PhD defense Elise Bonnail: Memory Distortions Induced by Reality-Altering Media
Télécom Paris, 19 place Marguerite Perey F-91120 Palaiseau [getting there], amphi Estaunié and in videoconferencing
This thesis was conducted within the DIVA group, INFRES department, at Télécom Paris, IP Paris, under the supervision of Eric Lecolinet (INFRES, Télécom Paris, IP Paris), Jan Gugenheimer (TU Darmstadt and INFRES, Télécom Paris, IP Paris), and Samuel Huron (i3, CNRS, Télécom Paris, IP Paris).
Jury
- Gilles Bailly (Research Director, CNRS and Sorbonne Université)
- Pierre Dragicevic (Research Fellow, Inria Bordeaux)
- Anatole Lecuyer (Research Director, Inria Rennes)
- Julie Williamson (Associate Professor, University of Glasgow)
Abstract
Memory is an essential cognitive function. However, it is not always reliable, as we are prone to forgetting and memory distortions. While research has focused on the impact of fabricated narratives and edited photos on memory, newer forms of media now expose us to altered perceptions of reality. I introduce the term “reality-altering media” to describe media that add virtual elements to our perception of reality, either retrospectively through altered re-representations, such as edited photos, or in real-time through co-temporal media, such as Extended Reality (XR), including Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR).
Specifically, I investigate how XR could be leveraged to manipulate memories in a future where such technology would be ubiquitous (RQ1), whether new forms of reality-altering media (VR and AI-edited photos) can lead to memory distortions (RQ2), and how users distinguish between real and virtual events (RQ3).
To address RQ1, I conducted three speculative design workshops (n=12) involving XR and memory experts who created and discussed scenarios of memory manipulations. Through qualitative analysis, I define XR Memory Manipulations (XRMMs) and categorize them into three classes (at encoding, pre-retrieval, at retrieval). These scenarios allow to anticipate potential benefits but also future risks associated with the development of new forms of immersive reality-altering media. To address RQ2 and RQ3, I conducted two mixed-method lab studies. The first study (n=29) confirms the occurrence of source confusion between VR and real experiences with current technology, providing quantitative and qualitative insights into the factors influencing this confusion. The second study (n=34) evaluates the impact of self-editing photos using generative AI (adding and removing elements) compared to photo editing by an external person and no editing, showing that editing one’s own photo increases the chances of forgetting elements from the original event. In both studies, I collected qualitative data to identify the cues and mechanisms participants used to distinguish between memories from virtual and real events. I discuss the need for ethical considerations to ensure a responsible use of reality-altering media.