inferior parietal lobe, a region associated with self-identification from a third-person perspective. The magnitude of this brain activity correlated positively with the propensity to incorporate external body enhancements into one's bodily identity. Avatar-referencing furthermore recruited greater activity in the rostral anterior cingulate gyrus, suggesting relatively greater emotional self-involvement with one's avatar. Post-scanning behavioral data revealed superior recognition memory for avatar relative to others. Interestingly, memory for avatar positively covaried with play duration. These findings significantly advance our knowledge about the brain's plasticity to self-identify with virtual agents and the human cognitive-affective potential to live and learn in virtual worlds

Entertainment computing in the orbit

Abstract: During ultra long space missions (i.e. to Mars), the isolated space environment affects a number of physiological, psychosocial and mental processes critically involved in human performance, and it is vital to missions ’ success to understand the psychological limits. Past experiences in space have shown that the mental health of a crew can have a great effect on the success or failure of a mission. Latent and overt stress factors are mental strain, interpersonal problems, and lack of capability to rescue crew members, isolation, monotony, and tedium of life aboard an autonomous shuttle. Abstract These issues develop very slowly over time and are very difficult to detect and remedy for observers on the ground. E.g. long-term isolation can lead to sleep deprivation, depression, irritability, anxiety, impaired cognition, and even hostility. Providing astronauts with entertainment products can help to maintain the mental health of the crew. The results of this project will deepen the understanding of intra- and inter-individual crew behaviour and related performance, and provide the technical platform for a new type of crew assistance tools based on multi-user computer games

Entertainment computing in the Orbit

During ultra long space missions (i.e. to Mars), the isolated space environment affects a number of physiological, psychosocial and mental processes critically involved in human performance, and it is vital to missions’ success to understand the psychological limits. Past experiences in space have shown that the mental health of a crew can have a great effect on the success or failure of a mission. Latent and overt stress factors are mental strain, interpersonal problems, and lack of capability to rescue crew members, isolation, monotony, and tedium of life aboard an autonomous shuttle. Abstract These issues develop very slowly over time and are very difficult to detect and remedy for observers on the ground. E.g. long-term isolation can lead to sleep deprivation, depression, irritability, anxiety, impaired cognition, and even hostility. Providing astronauts with entertainment products can help to maintain the mental health of the crew. The results of this project will deepen the understanding of intra- and inter-individual crew behaviour and related performance, and provide the technical platform for a new type of crew assistance tools based on multi-user computer games

Entertainment computing in the Orbit

During ultra long space missions (i.e. to Mars), the isolated space environment affects a number of physiological, psychosocial and mental processes critically involved in human performance, and it is vital to missions’ success to understand the psychological limits. Past experiences in space have shown that the mental health of a crew can have a great effect on the success or failure of a mission. Latent and overt stress factors are mental strain, interpersonal problems, and lack of capability to rescue crew members, isolation, monotony, and tedium of life aboard an autonomous shuttle. Abstract These issues develop very slowly over time and are very difficult to detect and remedy for observers on the ground. E.g. long-term isolation can lead to sleep deprivation, depression, irritability, anxiety, impaired cognition, and even hostility. Providing astronauts with entertainment products can help to maintain the mental health of the crew. The results of this project will deepen the understanding of intra- and inter-individual crew behaviour and related performance, and provide the technical platform for a new type of crew assistance tools based on multi-user computer games