Published in JMIR Formative Research (Vol. 10, 2026), this study recreated Massiel's "La La La" performance from the 1968 Eurovision Song Contest in virtual reality (VR), and embodied older adults in younger virtual bodies to revisit this iconic past event.
In a between-groups study, participants who experienced the counterclockwise younger-self embodiment showed:
- Lower subjective age
- Higher well-being
- Faster cognitive processing
- Greater grip strength
compared to a current-self control group at one-week follow-up.
The work demonstrates how VR-based reminiscence combined with younger-self embodiment can positively influence cognitive and physical performance in older adults.
In a between-groups study, participants who experienced the counterclockwise younger-self embodiment showed:
- Lower subjective age
- Higher well-being
- Faster cognitive processing
- Greater grip strength
compared to a current-self control group at one-week follow-up.
The work demonstrates how VR-based reminiscence combined with younger-self embodiment can positively influence cognitive and physical performance in older adults.