Effects of symmetrical avatar arm movements on the sense of ownership of both hands inverted in a mirror

In this study, we investigated whether visual and tactile symmetrical stimuli in the arm affect the mirrored avatar’s sense of ownership of the hand. In the experiment, we tested the user, avatar, and mirrored avatar’s sense of ownership of their hand by catching a ball multiple times in a virtual space. The results suggest that non-ambidextrous individuals were significantly more likely to recognize the mirror-image avatar’s hand as their own in scenarios that included symmetrical visual and tactile stimuli than in scenarios without such stimuli. This experiment may contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between left-right sensation and body ownership sensation. It may contribute to the pursuit of immersive experiences in virtual environments.