Virtually Being Einstein Results in an Improvement in Cognitive Task Performance and a Decrease in Age Bias

TLDR

The brain’s body representation can rapidly change, as shown by virtual reality studies where a life‑sized body perceived as one’s own induces perceptual, attitudinal, and behavioral shifts. The study involved 15 male participants who were embodied in either a virtual super‑intelligence (Einstein) body or a normal age‑matched virtual body. Embodiment in the Einstein body led to better executive‑functioning task performance—particularly for those with low self‑esteem—and reduced implicit age bias, indicating that virtual body ownership can enhance cognitive processing.

Abstract

The brain's body representation is amenable to rapid change, even though we tend to think of our bodies as relatively fixed and stable. For example, it has been shown that a life-sized body perceived in virtual reality as substituting the participant's real body, can be felt as if it were their own, and that the body type can induce perceptual, attitudinal and behavioral changes. Here we show that changes can also occur in cognitive processing and specifically, executive functioning. Fifteen male participants were embodied in a virtual body that signifies super-intelligence (Einstein) and 15 in a (Normal) virtual body of similar age to their own. The Einstein body participants performed better on a cognitive task than the Normal body, considering prior cognitive ability (IQ), with the improvement greatest for those with low self-esteem. Einstein embodiment also reduced implicit bias against older people. Hence virtual body ownership may additionally be used to enhance executive functioning.