In this immersive virtual reality experience from Stanford University’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab, spend days in the life of someone who can no longer afford a home. Interact with your environment to attempt to save your home and to protect yourself and your belongings as you walk in another’s shoes and face the adversity of living with diminishing resources.
Researchers from Stanford have run thousands of participants through this experience in an effort to study the effect of VR experiences on empathy. Across our studies, we demonstrate that a VR experience changes helping behavior more than other types of perspective taking exercises, and the effect lasts months afterward. While this 7-minute journey does not come close to immense burden of living without a home, researchers continue to find that VR experiences can be a powerful tool to help put oneself in the shoes of another.
Curricular Connections
- Canada’s policies and treatment of minority peoples have negative and positive legacies.
- Urban planning decisions and other government policies can dramatically affect the overall quality of life in cities.
- The historical development of cities has been shaped by geographic, economic, political, and social factors.
Gameplay Length
- 7 minutes
Player Comfort Level
- Moderate
Walkthrough of Program
Cost
- Free