Work

Interaction with the future self in virtual reality reduces self-defeating behavior in a sample of convicted offenders

Year: 2022

Type: article

Abstract: In this study, we test an intervention in which convicted offenders interacted with an age-progressed avatar representing their future selves in virtual reality. During the interaction, they reflected on their current lifestyle, alternating between the perspective of their present self and that of their future self. We hypothesized that this embodied experience would increase their ability to imagine themselves in the future and reduce their engagement in self-defeating behavior, as measured with a self-report survey. In line with expectations, results indicated that the interaction increased vividness of the future self compared to baseline and reduced self-defeating behavior, including alcohol use and overspending, one week later. In addition, increases in vividness were associated with a reduction in self-defeating behavior over and above other concepts relating to the future self, including connectedness, similarity, and valence. The results are based on a small sample and should therefore be considered as indicative of the possibilities of our virtual reality paradigm as an intervention tool to reduce self-defeating behavior.

Source: Scientific Reports

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-06305-5

Authors: Jean-Louis van Gelder, Liza J. M. Cornet, Natascha P. Zwalua, Esther C. A. Mertens, Job van der Schalk

Institutions: Leiden University, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law

Language: English

Topic: Virtual Reality Applications and Impacts

Subfield: Human-Computer Interaction

Field: Computer Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,190