Can Virtual Reality Make Us Show More Empathy?

Scientists from Stanford University created a virtual reality experience called Becoming Homeless to enhance our empathy. It's designed to show how new tech affects us in compassionate ways and increase "people's level of empathy."

The new Stanford study on virtual reality and empathy was published in the journal PLOS ONE on Oct. 17. The study and VR look at some heart-wrenching experiences and ask upsetting questions. What would it feel like for people to lose their jobs and homes, and what would it cause to grow compassionate and empathetic toward homeless people?

"Experiences are what they are, how do you think it's not surprising that an intense experience in VR is more impactful than imagining something," co-author Jeremy Bailenson said in a statement.

Many people who are in the background of virtual reality experiences as "the ultimate empathy machine" which is supposed to help people relate to each other better than novels, TV shows or movie can do.

"About 10 million headsets have been sold in the US over the past two years. So, many people now have access to VR experiences. But we still do not know much about how VR affects people, "graduate student and lead author Fernanda Herrera said. "This research is an important step in figuring out how much of an effect this technology can have on people's level of empathy in the long term."

Previous research studies on virtual reality and empathy have been shown by Herrera. Other studies have been studied long-term affection or empathy participants felt after VR experiences.

Herrera and Bailenson, along with Stanford psychology scholar Jamil Zaki and psychology graduate student Erika Weisz, worked on a pair of two-month-long studies which included 560 participants between the ages of 15 and 88 from at least eight ethnic backgrounds. Elise Ogle was also co-author of the paper. Participants in the studies were shown Becoming Homeless, the seven-minute VR experience made by Stanford's Virtual Human Interaction Lab.

In the experience, a narrator guides participants through some interactive VR scenarios that they would go through if they lost their job. There is a scene in which the participant has to look at an apartment. In another scene, the participant seeks to shelter in public and protect their belongings from being stolen by passing strangers.

The team found that people who have a positive attitude toward a positive attitude toward homeless people.

"Taking the perspective of others in VR is more about empathy and prosocial behavior in people than just going through the experience and comparing it to just imagine it would be like to be in someone else's shoes," Herrera said. "And that is an exciting finding."

"We tend to think of empathy as something do not have," said Zaki, an assistant professor of psychology. "But lots of studies have shown that empathy is not just a trait. It's something you can work on and turn up or down in different situations. "

Herrera, Bailenson and the rest of the team are working on new studies that will show how VR affects us and our emotions. However, right now, Herrera is excited that their completed studies have secured such positive and enduring results.

"Long after our studies were complete, some research participants emailed me to reflect on how they became more involved in the afterward issue. One of them was a homeless person in their community and wrote me again, "Herrera said. "It was really inspiring to see that positive, lasting impact."