Self-Disclosure in Social Virtual Reality: The Influence of Information Management Dynamics, Social Presence, and Privacy Concerns

Social virtual reality (SVR) aims to recreate embodied social experiences similar to those offline. However, concerns about privacy and safety have hindered its widespread adoption. This study examines how information disclosure and perceived control over information in SVR are influenced by 1) boundary permeability (e.g., interruptions from an unknown external user) and 2) identifiability of one’s conversation partner (e.g., access to their offline profile). We also explore how different social presence perceptions and privacy concerns may mediate these relationships. Comparing the experiences of participants (n = 94) randomly assigned to four different mock interview scenarios, we find the perceived actorhood of one’s conversation partner mediated the positive relationship between offline profile access and disclosure. Additionally, more permeable environmental boundaries led to significantly lower levels of disclosure. Qualitative responses emphasized SVR’s limitations in saliently conveying nonverbal expressions. Implications for future research and the design of SVR as a viable communication medium are discussed.