Newcomers are crucial for the growth of online communities, yet their successful integration into these spaces requires overcoming significant initial hurdles. Social Virtual Reality (VR) platforms are novel avenues that offer unprecedented online interaction experiences. Unlike well-studied two-dimensional online environments, the pathways to successful newcomer integration in online VR spaces are underexplored. Our research addresses this gap by examining the strategies used by newcomers to navigate early challenges in social VR and how they adapt. By focusing on active participants (ranging from newcomers currently navigating these hurdles to veterans who have successfully integrated) we isolate the specific strategies necessary for retention. We interviewed 24 active social VR users and conducted a reflexive thematic analysis. While participants identified barriers such as unfamiliar user interfaces, social norms, and overwhelming sensory input, our analysis reveals the adaptation strategies required to overcome them. Our findings expand on understanding newcomer persistence beyond traditional 2D environments, emphasizing how social dynamics influence the management of VR-specific issues like VR sickness during onboarding. Additionally, we highlight how successful newcomers overcome the lack of clear objectives in social VR by proactively constructing social meaning. We propose design suggestions to scaffold these successful integration pathways.

翻译：新用户对于在线社区的增长至关重要，然而他们成功融入这些空间需要克服显著的初始障碍。社交虚拟现实（VR）平台是提供前所未有的在线互动体验的新型途径。与已得到充分研究的二维在线环境不同，在线VR空间中新用户成功融入的路径尚未得到充分探索。本研究通过考察新用户在社交VR中应对早期挑战的策略及其适应方式，填补了这一空白。通过聚焦活跃参与者（范围从正在应对这些障碍的新用户到已成功融入的资深用户），我们提炼出留存所需的特定策略。我们采访了24名活跃的社交VR用户，并进行了反身性主题分析。尽管参与者指出了诸如不熟悉的用户界面、社交规范及过载感官输入等障碍，但我们的分析揭示了克服这些障碍所需的适应策略。我们的研究结果拓展了超越传统二维环境的新用户持续参与认知，强调了社交动态如何影响入职过程中对VR特有问题的管理（如VR眩晕）。此外，我们揭示了成功的新用户如何通过主动建构社交意义来克服社交VR中缺乏明确目标的问题。我们提出了支撑这些成功融入路径的设计建议。