Start Date
11-8-2016
Description
Empathy is an important skill for leaders. It is proposed that virtual worlds can be used effectively as a tool in developing empathy, especially perspective taking. This emerging stream of research explores the use of virtual worlds and avatar manipulation as a means to evoke perspective taking in leadership students. It is proposed that due to the Proteus Effect, virtual world users will change their behavior in a role-play based on their avatar’s appearance. Further, it is proposed that this change in behaviors will lead to more insight into the perspectives of different others in a similar real world situation.
Recommended Citation
Jestice, Rebecca, "Walking in Someone’s Virtual Shoes: Virtual Worlds as a Tool for Developing Empathy" (2016). AMCIS 2016 Proceedings. 30.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/amcis2016/ISEdu/Presentations/30
Walking in Someone’s Virtual Shoes: Virtual Worlds as a Tool for Developing Empathy
Empathy is an important skill for leaders. It is proposed that virtual worlds can be used effectively as a tool in developing empathy, especially perspective taking. This emerging stream of research explores the use of virtual worlds and avatar manipulation as a means to evoke perspective taking in leadership students. It is proposed that due to the Proteus Effect, virtual world users will change their behavior in a role-play based on their avatar’s appearance. Further, it is proposed that this change in behaviors will lead to more insight into the perspectives of different others in a similar real world situation.