The Superhero Pose: Enhancing Physical Performance in Exergames by Embodying Celebrity Avatars in Virtual Reality.

Altered virtual reality self-representations can augment human capabilities by exploiting the Proteus effect. For example, previous work has shown that embodying an avatar that signifies super-intelligence, Einstein, enhanced the users’ performance in cognitive tasks. In this paper, we show that embodying an avatar that signifies superior athletic skills enhances the users’ physical performance. We conducted a between-subject experiment (n = 50) where participants played a soccer game while being embodied in a famous soccer avatar and in a generic avatar. We reflect on how self-esteem, embodiment illusion, and presence moderate the Proteus effect. Our results showed that participants embodied as a professional soccer celebrity performed better in the tasks and had a higher sense of embodiment compared to those with a generic avatar. Our results can be used to design engaging exergames and technological interventions to expand human capabilities.