We are now quite used to the concept of avatars and their use is growing every day. The retail industry is also starting to take advantage of avatars to give customers more engaging experiences and this does have a positive impact on consumer behaviour. But what if we said that they can make therapy easier?
A recent study has investigated the behaviour of respondents talking about negative experiences both with a real-life person and also with a realistic motion avatar that closely mimicked their real-life counterpart.
It was shown that some people prefer to talk about their prior negative experiences with an avatar. The interaction felt similar with the only exception of closeness. They felt closer to the human individual.
Yet a certain distance can be beneficial for some people (for example, men tend to feel more comfortable talking about their problems with a bot or avatar) or specific situations (for example, when you just start exploring your mental health and might not yet feel comfortable sharing with a person).
It is human nature to crave close and intimate bonds with others, something that is an even stronger driver of our decisions and behaviours post-pandemic. Will the metaverse and avatars allow us to do so? Will that non-explicable human element be present enough?
With brands embarking on the metaverse journey however they can, the unique psychological and social ways of interacting within this universe need to be considered. Their effect on your customers’ relationships with your brand, their consumer behaviour and even their wider societal effect are still unexplored.
Shouldn’t all brands ask themselves not only what short-term commercial gains metaverse will have for them but also how they can use their metaverse projects to positively impact humanity?