GuardianVR: Fostering Empathy Through Virtual Reality

Sal Y Rosas T.V.; Castillo Rengifo R.; Fuentes I.B. · 2024 10th International Conference on Virtual Reality, ICVR 2024 (2024) · DOI: 10.1109/icvr62393.2024.10868881

Resumen

Facing the global challenge of bullying, this study explores using virtual reality (VR) to promote empathy and prosocial behaviors among students. Utilizing a game designed for this purpose, incorporating advanced empathic models, our work focuses on improving the understanding and practice of affective and cognitive empathy. The game, developed in a VR environment, offers an immersive and emotionally enriching experience that allows users to experience situations from multiple perspectives, which is essential for preventing bullying. Through a series of interactive mini-games, students face decisions that directly impact social dynamics and their capacity for empathy. Results from previous research indicate a significant increase in understanding and empathetic response, underlining the feasibility and necessity of such interventions in educational settings. This approach offers new directions for instructional design and the development of educational games, emphasizing the importance of technological solutions in emotional and social education.

Instituciones: Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas