Shape of You: Implications of Social Context and Avatar Body Shape on Relatedness, Emotions, and Performance in a Virtual Reality Workout

2026-01-21

AI Summary

This study investigates the interactive effects of avatar embodiment and social context in virtual reality on users’ sense of belonging, emotional states, and physical performance. Integrating VR technology, experimental psychology paradigms, and multimodal assessments—including affective and motivational scales alongside behavioral performance metrics—it offers the first systematic examination of their combined influence in immersive fitness settings. The findings reveal that specific avatar morphologies, when situated within social contexts, significantly enhance positive affect, feelings of belonging, and exercise persistence. These results not only elucidate the mechanistic role of emotion and motivation in embodied interaction but also provide theoretical grounding and empirical support for designing personalized VR fitness systems, thereby extending the applicability of embodied cognition and virtual motivation theories.

Technology Category

• Humans and AI: Game Design — Virtual Humans, NPCs and Autonomous Characters
• Cognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: Social Cognition And Interaction
• Intelligent Robots: Embodied AI

Application Category

• User Modeling, Personalization and Recommendation: Metrics for user behavior and evaluating success
• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Virtualization and resource management in Web systems and infrastructures

Abstract

It is obvious that emotions are causal variables of motivation, as they elicit states, forces and energies that trigger and guide labor behavior. Thus, a motivational tension that is not informed by needs alone, but also by emotions, intention, goals and means to achieve them is therefore generated within the mental, emotional and physical plane. Based on Montserrat's opinion (2004: 131), that"to motivate means, above all, to move and to transmit an emotion", we will undertake to identify the mutual influences between emotions and motivation. The main objectives of this article are to display a summary of the theories and definitions about emotions and to explore the links between emotions and motivation. Although interconnected, emotions and motivation can be contemplated from a double perspective: (1) emotions influence motivation and (2) motivation influences emotions. Moreover, we will consider motivation from three dimensions: (1) cognitive, (2) affective and (3) volitional. The ultimate purpose of this article is to issue a warning as to the importance of the emotional side of motivation. An important part in implementing such insight is to be played by managers (and by employees, also), who should develop the skills and know-how needed to keep a well-balanced emotional climate that effectively favors the maximization of individual and group motivation at the workplace.

Problem

• emotions
• motivation
• workplace
• emotional climate
• affective dimension

Innovation

• emotion
• motivation
• workplace