Eleanor Keane
The study utilised a mixed-methods quasi-experimental study design to investigate the effect and influence of age-progressed avatars on future self-continuity. Gender and age-related differences on reaction to ageing were examined. The study compared the FSC scores of users aged 20-40 years. The Future Self-Continuity Questionnaire was used to test the hypotheses and the subjective qualitative questions to analyse reaction to ageing. The study illustrates the potential of age-progression software to foster optimism about the future and induce profound self-reflection.
The aim of the current study was to investigate whether the introduction of an age-progressed avatar had more of an impact on future self-continuity and subjective reaction to ageing than simple positive ageing sites. Secondarily, factors such as gender and age were investigated in the context of reaction to ageing to test whether different genders or age groups (in decades) would influence how users perceive themselves as an aged avatar.
This current research investigated the impact of age-progressed avatars on participants’ FSC scores and participants' subjective emotional and cognitive engagement when viewing themselves as an age-progressed avatar. Findings demonstrated slightly higher FSC difference scores in the age-progressed avatar group (M = 0.343, SD = 0.5170) compared to the non-age-progressed avatar group (M = 0.193, SD = 0.2401). Similarly, analyses of gender and age group by decade showed no significant main effects or interaction effects on FSC scores, highlighting the potential limited statistical influence of these variables. The open-ended subjective qualitative questions highlighted trends and themes for the two investigated genders and age groups. This research aimed to examine differences in participants' reactions to age-progressed avatars based on gender and age groups. A thematic analysis displayed distinct emotional patterns that highlight how certain demographics (gender and age) can influence one’s own perception of ageing.
My name is Eleanor Keane and I have just completed a MSc in CyberPsychology at IADT. I hope to continue to pursue my career in Psychology and enhance my therapeutic practices down the line with the skills I gained in this course. My MSc research project is summarised below.
