<p>With the continuous advancement of virtual reality (VR) technology and devices, the issue of hardware accessibility is gradually being resolved, but the demand for quality VR content has emerged as a new challenge. In response, this study investigates the effects of self-mirroring, where a user sees their entire virtual body reflected in a mirror or window, rather than only their hands or feet in a first-person perspective on self-presence and user experience. An experiment (<i>N</i> = 56) was conducted using a 2(Self-mirroring: present vs. absent) X 2(Narrative: present vs. absent) between-subjects design. Primary findings indicate that while self-mirroring is strongly correlated with self-presence, this relationship is not always positive. This suggests that effective content design must account for psychological dissonance and prioritize meaningful self-representation rather than simply displaying the user’s full body. The study also reveals that self-mirroring alone does not necessarily enhance user experience. Instead, its integration within a narrative context plays a more critical role in fostering engagement. This suggests that transforming users into characters through story-driven self-representation may be a more effective approach for increasing identification and engagement in virtual environments. Lastly, self-representation does not necessarily require a physical image in the form of an avatar, as the textual narrative alone can enable users to visualize their own avatar in the VR environment.</p>