An Examination of Visual Influences on Sense of Ownership and Agency

This study investigates the effects of vision on the sense of ownership and agency in virtual reality (VR) environments. Sense of ownership and agency are essential aspects of human perception, allowing us to feel connected to our bodies and actions. This study aims to extend previous research by using cat paw stimuli to move on their own. We experimented with a VR setup to present stimuli that mimic grasping behavior. The stimuli included human and cat paws. For the human hand, a sense of ownership and agency were evident. Cat paw stimuli consistently evoked a stronger sense of agency. The sense of ownership was lower for cat paw stimuli than for human hand stimuli. When there was a time delay, the sense of ownership and sense of ownership disappeared in all conditions. These findings shed light on how different visual stimuli, such as human and cat paws, affect the sense of ownership and agency in VR. The implications extend to areas such as medical rehabilitation and entertainment.