Gender Switching in Social VR: The Impact of Socioeconomic Stability and Gender Role Stress on Female Avatar Selection Among Japanese Male Users

This study investigates sociodemographic and psychosocial factors associated with "gender switching," where male social virtual reality (VR) users adopt female avatars. Using an online panel survey of Japanese VR participants (Nov-Dec 2023), the study analyzed 467 valid responses from male VR participants. Data covered age, education, relationship/employment status, gender-role attitudes, and five stress dimensions related to traditional Japanese male roles; respondents also reported the gender of their primary avatar. Latent class analysis (LCA) identified three subgroups: (a) Traditional stability (45.40 percent)-high education, regular employment, marriage, strong adherence to conventional gender roles; (b) Nontraditional stability (35.33 percent)-similar socioeconomic profile but rejecting traditional gender divisions; and (c) Instability (19.27 percent)-lower education, nonregular or no employment, unmarried, and mixed gender-role attitudes. Logistic regression tested whether class membership and male-role stress were associated with female-avatar use. Men in the Instability class had significantly higher odds of using female avatars (OR = 2.21, 95 percent CI = 1.10-4.43, p = 0.02). Among stress dimensions, only peer pressure to act "manly" was significant (OR = 1.64, 95 percent CI = 1.26-2.14, p < 0.001). These results suggest that structural instability in achieving the "salaryman" ideal and interpersonal pressure to conform to masculine norms are both associated with gender-switched avatar use. By combining LCA with regression analysis, this study shows how socioeconomic conditions and specific male-role stresses jointly shape identity expression in immersive virtual settings. Future research should examine the long-term impact of gender switching on identity and well-being and test the cross-cultural applicability of these findings.