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The Experience of Social Touch in Multi-User Virtual Reality

We present user study results on virtual body contact experience in a two-user VR scenario, in which participants performed different touches with a research assistant. The interaction evoked different emotional reactions in perceived relaxation, happiness, desire, anxiety, disgust, and fear. Congruent to physical social touch, the evaluation of virtual body contact was modulated by intimacy, touch direction, and sex. Further, individual comfort with interpersonal touch was positively associated with perceived relaxation and happiness. We discuss the results regarding implications for follow-up studies and infer implications for the use of social touch in social VR applications.