Virtual reality can increase empathy for the homeless



[ad_1]

lux-interaction-248 653-unsplash

At this early stage, virtual reality is fundamentally a new high-tech toy. But researchers are discovering that this can bring tangible benefits, including reducing pain and stimulating creativity.

A new study is examining a particularly promising use of immersive technology: to increase empathy. It emerges that, compared to traditional approaches, the use of virtual reality to experience the precarious life of a homeless person creates more understanding, long-lasting, understanding and compassion for this often ignored population.

Thank you for watching!

"Virtual reality is increasingly seen as the" ultimate machine of empathy "because it allows users to cope with any situation, from any point of view," writes a research team of the Stanford University run by Fernanda Herrera. His study shows that this effect can last for weeks and inspire concrete actions.

In the online journal PLoS One, The researchers describe two studies comparing the effect of a virtual reality excursion to older and less immersive methods of assuming another person's point of view. The first group included 117 people recruited from the San Francisco Bay Area. Everyone was invited to imagine what life would be like if they suddenly found themselves homeless.

[ad_2]
Source link