Exploring sex differences in collaborative virtual environments for participation equality and user experience

Abstract

Communication technology plays a crucial role in facilitating remote collaborative work. This study investigated sex differences in Perceived Participation Equality and User Experience across different communication formats, i.e., face-to-face communication, conventional video conferences, and Virtual Reality (VR). An empirical study was conducted involving 15 groups, each comprising three participants, who engaged in a decision-making task. A research model was developed to evaluate the interplay between perceived participation equality, empathy, and immersion. This model was employed across three communication conditions and included both male and female participants. These findings on sex differences in user experience could help create a connected, cohesive, and productive remote collaborative work environment.