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Title

Assessing Self-Disclosure Willingness in MetaverseBased Structured Group Encounter

Author(s)Kawakita, Teru; Kanai, Hideaki

Citation

AHFE International, 145: 78-85

Issue Date

2024-07

Type

Conference Paper

Text version

publisher

URL

http://hdl.handle.net/10119/19338

RightsCopyright (c) 2024 Authors. Teru Kawakita and
Hideaki Kanai. AHFE International, Vol. 145, 2024,
78-85. This is an Open Access article distributed
under the terms of Creative Commons Licence CCBY [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/].
Original publication is available on AHFE Open
Access via https://doi.org/10.54941/ahfe1005143.

Description

The 15th International Conference on on Applied
Human Factors and Ergonomics (AHFE 2024) andthe Affiliated Conferences, Nice, France, July 24-27,
2024

Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology

Kansei Engineering, Vol. 145, 2024, 78–85
https://doi.org/10.54941/ahfe1005143

Assessing Self-Disclosure Willingness in
Metaverse-Based Structured Group
Encounter
Teru Kawakita and Hideaki Kanai
Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Nomi, Ishikawa, Japan

ABSTRACT
Avatar-based communication in the metaverse offers a more extensive range of nonverbal information compared to traditional web-conferencing platforms. This study
introduced a metaverse-based structured group encounter (M-SGE) and examined its
effects on state anxiety, mood, and self-disclosure. The results indicated a significant
reduction in state anxiety among participants following their involvement in M-SGE(p = .01, d = 0.90). Additionally, there was a marked increase in the participants’ willingness to self-disclose (p = .019, d = −0.79). However, no significant differences inmood were observed before and after the M-SGE. The M-SGE offers the advantage
of enabling communication through avatars for individuals perceiving face-to-faceconversations as a challenge, regardless of time and place constraints. During theexperiment, there were occasional instances of voice feedback and audio difficulties
among participants, indicating the need for an improved communication environment.
Keywords: Kansei (affective) engineering, Group therapy, Avatar, Metaverse, Human-computerinteraction

INTRODUCTION

Structured group encounters (SGEs) are group psychotherapies designed for
healthy individuals, encompassing both generic and specific forms. Generic
SGE focuses on fostering personal growth through intensive group experiences during multi-day camps. In contrast, specific SGE is conducted more
briefly and is tailored for distinct educational objectives, catering to children,
students, and corporate seminar participants (Kokubu and Kokubu, 2004).
This study utilized a specific SGE. In Japan, SGEs have been implemented indiverse settings for several decades. For instance, Takikawa et al. (2010) facilitated an SGE for teachers, focusing on the acquisition of accurate knowledge
about sex, human papillomavirus, and preventive vaccines. SGE incorporates
three critical elements: instructions, exercises, and sharing.
Instructions: This involves detailing the overview, objectives, and necessary
precautions of SGE.
Exercises: The exercises in SGE are tailored to their objectives. They aredesigned to promote psychological development such as self-understanding,understanding others, self-acceptance, and self-assertion (Kokubu andKokubu, 2004).

© 2024. Published by AHFE Open Access. All rights reserved.

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Assessing Self-Disclosure Willingness in Metaverse-Based Structured Group Encounter

79

Sharing: This stage involves participants discussing and sharing theinsights they have gained from the exercises.
In SGE, effective group communication is essential, with non-verbal cues
playing a significant role. Traditionally, this therapy is conducted in face-toface settings. However, the period of the COVID-19 pandemic made suchin-person gatherings unfeasible, necessitating the use of web-conferencing
platforms. Nishino (2022) implemented SGE via web-conferencing platforms
and identified unique online challenges, such as screen freezing and audio
interruptions during conversations.
Furthermore, the limitation of non-verbal communication through online
meetings remains a significant concern. To address this, we suggest conducting SGE in the metaverse rather than relying on web-conferencing platforms.
In this approach, users gather in a virtual room created within the metaverseand communicate through avatars. Full-tracking avatars effectively convey
users’ non-verbal information. This approach is termed metaverse-based SGE(M-SGE) in our study.
Self-disclosure is a fundamental component of SGE. Harada (2006) categorized university students into groups based on high and low self-disclosure
exercises and observed a significant decrease in interpersonal anxiety in thehigh self-disclosure group. Hiramiya (2013) conducted SGE twice for education workers and noted an enhancement in self-disclosure, particularly
in areas such as “personal life values,” “family and daily life,” “heterosexual interpersonal relationships,” and “small talk (social topics)”. In
M-SGE, participants engage with others through avatars while maintaining anonymity, a factor believed to enhance self-disclosure. Anonymity inonline settings often reduces social inhibition, leading to more frequent selfdisclosure, an effect known as the online disinhibition effect (Suler, 2004).
Research, including a meta-analysis by Clark-Gordon et al. (2019), indicatesthat increased anonymity tends to facilitate self-disclosure. Therefore, it isreasonable to infer that M-SGE is particularly effective in reducing the anxiety of individuals who are uncomfortable with direct communication andself-disclosure.
This study focused on evaluating the effects of conducting M-SGE on stateanxiety, mood, and self-disclosure.

METHOD
Participants

Originally, the intention was to recruit 20 participants and organize M-SGE
into five groups, each undergoing several sessions. Since the experiment was
conducted remotely, all communications with participants were carried out
through email. However, eight participants were unable to participate due
to equipment or communication environment issues, fever, or last-minutecancellations. Therefore, the study proceeded with 12 graduate students(M = 27.5, SD = 6.86, 10 males, 2 females). During each session, participants were assigned an ID and instructed to communicate using these IDs
instead of revealing their real names.

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Settings

The study utilized “Cluster,” a metaverse platform with a predominantly
Japanese user base. Cluster (2024) metaverse is accessible via various devices,such as computers, smartphones, and virtual reality (VR) equipment, allowing users to create avatars, generate content, and communicate with otherindividuals. Since all participants did not have access to VR equipment, the
M-SGE sessions were conducted using computers only.
The relationship between self-disclosure and environmental factors is welldocumented. Okken et al. (2012a) presented participants with four imagesof rooms varying in size and spacing of objects. The findings indicated thatlarger rooms are associated with an increased willingness for self-disclosure.
Furthermore, empirical observations in actual rooms of different sizes confirmed that a larger room size fosters greater openness in self-disclosure(Okken et al., 2012b). This phenomenon extends to VR environments aswell. In VR settings, individuals in larger counseling rooms exhibit a higher
willingness for self-disclosure when interacting with an avatar (agent) that is
not operated by a real person, compared to those in smaller VR counselingrooms (Kawakita, Sasaki, and Ishihara, 2021).
In traditional SGE conducted in a physical space, arranging for a larger
room is essential, but making environmental adjustments can be challenging.
In the metaverse, however, it was straightforward to create a comfortableroom tailored to the participants’ needs. The VR room utilized in this study
is depicted in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Image of VR room in cluster.

Avatars

Participants engaged in the experiment through avatars within a virtual room
(as shown in Figure 1). The design elements of an avatar can be manipulated
to convey specific impressions, such as appearing weak or strong (Kawakita
and Kanai, 2023). The willingness to communicate can also be influenced by
the appearance of these avatars (Kawakita et al., 2022). Therefore, avatars
can be strategically designed to enhance communication among individuals.
The appearance of avatars and associated stereotypes can influence the psychological and behavioural responses of users, an effect known as the Proteus

Assessing Self-Disclosure Willingness in Metaverse-Based Structured Group Encounter81

effect (Yee and Bailenson, 2007; Yee, Bailenson, and Duchenealt, 2009), withthis effect being supported by a previous meta-analysis (Ratan et al., 2020).
In this study’s platform, Cluster, there is a diverse range of avatar types,
including humanoid, robot, animal, plant, and monster. Using avatars ofvarying appearances for each participant could introduce extraneous variables. Therefore, we limited the avatar selection to robot types. Given thatthese avatars had limited non-verbal communication capabilities, such as
facial expressions, participants actively utilized Cluster’s emotional icons toconvey their emotions. These icons included sending hearts, giving a thumbs
up, applauding, expressing surprise with exclamation marks, and bowing (asillustrated in Figure 2).

Figure 2: Robot avatar with emotional icons.

Materials

Data collection was conducted using Google Forms, which included demographic information such as gender and age. For quantitative assessments,
we employed the following measures:
(1)
(2)

(3)

State anxiety: This was assessed using 20 items from the state-trait
anxiety inventory (STAI), measured on a 4-point Likert scale.
PANAS: In Japan, the profile of mood states (POMS) and POMS2 scales
are often used to measure mood. However, due to concerns about theirsuitability for measuring the current psychological state (Oda et al.,2015), we used 16 items from the Japanese version of the positive andnegative affect schedule (PANAS) to measure the positive and negative
moods (Sato & Yasuda, 2001). This was measured on a 6-point Likert
scale.
Willingness to disclose personal information: Drawing from the “willingness in self-disclosure to avatars” measures used in a prior study(Kawakita et al., 2022), we incorporated four items: “I feel difficulty
to talk (R),” “I can talk freely,” “I hesitate to share personal information(R),” and “I feel difficulty to talk about myself (R)”. Here, R indicatesreverse-coded items.

Kawakita and Kanai

82

Procedure

Participants received a manual for operating the Cluster platform, including
instructions on how to move avatars, send friend requests to enter the room
(depicted in Figure 1), and coordinate schedules to gather in the room at the
specified times.
Once participants gathered in the room depicted in Figure 1, they wereguided on how to operate their avatar from a first-person perspective,
reminded to unmute when speaking, sit in virtual chairs for discussions,address each other by ID, listen attentively, avoid causing harm, keep thediscussions confidential, and feel no obligation to discuss topics they were
uncomfortable sharing. After obtaining informed consent, participants wereasked to respond to evaluation items (refer to Materials) using Google Forms.
The M-SGE proceeded in the following sequence: introductory exercises
to reduce tension, followed by instructions, exercises, sharing, and a conclusion. To combat facilitator-related variables, such as experimenter effects, westandardized the facilitator role and adhered to a basic manual for conducting
M-SGE.
An introductory self-introduction game was conducted. Participants prepared a one-minute self-introduction, including their hobbies, interests, andrecent positive events. Each participant then introduced themselves, withlisteners providing feedback, impressions, or questions.
The M-SGE instructions provided explanations and guidance for the
exercise. Exercises focused on self-disclosure and active listening, aretermed unforgettable experiences (Kokubu and Kokubu, 2004). The exercise involved reflecting on a significant, unforgettable personal experience,sharing it, and deepening understanding of the topic. The facilitator began bysharing one such personal experience, after which participants had three minutes to reflect on and share their insights. Listeners then provided feedback
and questions.
Following the completion of M-SGE, participants were once again asked
to respond to the items using Google Forms.
RESULTS

The means and standard deviations (SD) for each item, both before and after
the M-SGE, are presented in Table 1.
Table 1. Mean and SD for each item before and after M-SGE.

Mean (SD)
Items

BeforeAfterState anxiety
PANAS-positive
PANAS-negative
Willingness to disclose personal information

41.67 (7.05)
23 (6.98)
16.83 (7.18)
15.92 (5.14)

35.83 (8.16)
26.83 (8.26)
15.33 (7.05)
20.5 (5.37)

Following the confirmation of data normality using the Shapiro-Wilk test,
paired t-tests were conducted. The results of these t-tests for each item

Assessing Self-Disclosure Willingness in Metaverse-Based Structured Group Encounter83

are presented in Table 2. Figure 3 illustrated the changes in state anxiety
and willingness to self-disclosure, with significant differences highlighted inTable 2.
Table 2. Results of the paired t-test for each item.

95% Confidence
interval
df
State anxiety
PANAS-positive
PANAS-negative
Willingness todisclose personal
information

11
11
11
11

Lower
0.21
−1.05
−0.31
−1.43

Upper
1.56
0.14
0.84
−0.13

t

p

Effect size

3.11
−1.61
0.93
−2.75

.01
.136
.372
.019

0.90
−0.46
0.27
−0.79

Figure 3: Changes in scores for items before and after M-SGE.

DISCUSSION

This study explored the effect of M-SGE on state anxiety, mood, andself-disclosure. The paired t-test results indicated that M-SGE significantly
decreased state anxiety and increased willingness to self-disclosure. However,no notable changes in mood were observed before and after the M-SGE.
The unforgettable experiences, focusing on self-disclosure and active listening, were integral to the sessions and were also applied in educationalsettings. Conducting these experiences in the metaverse appears to enhanceself-disclosure willingness. The use of avatars may benefit individuals uncomfortable with face-to-face interactions by reducing their anxiety thereby
prompting them to engage in self-disclosure. However, during the experiment, occasional issues with voice feedback and audio quality were noted,

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Kawakita and Kanai

potentially affecting participants’ moods. As demonstrated, enhancing thecommunication environment is vital for the success of M-SGE.
Self-disclosure, while a central aspect of M-SGE, is not merely sharing
extensively about oneself. Excessive sharing can sometimes lead to regrets,
prompting thoughts such as, “Why did I say all that?” Future research should
delve into the qualitative aspects of self-disclosure.
The avatars employed need not be controlled by humans. Utilizing avatars
operated by non-player characters (NPCs) or artificial intelligence (AI)may offer a more tailored experience for educational purposes, free fromconstraints of time, location, or human resource availability.
CONCLUSION

In traditional SGE, participants convene at a predetermined location andtime. Individuals with interpersonal anxiety may find face-to-face interactions psychologically daunting. In addition, tailoring the environmental
aspects of a physical room poses challenges. Therefore, this study proposed the M-SGE and examined its effects on state anxiety, mood, andself-disclosure. The findings demonstrated that M-SGE significantly boosted
self-disclosure and reduced anxiety. Consequently, M-SGE presents a viableoption for skill enhancement, unbound by the constraints of time, location,or human resource availability.
LIMITATIONSIn this study, participants’ avatars were standardized to be robots, as depicted
in Figure 2. As M-SGE gains popularity, a wider variety of avatars is likely
to be employed. Therefore, examining the impact of avatar appearance on
M-SGE outcomes is essential. Additionally, with the increasing ownershipof head-mounted displays, a more immersive M-SGE experience becomes a
viable option. This development necessitates research into the comparative
effectiveness of traditional SGE and a more immersive M-SGE approach.
RESEARCH ETHICSThis study received approval from the Life Science Committee of the Japan
Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT

This work was supported by the Sasakawa Scientific Research Grant fromthe Japan Science Society.
We would like to thank Editage (www.editage.jp) for English language
editing.
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