Experiencing the outgroup through virtual reality experiments

People tend to hold negative attitudes towards those from different cultural groups, otherwise known as outgroup members. This study applies the social identity theory to explain why people may hold these negative attitudes. We examine the influence of perspective taking through embodiment in virtua...

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Main Authors: Lew, Juline Yun Yee, Leow, Jing Xuan (Vetra), Tay, Eleanor Sze Min, Thng, Clare Yu Min
Other Authors: Sonny Ben Rosenthal
Format: Final Year Project
Language:English
Published: Nanyang Technological University 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10356/137496
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Institution: Nanyang Technological University
Language: English
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spelling sg-ntu-dr.10356-1374962020-03-31T02:45:15Z Experiencing the outgroup through virtual reality experiments Lew, Juline Yun Yee Leow, Jing Xuan (Vetra) Tay, Eleanor Sze Min Thng, Clare Yu Min Sonny Ben Rosenthal Vivian Chen Hsueh Hua Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information sonnyrosenthal@ntu.edu.sg, chenhh@ntu.edu.sg Social sciences::Communication::Intercultural communication People tend to hold negative attitudes towards those from different cultural groups, otherwise known as outgroup members. This study applies the social identity theory to explain why people may hold these negative attitudes. We examine the influence of perspective taking through embodiment in virtual reality (VR) on improving outgroup attitudes, in the context of Singaporean Chinese’s attitudes towards Chinese migrants from China. We also explore the role of empathy as a mediator. Four experimental conditions were designed to investigate how different types and the order of embodiment in VR influence attitudes towards outgroup members. We conducted one-way ANOVA and mediation analyses using data from 171 university students. Findings revealed that outgroup embodiment led to a significant increase in empathy for the outgroup (η2 = .38). Additionally, the results partially supported our hypothesis that outgroup embodiment led to an improvement in outgroup attitudes. It also revealed that empathy mediated the relationship between embodiment and outgroup attitudes. Lastly, we found the order of embodiment to cause significant differences in outgroup attitudes (η2 = .09). We discuss theoretical implications of these results and practical implications regarding the use of VR in improving outgroup attitudes, and conclude with directions for future research. Bachelor of Communication Studies 2020-03-31T02:45:14Z 2020-03-31T02:45:14Z 2020 Final Year Project (FYP) https://hdl.handle.net/10356/137496 en CS/19/015 application/pdf Nanyang Technological University
institution Nanyang Technological University
building NTU Library
country Singapore
collection DR-NTU
language English
topic Social sciences::Communication::Intercultural communication
spellingShingle Social sciences::Communication::Intercultural communication
Lew, Juline Yun Yee
Leow, Jing Xuan (Vetra)
Tay, Eleanor Sze Min
Thng, Clare Yu Min
Experiencing the outgroup through virtual reality experiments
description People tend to hold negative attitudes towards those from different cultural groups, otherwise known as outgroup members. This study applies the social identity theory to explain why people may hold these negative attitudes. We examine the influence of perspective taking through embodiment in virtual reality (VR) on improving outgroup attitudes, in the context of Singaporean Chinese’s attitudes towards Chinese migrants from China. We also explore the role of empathy as a mediator. Four experimental conditions were designed to investigate how different types and the order of embodiment in VR influence attitudes towards outgroup members. We conducted one-way ANOVA and mediation analyses using data from 171 university students. Findings revealed that outgroup embodiment led to a significant increase in empathy for the outgroup (η2 = .38). Additionally, the results partially supported our hypothesis that outgroup embodiment led to an improvement in outgroup attitudes. It also revealed that empathy mediated the relationship between embodiment and outgroup attitudes. Lastly, we found the order of embodiment to cause significant differences in outgroup attitudes (η2 = .09). We discuss theoretical implications of these results and practical implications regarding the use of VR in improving outgroup attitudes, and conclude with directions for future research.
author2 Sonny Ben Rosenthal
author_facet Sonny Ben Rosenthal
Lew, Juline Yun Yee
Leow, Jing Xuan (Vetra)
Tay, Eleanor Sze Min
Thng, Clare Yu Min
format Final Year Project
author Lew, Juline Yun Yee
Leow, Jing Xuan (Vetra)
Tay, Eleanor Sze Min
Thng, Clare Yu Min
author_sort Lew, Juline Yun Yee
title Experiencing the outgroup through virtual reality experiments
title_short Experiencing the outgroup through virtual reality experiments
title_full Experiencing the outgroup through virtual reality experiments
title_fullStr Experiencing the outgroup through virtual reality experiments
title_full_unstemmed Experiencing the outgroup through virtual reality experiments
title_sort experiencing the outgroup through virtual reality experiments
publisher Nanyang Technological University
publishDate 2020
url https://hdl.handle.net/10356/137496
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