{"id":"https://openalex.org/W4414538952","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tvcg.2025.3614445","title":"Strange Familiars: Exploring the Design of Avatars and Virtual Environments for Reconnecting Dormant Ties in Virtual Reality","display_name":"Strange Familiars: Exploring the Design of Avatars and Virtual Environments for Reconnecting Dormant Ties in Virtual Reality","publication_year":2025,"publication_date":"2025-09-26","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W4414538952","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tvcg.2025.3614445","pmid":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41004372"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.1109/tvcg.2025.3614445","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tvcg.2025.3614445","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S84775595","display_name":"IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics","issn_l":"1077-2626","issn":["1077-2626","1941-0506","2160-9306"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310319808","host_organization_name":"Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310319808"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics","raw_type":"journal-article"},"type":"article","indexed_in":["crossref","pubmed"],"open_access":{"is_oa":false,"oa_status":"closed","oa_url":null,"any_repository_has_fulltext":false},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5012165419","display_name":"Yu-Ting Yen","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I148099254","display_name":"National Chung Cheng University","ror":"https://ror.org/0028v3876","country_code":"TW","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I148099254"]}],"countries":["TW"],"is_corresponding":true,"raw_author_name":"Yu-Ting Yen","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi, Taiwan"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi, Taiwan","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I148099254"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5041705219","display_name":"Fang-Ying Liao","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6969-3544"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I16733864","display_name":"National Taiwan University","ror":"https://ror.org/05bqach95","country_code":"TW","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I16733864"]}],"countries":["TW"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Fang-Ying Liao","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Information Management, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6969-3544","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Information Management, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I16733864"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5036520574","display_name":"Chi-Lan Yang","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0603-2807"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I14396692","display_name":"Tokyo University of Information Sciences","ror":"https://ror.org/044bdx604","country_code":"JP","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I14396692"]},{"id":"https://openalex.org/I74801974","display_name":"The University of Tokyo","ror":"https://ror.org/057zh3y96","country_code":"JP","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I74801974"]}],"countries":["JP"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Chi-Lan Yang","raw_affiliation_strings":["Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0603-2807","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I14396692","https://openalex.org/I74801974"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5008164265","display_name":"Ruei-Che Chang","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7545-4136"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I27837315","display_name":"University of Michigan","ror":"https://ror.org/00jmfr291","country_code":"US","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I27837315"]}],"countries":["US"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Ruei-Che Chang","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Computer Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Computer Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I27837315"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5076816504","display_name":"Fu\u2010Yin Cherng","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5677-9453"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I148099254","display_name":"National Chung Cheng University","ror":"https://ror.org/0028v3876","country_code":"TW","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I148099254"]}],"countries":["TW"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Fu-Yin Cherng","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi, Taiwan"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5677-9453","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi, Taiwan","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I148099254"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5047845215","display_name":"Bing\u2010Yu Chen","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0169-7682"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I154864474","display_name":"National Taiwan University of Science and Technology","ror":"https://ror.org/00q09pe49","country_code":"TW","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I154864474"]}],"countries":["TW"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Bing-Yu Chen","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, Department of Information Management, Graduate Institute of Networking and Multimedia, and Trans-disciplinary Bachelor Degree (TBD) Program, National Taiwan University, National Science and Technology Council, Taipei, Taiwan"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0169-7682","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, Department of Information Management, Graduate Institute of Networking and Multimedia, and Trans-disciplinary Bachelor Degree (TBD) Program, National Taiwan University, National Science and Technology Council, Taipei, Taiwan","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I154864474"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":3,"institutions_distinct_count":6,"corresponding_author_ids":["https://openalex.org/A5012165419"],"corresponding_institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I148099254"],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":1.5238,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":1,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.85307884,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":false},"cited_by_percentile_year":{"min":96,"max":98},"biblio":{"volume":"31","issue":"12","first_page":"10777","last_page":"10788"},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10648","display_name":"Virtual Reality Applications and Impacts","score":0.22100000083446503,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1709","display_name":"Human-Computer Interaction"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10648","display_name":"Virtual Reality Applications and Impacts","score":0.22100000083446503,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1709","display_name":"Human-Computer Interaction"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/avatar","display_name":"Avatar","score":0.7936999797821045},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/virtual-reality","display_name":"Virtual reality","score":0.6633999943733215},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/casual","display_name":"Casual","score":0.6628000140190125},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/interpersonal-ties","display_name":"Interpersonal ties","score":0.6114000082015991},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/bridge","display_name":"Bridge (graph theory)","score":0.5895000100135803},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/loneliness","display_name":"Loneliness","score":0.5338000059127808},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/perception","display_name":"Perception","score":0.5170999765396118},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/social-relation","display_name":"Social relation","score":0.4593000113964081}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777365542","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q83090","display_name":"Avatar","level":2,"score":0.7936999797821045},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C194969405","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q170519","display_name":"Virtual reality","level":2,"score":0.6633999943733215},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2781426162","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2275793","display_name":"Casual","level":2,"score":0.6628000140190125},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C142189719","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1276633","display_name":"Interpersonal ties","level":2,"score":0.6114000082015991},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C100776233","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2532492","display_name":"Bridge (graph theory)","level":2,"score":0.5895000100135803},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.5468999743461609},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C107457646","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q207434","display_name":"Human\u2013computer interaction","level":1,"score":0.5422000288963318},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779998236","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q223270","display_name":"Loneliness","level":2,"score":0.5338000059127808},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C26760741","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q160402","display_name":"Perception","level":2,"score":0.5170999765396118},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C130064352","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q853725","display_name":"Social relation","level":2,"score":0.4593000113964081},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C108827166","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q175975","display_name":"Internet privacy","level":1,"score":0.41990000009536743},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2987946170","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q853725","display_name":"Social relationship","level":2,"score":0.4180000126361847},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C53332860","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2632041","display_name":"Metaverse","level":3,"score":0.400299996137619},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C109778625","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q796573","display_name":"Computer-mediated communication","level":3,"score":0.3580000102519989},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C15744967","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9418","display_name":"Psychology","level":0,"score":0.350600004196167},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C518677369","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q202833","display_name":"Social media","level":2,"score":0.3319999873638153},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2985487447","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q58199","display_name":"Instant messaging","level":2,"score":0.3172000050544739},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780595226","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1124198","display_name":"Affection","level":2,"score":0.3070000112056732},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C49774154","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q131765","display_name":"Multimedia","level":1,"score":0.30399999022483826},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C25344961","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q192726","display_name":"Virtual machine","level":2,"score":0.3018999993801117},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C91034043","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q223642","display_name":"Interpersonal relationship","level":2,"score":0.2992999851703644},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C96851999","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q848369","display_name":"Subconscious","level":3,"score":0.2728999853134155},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C77805123","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q161272","display_name":"Social psychology","level":1,"score":0.2599000036716461},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2992428813","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1276633","display_name":"Strong ties","level":3,"score":0.25780001282691956}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":2,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.1109/tvcg.2025.3614445","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tvcg.2025.3614445","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S84775595","display_name":"IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics","issn_l":"1077-2626","issn":["1077-2626","1941-0506","2160-9306"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310319808","host_organization_name":"Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310319808"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics","raw_type":"journal-article"},{"id":"pmid:41004372","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41004372","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306525036","display_name":"PubMed","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I1299303238","host_organization_name":"National Institutes of Health","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I1299303238"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"IEEE transactions on visualization and computer graphics","raw_type":null}],"best_oa_location":null,"sustainable_development_goals":[],"awards":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/G8766525588","display_name":null,"funder_award_id":"114L8922","funder_id":"https://openalex.org/F4320323900","funder_display_name":"National Taiwan University"},{"id":"https://openalex.org/G8880298762","display_name":null,"funder_award_id":"114L900902","funder_id":"https://openalex.org/F4320323900","funder_display_name":"National Taiwan University"}],"funders":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/F4320318804","display_name":"Delta Electronics","ror":"https://ror.org/04s3g5933"},{"id":"https://openalex.org/F4320323900","display_name":"National Taiwan University","ror":"https://ror.org/05bqach95"}],"has_content":{"grobid_xml":false,"pdf":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":73,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W1489058730","https://openalex.org/W1515315778","https://openalex.org/W1532462627","https://openalex.org/W1575328737","https://openalex.org/W1586856071","https://openalex.org/W1834627138","https://openalex.org/W1865628228","https://openalex.org/W1967399317","https://openalex.org/W1971133830","https://openalex.org/W1972995154","https://openalex.org/W1977766639","https://openalex.org/W1978975222","https://openalex.org/W1998284588","https://openalex.org/W2021282349","https://openalex.org/W2045515072","https://openalex.org/W2053157239","https://openalex.org/W2061276439","https://openalex.org/W2079476777","https://openalex.org/W2080315483","https://openalex.org/W2113415449","https://openalex.org/W2130703925","https://openalex.org/W2136757566","https://openalex.org/W2141666434","https://openalex.org/W2142225512","https://openalex.org/W2163004454","https://openalex.org/W2167393292","https://openalex.org/W2171410717","https://openalex.org/W2204286033","https://openalex.org/W2288981284","https://openalex.org/W2340071754","https://openalex.org/W2497165680","https://openalex.org/W2604113897","https://openalex.org/W2744594409","https://openalex.org/W2771073891","https://openalex.org/W2791090167","https://openalex.org/W2794385674","https://openalex.org/W2796437194","https://openalex.org/W2807873632","https://openalex.org/W2808257111","https://openalex.org/W2898958889","https://openalex.org/W2902135653","https://openalex.org/W2940645181","https://openalex.org/W2942423769","https://openalex.org/W2974349300","https://openalex.org/W2987794483","https://openalex.org/W3029783375","https://openalex.org/W3035930185","https://openalex.org/W3037052540","https://openalex.org/W3084523253","https://openalex.org/W3088157138","https://openalex.org/W3091633080","https://openalex.org/W3094385582","https://openalex.org/W3095277187","https://openalex.org/W3097951175","https://openalex.org/W3110241627","https://openalex.org/W3124697721","https://openalex.org/W3125435840","https://openalex.org/W3133086583","https://openalex.org/W3134947427","https://openalex.org/W3136072423","https://openalex.org/W3139056170","https://openalex.org/W3197071098","https://openalex.org/W3207177131","https://openalex.org/W4200132804","https://openalex.org/W4214702249","https://openalex.org/W4225138439","https://openalex.org/W4256272326","https://openalex.org/W4293659255","https://openalex.org/W4321488206","https://openalex.org/W4321488316","https://openalex.org/W4387344978","https://openalex.org/W4387449116","https://openalex.org/W4407841962"],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Rekindling":[0],"old":[1],"social":[2,35,48,94,167],"bonds":[3],"with":[4,26],"individuals":[5],"who":[6],"were":[7],"once":[8],"a":[9,43,73],"part":[10],"of":[11,117,127,141,185],"our":[12,22],"lives":[13],"but":[14],"have":[15],"since":[16],"faded":[17],"away":[18],"is":[19,102],"crucial":[20],"for":[21,46,54,195],"well-being.":[23],"Such":[24],"connections":[25,68],"dormant":[27,100,128,154,164,190],"ties":[28,101,165,191],"help":[29],"us":[30],"overcome":[31],"loneliness":[32],"and":[33,63,122,145,151,163,192],"provide":[34,193],"support.":[36],"Recently,":[37],"virtual":[38,123,146,170],"reality":[39],"(VR)":[40],"emerged":[41],"as":[42,51],"promising":[44],"tool":[45],"facilitating":[47,66],"interactions,":[49],"such":[50],"online":[52],"gatherings":[53],"formal":[55],"or":[56],"casual":[57],"activities.":[58],"VR":[59,88,186],"can":[60,89],"offer":[61],"immersive":[62],"shared":[64,173],"experiences,":[65],"genuine":[67],"between":[69,153],"people.":[70],"This":[71,105],"provides":[72],"unique":[74],"advantage":[75],"over":[76],"traditional":[77],"computer-mediated":[78],"communication":[79],"methods.":[80],"However,":[81],"while":[82,175],"prior":[83],"research":[84],"has":[85],"explored":[86],"how":[87,114],"aid":[90],"in":[91,198],"forming":[92],"new":[93],"connections,":[95],"its":[96],"potential":[97],"to":[98,108,137],"reconnect":[99],"largely":[103],"unexplored.":[104],"paper":[106],"aims":[107],"bridge":[109],"this":[110],"gap":[111],"by":[112],"examining":[113],"different":[115,142],"features":[116,187],"VR,":[118],"specifically":[119],"avatar":[120],"appearance":[121],"environments,":[124],"influence":[125],"reactivations":[126],"ties.":[129,155],"We":[130,181],"conducted":[131],"an":[132],"experiment":[133],"involving":[134],"24":[135],"dyads":[136],"investigate":[138],"the":[139,149,183],"effect":[140],"avatar-self":[143],"similarities":[144],"environments":[147,171],"on":[148,188],"perceptions":[150],"interactions":[152],"Our":[156],"findings":[157],"indicate":[158],"that":[159],"avatars":[160],"resembling":[161],"oneself":[162],"promote":[166],"closeness.":[168],"Familiar":[169],"evoke":[172],"memories,":[174],"unfamiliar":[176],"ones":[177],"stimulate":[178],"more":[179],"conversations.":[180],"discuss":[182],"impact":[184],"reconnecting":[189],"implications":[194],"re-connecting":[196],"relationships":[197],"VR.":[199]},"counts_by_year":[{"year":2026,"cited_by_count":1}],"updated_date":"2025-11-07T23:20:04.922697","created_date":"2025-10-10T00:00:00"}