Embodiment and empathy training
Embodiment and empathy training

Summary/Abstract: The "Empathy Machine" hypothesis posits that virtual reality (VR) environments can significantly increase empathy more effectively than any other media. This has been widely debated, empirically tested, and proposed as a non-invasive alternative to traditional forms of moral enhancement. In this article I argue that: 1) VR has the potential to enhance empathy at least as effectively as other media, such as cinematography and literature; and 2) currently, VR does not achieve this potential. This challenges the notion that VR is the most effective medium for empathy enhancement. Following a review the literature supporting and contesting the efficacy of VR for empathy enhancement, I provide empirical and theoretical arguments to substantiate the claim that current VR projects fail to enhance empathy, and that this is due to misconceptions about embodiment in fictional settings and about different types of immersion. I conclude by suggesting that VR experiences could be as effective as other media in enhancing empathy, but present VR applications overemphasize participatory immersion at the expense of narrative and representative immersion, thereby limiting their effectiveness. The discussion underscores the need for a balanced approach to VR design that incorporates the successful elements of other media in fostering empathy.

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