Virtual Reality and the Clash Virtual Reality and the Clash ConsciousnessConsciousness

Jim BlascovichUCSB

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Andy Beall

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Jack Loomis

1995

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Surprisingly to me, while in this immersive Surprisingly to me, while in this immersive virtual environment, I found reasoned virtual environment, I found reasoned suppression of my (intrusively accessible) suppression of my (intrusively accessible) fear response difficult if not impossible.fear response difficult if not impossible.

Perhaps this was a rivalry or “fame in the Perhaps this was a rivalry or “fame in the brain” competition between processes brain” competition between processes stemming from my being simultaneously stemming from my being simultaneously in a physical world and a virtual world. in a physical world and a virtual world.

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Imagine what I could do with this Imagine what I could do with this technology as a social psychologist.technology as a social psychologist.

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www.recveb.ucsb.edu

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VR Research FociVR Research Foci Visual perceptionVisual perception Spatial cognitionSpatial cognition Learning and trainingLearning and training Social interactionSocial interaction

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VR Research FociVR Research Foci Visual perceptionVisual perception Spatial cognitionSpatial cognition Learning and trainingLearning and training Social interactionSocial interaction

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Can VR help us experimentally Can VR help us experimentally study the interplay among study the interplay among

behavioral processes that are: behavioral processes that are: ConsciousConscious UnconsciousUnconscious MetaconsciousMetaconscious

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OverviewOverview Virtual Environments: Nature, Virtual Environments: Nature,

history, & technology.history, & technology. Research Context: Challenge and Research Context: Challenge and

Threat MotivationThreat Motivation Prototype StudyPrototype Study

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refers to the generation and refers to the generation and organization of sensory organization of sensory information that can lead to information that can lead to perceptions of a so-called perceptions of a so-called synthetic (“artificial”) synthetic (“artificial”) environment as non-synthetic environment as non-synthetic (“natural”)(“natural”)

What is a virtual What is a virtual environment?environment?

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The nature of virtual environments The nature of virtual environments should not be confounded with any should not be confounded with any particular “technology” for generating particular “technology” for generating and organizing the sensory information.and organizing the sensory information.

All such technologies interact with All such technologies interact with qualities of the person (e.g., the mind qualities of the person (e.g., the mind or “piñata”) to produce virtual or “piñata”) to produce virtual experiences.experiences.

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Historically, humans have developed Historically, humans have developed technologies to aid the mind in doing technologies to aid the mind in doing so for a long, long time. so for a long, long time.

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The differences among these The differences among these technologies are:technologies are: Perhaps more quantitative than Perhaps more quantitative than

qualitative.qualitative. Obviated in the power they have to Obviated in the power they have to

immerse individuals within virtual immerse individuals within virtual environments (i.e., how fast environments (i.e., how fast immersion can happen). immersion can happen).

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However, humans are However, humans are neurobiologically capable of creating neurobiologically capable of creating and inhabiting virtual environments, and inhabiting virtual environments, even quite immersive ones, without even quite immersive ones, without any extra-corporeal technology at all. any extra-corporeal technology at all.

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What are virtual What are virtual environments?environments?

A state of mind.

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Where are virtual Where are virtual environments?environments?

An interesting proposition about virtual reality is that all perceived reality may really be virtual.

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Perhaps there is a sort of Perhaps there is a sort of psychological environmental psychological environmental relativity.relativity.

““Grounded environments” form the Grounded environments” form the base comparison for all others.base comparison for all others.

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Immersive Virtual Immersive Virtual Environment Technology: Environment Technology:

HMD-basedHMD-based

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As a bonus virtual environment As a bonus virtual environment tracking technology facilitates:tracking technology facilitates: Behavioral measuresBehavioral measures

SpatialSpatial TemporalTemporal Spatial-termporalSpatial-termporal

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Proximity and fatality/hostility Proximity and fatality/hostility of gun shots.of gun shots.

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Key Motivational StatesKey Motivational States ChallengeChallenge--when resources roughly --when resources roughly

equal or outweigh demandsequal or outweigh demands indexed by Dienstbier’s (1989) indexed by Dienstbier’s (1989)

cardiovascular pattern of physiological cardiovascular pattern of physiological toughnesstoughness

ThreatThreat--when demands outweigh --when demands outweigh resources.resources. indexed by Dienstbier’s (1989) pattern of indexed by Dienstbier’s (1989) pattern of

physiological weaknessphysiological weakness

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VC = PEP*(-1)

TPR

ChallengeThreat

CO

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Cardiovascular MarkersCardiovascular Markers

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The Biopsychosocial ModelThe Biopsychosocial Modelof Challenge and Threatof Challenge and Threat

Situation

ImplicitEvaluation

ExplicitEvaluation

Challenge

Threat

(Blascovich et al., 1996; 2000; in press)

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Erving Goffman, 1963Erving Goffman, 1963 Individuals are threatened by Individuals are threatened by

members of stigmatized groups.members of stigmatized groups.

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Stigma-Threat ParadigmStigma-Threat Paradigm Stigma ManipulationsStigma Manipulations

ExperimentalExperimental Quasi-ExperimentalQuasi-Experimental

Real Interaction (Perceivers and Bearers)Real Interaction (Perceivers and Bearers) MeetMeet Dyadic Performance Situation (cooperative task)Dyadic Performance Situation (cooperative task)

Outcome MeasuresOutcome Measures SubjectiveSubjective BehavioralBehavioral PhysiologicalPhysiological

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No Stigma Stigma

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18

19

20

21

22

23

24

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

Pre

-eje

ctio

n P

erio

d (s

ec*-

1)

Tota

l Per

iphe

ral R

esis

tanc

e(R

esis

tanc

e U

nits

)

-300-250-200-150-100

-500

50100

No Birthmark

Birthmark

Car

diac

Out

put (

L/m

)

Experiment 1- Word Finding TaskBlascovich et al. (2001)

PEP

TPR

0

CO

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StigmaStigma

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What would happen if we What would happen if we experimentally crossed physical experimentally crossed physical stigma with virtual stigma?stigma with virtual stigma?

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Stigma-Threat ParadigmStigma-Threat Paradigm Stigma ManipulationsStigma Manipulations

Physical: Birthmark vs. No BirthmarkPhysical: Birthmark vs. No Birthmark Real Interaction (Perceivers and Real Interaction (Perceivers and

Confederate Bearers)Confederate Bearers) Meet in an immersive virtual environmentMeet in an immersive virtual environment Dyadic Performance Situation (cooperative Dyadic Performance Situation (cooperative

task) Outcome Measurestask) Outcome Measures MeasuresMeasures

SubjectiveSubjective BehavioralBehavioral PhysiologicalPhysiological

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Virtual+

+

-

-Physical

C

C

I

I

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Virtual+

+

-

-Physical

C

C

I

I

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Predictions?Predictions? A.A. Main effect for physical stigmaMain effect for physical stigma B.B. Main effect for virtual stigmaMain effect for virtual stigma C.C. Additive Main Effects?Additive Main Effects? D.D. InteractionInteraction E.E. UncertainUncertain

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Preliminary ResultsPreliminary Results

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Cardiovascular Markers of Cardiovascular Markers of Challenge/ThreatChallenge/Threat

0

3

6

9

12

15

PhysicalBirthmark

No PhysicalBirthmark

VirtualBirthmarkNo VirtualBirthmark

-20-10

0102030405060

PhysicalBirthmark

No PhysicalBirthmark

VirtualBirthmarkPhysicalBirthmark

00.30.60.91.21.51.82.12.4

PhysicalBirthmark

No PhysicalBirthmark

VirtualBirthmarkNo VirtualBirthmark

Ven

tricu

lar

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tract

ility

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l Per

iphe

ral R

esis

tanc

e

Car

diac

O

utpu

t

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ModeratorsModerators TimeTime Gaze of participantGaze of participant

% of time looking at the virtual face of % of time looking at the virtual face of the confederates avatar.the confederates avatar.

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Eye Gaze and Cardiovascular Eye Gaze and Cardiovascular Markers of Challenge/ThreatMarkers of Challenge/Threat

TPR: r = .189TPR: r = .189CO: r = -.192CO: r = -.192

TPR: r = .679TPR: r = .679CO: r = -.859CO: r = -.859

TPR: r = -.713TPR: r = -.713CO: r = .741CO: r = .741

TPR: r = -.465TPR: r = -.465CO: r = .058CO: r = .058

Physical Birthmark No Physical Birthmark

Virtual

Birthmark

No Virtual

Birthmark

(stay threatened)(become threatened)

(become challenged)(stay challenged)

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Tentative ConclusionsTentative Conclusions The clash of consciousness appears The clash of consciousness appears

to be a function of memory, time, to be a function of memory, time, and attention. and attention.

VR may provide a useful technology VR may provide a useful technology for its empirical investigation.for its empirical investigation.

What next?What next?

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Crossing Danger: Physically Crossing Danger: Physically and Virtuallyand Virtually

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Model of Social Influence Model of Social Influence within Virtual Environmentswithin Virtual Environments

Agent Avatar

Low

High

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lism

Human Agency

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Model of Social Influence Model of Social Influence within Virtual Environmentswithin Virtual Environments

Low

High

Human AgencyAgent Avatar

Social Verifi

cation

Rea

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(Social Pres

ence)

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Social VerificationSocial Verification Social verificationSocial verification - the extent to - the extent to

which participants in virtual groups which participants in virtual groups experience interactions with virtual experience interactions with virtual others in ways that verify that they others in ways that verify that they are engaging in social interactionare engaging in social interaction

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Model of Social Influence Model of Social Influence within Virtual Environmentswithin Virtual Environments

Human AgencyAgent Avatar

Social Verifi

cation

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lism

Low

High

(Social Pres

ence)

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Model of Social Influence Model of Social Influence within Virtual Environmentswithin Virtual Environments

Human AgencyAgent Avatar

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Threshold of Social Influence

Low

High

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Model of Social Influence Model of Social Influence within Virtual Environmentswithin Virtual Environments

Human AgencyAgent Avatar

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Human AgencyAgent Avatar

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Threshold of Social Influence

Low

High

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Social InteractionSocial Interaction

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Real & Virtual HumansReal & Virtual Humans

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Model of Social Influence Model of Social Influence within Virtual Environmentswithin Virtual Environments

Human AgencyAgent Avatar

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Low

High

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cation

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Mass Media EffectsMass Media Effects

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Persky & Blascovich (under Persky & Blascovich (under review)review)

Immersion Aggression.06

Social Verification

.44* .28*

.31*

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Model of Social Influence Model of Social Influence within Virtual Environmentswithin Virtual Environments

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Threshold of Social Influence

Low

High

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Self-RelevanceSelf-Relevance

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High Self-RelevanceHigh Self-Relevance

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Moderate Self-RelevanceModerate Self-Relevance

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Lower Self-RelevanceLower Self-Relevance

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