Abstract
Although it has been shown that immersive virtual reality (IVR) can be used to induce illusions of ownership over a virtual body (VB), information on whether this changes implicit interpersonal attitudes is meager. Here we demonstrate that embodiment of light-skinned participants in a dark-skinned VB significantly reduced implicit racial bias against dark-skinned people, in contrast to embodiment in light-skinned, purple-skinned or with no VB. 60 females participated in this between-groups experiment, with a VB substituting their own, with full-body visuomotor synchrony, reflected also in a virtual mirror. A racial Implicit Association Test (IAT) was administered at least three days prior to the experiment, and immediately after the IVR exposure. The change from pre- to post-experience IAT scores suggests that the dark-skinned embodied condition decreased implicit racial bias more than the other conditions. Thus, embodiment may change negative interpersonal attitudes and thus represent a powerful tool for exploring such fundamental psychological and societal phenomena.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 779-787 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Consciousness and Cognition |
| Volume | 22 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Sep 2013 |
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Keywords
- Body ownership
- Embodiment
- IAT
- Implicit Association Test
- Racial bias
- Virtual environment
- Virtual reality
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
- Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
Cite this
Putting yourself in the skin of a black avatar reduces implicit racial bias. / Peck, Tabitha C.; Seinfeld, Sofia; Aglioti, Salvatore M.; Slater, Mel.
In: Consciousness and Cognition, Vol. 22, No. 3, 09.2013, p. 779-787.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Putting yourself in the skin of a black avatar reduces implicit racial bias
AU - Peck, Tabitha C.
AU - Seinfeld, Sofia
AU - Aglioti, Salvatore M.
AU - Slater, Mel
PY - 2013/9
Y1 - 2013/9
N2 - Although it has been shown that immersive virtual reality (IVR) can be used to induce illusions of ownership over a virtual body (VB), information on whether this changes implicit interpersonal attitudes is meager. Here we demonstrate that embodiment of light-skinned participants in a dark-skinned VB significantly reduced implicit racial bias against dark-skinned people, in contrast to embodiment in light-skinned, purple-skinned or with no VB. 60 females participated in this between-groups experiment, with a VB substituting their own, with full-body visuomotor synchrony, reflected also in a virtual mirror. A racial Implicit Association Test (IAT) was administered at least three days prior to the experiment, and immediately after the IVR exposure. The change from pre- to post-experience IAT scores suggests that the dark-skinned embodied condition decreased implicit racial bias more than the other conditions. Thus, embodiment may change negative interpersonal attitudes and thus represent a powerful tool for exploring such fundamental psychological and societal phenomena.
AB - Although it has been shown that immersive virtual reality (IVR) can be used to induce illusions of ownership over a virtual body (VB), information on whether this changes implicit interpersonal attitudes is meager. Here we demonstrate that embodiment of light-skinned participants in a dark-skinned VB significantly reduced implicit racial bias against dark-skinned people, in contrast to embodiment in light-skinned, purple-skinned or with no VB. 60 females participated in this between-groups experiment, with a VB substituting their own, with full-body visuomotor synchrony, reflected also in a virtual mirror. A racial Implicit Association Test (IAT) was administered at least three days prior to the experiment, and immediately after the IVR exposure. The change from pre- to post-experience IAT scores suggests that the dark-skinned embodied condition decreased implicit racial bias more than the other conditions. Thus, embodiment may change negative interpersonal attitudes and thus represent a powerful tool for exploring such fundamental psychological and societal phenomena.
KW - Body ownership
KW - Embodiment
KW - IAT
KW - Implicit Association Test
KW - Racial bias
KW - Virtual environment
KW - Virtual reality
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84878489797&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84878489797&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.concog.2013.04.016
DO - 10.1016/j.concog.2013.04.016
M3 - Article
C2 - 23727712
AN - SCOPUS:84878489797
VL - 22
SP - 779
EP - 787
JO - Consciousness and Cognition
JF - Consciousness and Cognition
SN - 1053-8100
IS - 3
ER -