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Cited by 265

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 61 of the 61 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Virtual reality perspective-taking increases cognitive empathy for specific others

Open access
van Loon, Austin, Bailenson, Jeremy, Zaki, Jamil, Bostick, Joshua, Willer, Robb·2018·PLOS ONE

Abstract

Previous research shows that virtual reality perspective-taking experiences (VRPT) can increase prosocial behavior toward others. We extend this research by exploring whether this effect of VRPT is driven by increased empathy and whether the effect extends to ostensibly real-stakes behavioral games. In a pre-registered laboratory experiment (N = 180), participants interacted with an ostensible partner (a student from the same university as them) on a series of real-stakes economic games after (a) taking the perspective of the partner in a virtual reality, "day-in-the-life" simulation, (b) taking the perspective of a different person in a "day-in-the-life" simulation, or (c) doing a neutral activity in a virtual environment. The VRPT experience successfully increased participants' subsequent propensity to take the perspective of their partner (a facet of empathy), but only if the partner was the same person whose perspective participants assumed in the virtual reality simulation. Further, this effect of VRPT on perspective-taking was moderated by participants' reported feeling of immersion in the virtual environment. However, we found no effects of VRPT experience on behavior in the economic games.

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Metadata

Authors
van Loon, A., Bailenson, J., Zaki, J., Bostick, J., & Willer, R.
Venue
PLOS ONE
Published
2018-08-30
Volume
13
Issue
8
Pages
e0202442
ISSN
1932-6203 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2888849277
Cited by
265
References
61
FWCI
16.44
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
gold

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CoChat. (2026). Citation check: Virtual reality perspective-taking increases cognitive empathy for specific others. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.1371/journal.pone.0202442
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van Loon, A., Bailenson, J., Zaki, J., Bostick, J., & Willer, R. (2018). Virtual reality perspective-taking increases cognitive empathy for specific others. PLOS ONE. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0202442

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