How Gaze Visualization Facilitates Initiation of Informal Communication in 3D Virtual Spaces

This study explores how gaze visualization in virtual spaces facilitates the initiation of informal communication. Three styles of gaze cue visualization (arrow, bubbles, and miniature avatar) with two types of gaze behavior (one-sided gaze and joint gaze) were evaluated. 96 participants used either a non-visualized gaze cue or one of the three visualized gaze cues. The results showed that all visualized gaze cues facilitated the initiation of informal communication more effectively than the non-visualized gaze cue. For one-sided gaze, overall, bubbles had more positive effects on the gaze receiver's behaviors and experiences than the other two visualized gaze cues, although the only statistically significant difference was in the verbal reaction rates. For joint gaze, all three visualized gaze cues had positive effects on the receiver's behaviors and experiences. The design implications of the gaze visualization and the confederate-based evaluation method contribute to research on informal communication and social virtual reality.