My PhD research explores how our sense of self and of “being somewhere” is constructed in virtual environments. I am particularly interested in whether self-identification and presence can emerge from the way our inner experiences are organised, rather than depending on realistic virtual bodies or environments.
Using immersive virtual reality, I investigate how private and coherent inner experiences contribute to the feeling of being a particular self located within a virtual world. For example, if a virtual character performs an action I choose and I privately “hear” a thought that matches that decision, will I begin to experience that character’s actions as my own? Likewise, can bodily experiences such as a simulated heartbeat or feeling of discomfort make a virtual body feel more self-relevant, even when it does not resemble any of my real body signals? I also examine whether actively controlling a virtual character is necessary for these experiences, or whether a sense of self can emerge through observation alone.
My research combines experimental psychology, virtual reality, and psychophysiological measures. More broadly, I hope the project will contribute to our understanding of the minimal self while informing the design of meaningful creative and therapeutic XR experiences.
