The Metaverse and the Reconsideration of Pure Reason: Identity and Ethical Crises in Relation to Women and Family from a Psychological Perspective

Seyedeh Keyhaneh Kafshchi; Roohollah  Reesi Sistani

Authors

Seyedeh Keyhaneh Kafshchi Instructor, Department of English Language, University of Jiroft, Jiroft, Iran Corresponding Author https://orcid.org/0009-0006-9585-6056
Roohollah Reesi Sistani Assistant Professor, Department of English Language, University of Jiroft, Jiroft, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2391-8637

Keywords:

Metaverse, Identity Crisis, Ethical Relativism, Digital Identity, Gender Roles, Family Dynamics, Psychological Impact

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the identity and ethical crises emerging from engagement with the metaverse in relation to women and family from a psychological perspective.

Methods and Materials: This study employed a qualitative research design grounded in an interpretive paradigm to explore lived experiences of individuals engaged in the metaverse. The participants consisted of 24 individuals (12 women and 12 men) from Tehran, selected through purposive sampling with maximum variation in age, education, and marital status, and data collection continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. Data were gathered through semi-structured, in-depth interviews focusing on identity construction, moral reasoning, gender roles, and family dynamics within virtual environments. Each interview lasted between 60 and 90 minutes and was transcribed verbatim. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis, involving open coding, axial categorization, and selective theme development. To ensure trustworthiness, strategies such as member checking, peer debriefing, and maintaining an audit trail were employed.

Findings: The findings revealed five core themes including identity fragmentation, ethical relativism, gender role reconstruction, transformation of family dynamics, and psychological consequences. The results indicated that engagement with the metaverse significantly contributes to the multiplicity and fluidity of identity, leading to discrepancies between virtual and real selves. Ethical reasoning was found to shift toward context-dependent relativism, characterized by reduced accountability and flexible moral boundaries. Gender representation in the metaverse facilitated both identity exploration and the reinforcement of stereotypical norms. Furthermore, virtual immersion was associated with altered family interactions, including emotional distancing and redefined relational priorities.

Conclusion: The metaverse represents a transformative digital context that simultaneously expands opportunities for identity exploration and intensifies psychological and ethical challenges, necessitating a critical reconsideration of self, morality, and family relationships within technologically mediated environments.

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