Virtual Reality Body Swapping: A Tool for Modifying the Allocentric Memory of the Body

TLDR

Evidence shows that embodiment of a virtual body via visuo‑tactile stimulation can alter perception of body and object size. This study examined whether VR body swapping can modify the enduring memory of the body. Twenty‑one female participants estimated body part widths and circumferences before and after two types of body swapping: synchronous and asynchronous visuo‑tactile stimulation. After embodying a virtual body with a skinny belly, participants updated their stored body representation, reporting reduced ratios of estimated to actual measures across most body parts, providing first evidence that VR body swapping can change body memory and may benefit patients with eating and weight disorders.

Abstract

An increasing amount of evidence has shown that embodiment of a virtual body via visuo-tactile stimulation can lead to an altered perception of body and object size. The current study aimed to investigate whether virtual reality (VR) body swapping can be an effective tool for modifying the enduring memory of the body. The experimental sample included 21 female participants who were asked to estimate the width and circumference of different body parts before any kind of stimulation and after two types of body swappingusions ("synchronous visuo-tactile stimulation" and "asynchronous visuo-tactile stimulation"). Findings revealed that after participants embodied a virtual body with a skinny belly (independently of the type of visuo-tactile stimulation), there was an update of the stored representation of the body: participants reported a decrease in the ratio between estimated and actual body measures for most of the body parts considered. Based on the Allocentric Lock Theory, these findings provide first evidence that VR body swapping is able to induce a change in the memory of the body. This knowledge may be potentially useful for patients suffering from eating and weight disorders.