Scientific Shocker – Virtual Torture Hurts!
by Pixeleen Mistral on 03/01/07 at 1:12 pm
by Pixeleen Mistral, National Affairs desk
it hurts me to shock you when you answer incorrectly
While this may not be news to some of Second Life’s residents, researchers recently learned that administering imaginary electric shocks to a virtual reality characters creates significant distress for those applying the torture treatment – much as was found in earlier experiments with actors portraying the victims of the shock torture.
Mel Slater, a virtual reality researcher at University College London recently published a paper describing a virtual re-enactment of a 1960s experimental finding that people would administer apparently lethal electric shocks to a stranger at the behest of an authority figure. In the updated experiment, the recipient of the electric shocks is a VR character – yet the actions and responses of the experimental subjects was much the same as apparent torture to a real person.
In the paper, Mr. Slater states that, “our virtual Learner could never be confused with a real human. Her visual representation was not realistic, and her behaviours were as realistic as could be programmed with the resources available to us Nevertheless, there were evidently strong responses to her.” Strong responses to virtual characters should sound familiar to long time SL residents – what else would account for the sex scene in SL?
At press time it was unclear if any metaverse residents were playing amateur scientist on fellow citizens with potentially shocking results – but Linden Lab reminds us all that this is your world – your imagination so we suspect some residents are already studying “A Virtual Reprise of the Stanley Milgram Obedience Experiments” to pick up some tips. Now keep that electric cattle prod away from me.
Hiro Pendragon
Jan 3rd, 2007
This would imply other emotions are able to be empathized through Second Life as well.
Does that mean sex in SL is indeed real? hehheh
Lucy Tornado
Jan 3rd, 2007
Well, no doubt the CIA and the Geneva Conventions will be all over this. But for the rest of us…does SL Line Dancing lead to REAL WEIGHT LOSS? Does meditating on a cushion in SL lead to REAL ENLIGHTENMENT?
Mr. F
Jan 5th, 2007
I would shock the hell out of that toon and laugh at it’s reaction. This would be about as upsetting as killing NPC’s in Eve Online or WoW.
Brace
Jan 7th, 2007
I’m with Mr. F
Like gimme a break. How wimpy you gotta be to get all distressed over whatever “harm” yer doling out to pixels.
*chases after Pixeleen with a cattle prod*
YeeeeeHAW!!!
Bedevere Octagon
Jan 10th, 2007
Quote from Hiro Pendragon: “This would imply other emotions are able to be empathized through Second Life as well. Does that mean sex in SL is indeed real? hehheh”
Yes indeed, it can be for the participants. Granted the fear ov venerial diseases like pregnancies is greatly reduced. Many spouses of SL players are pretty pissed about this.
A lot of people would consider a married man having cyber sex to be cheating on his wife. The act does not always nee dto be physically performed for a law to be broken. Acting with intent is soemtimes enough to make a crime. It could be argued that watching a porn video is cheating.
The catch is that while we live in a physical world we have a slightly defective mechanism for translating it. This mechanism can be fooled easily with bright lights and so there can be confusion as to what is and isn’t real. So why can’t sex and love be transmitted through the words on a screen?
How else do you explain a love letter?