Effects of interaction fidelity on embodiment and performance in virtual reality

Abstract Sense of embodiment (SoE) is one of the building blocks for self-representation and presence in Virtual Reality. While research has focused on visuomotor synchrony, morphological similarities, and avatar appearance, the impact of realism and fidelity in interaction remains inconclusive. This work examines the effects of interaction fidelity on embodiment, performance, task load, and presence—providing a holistic view of different aspects of interaction design. Using a within-participants design with three conditions, participants ( n = 30) were engaged in object manipulation tasks in a virtual environment where somatosensory congruences were altered. This was achieved by systematically modifying action fidelity through biomechanical symmetries and display fidelity through realistic haptic feedback. The results indicate that increased interaction fidelity in terms of somatosensory congruences significantly enhances the SoE and its subcomponents body ownership, agency, and self-location. Moreover, our findings support prior research showing that mid-fidelity interaction techniques perform worse than low-fidelity ones, while high-fidelity techniques outperform both. This is reflected by participants’ perceived interaction control. Simultaneously, increased interaction fidelity does not necessarily affect perceived task load or spatial presence.