Being the Victim of Intimate Partner Violence in Virtual Reality: First- Versus Third-Person Perspective

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Virtual Reality Technology
• Clinical Research

Background:

• Immersive virtual reality (VR) is a tool for research and clinical applications.
• Intimate partner violence (IPV) scenarios are used to study psychological impacts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the impact of experiencing an IPV virtual scene from a first-person perspective (victim) versus a third-person perspective (observer).
• To understand the potential of VR for batterer rehabilitation and its underlying mechanisms.

Main Methods:

• Non-offender men experienced a virtual IPV scene from either a female avatar's first-person perspective (1PP) or a third-person observer perspective.
• Behavioral and physiological responses were recorded.
• Subjective impressions and changes in implicit gender bias were assessed via questionnaires, interviews, and implicit association tests.

Main Results:

• Physiological reactions to virtual threats correlated with feelings of vulnerability and potential for assault, irrespective of perspective.
• Higher identification with the female avatar was linked to reduced prejudice against women.
• First-person perspective (1PP) enhanced personal engagement, fear, and vulnerability, leading to greater reactions, but presence and identification were key for rehabilitation potential.

Conclusions:

• VR's potential for batterer rehabilitation stems from user presence and victim identification, more readily achieved through 1PP.
• Advanced VR tools can be developed for clinical applications in addressing IPV and related biases.