Ever wonder what it would find like to be the humanity ’s most famous Austrian analyst — and break down yourself at the same time ? A group of scientist sample to reply that inquiry recently by putting subjects into a virtual reality invigoration of Sigmund Freud ’s torso and get them give themselves psychological advice .
concord toScience Daily , the researchers designed the study to tuck information about how the perception of being in someone else ’s body affects the way we remember . They enlisted depicted object in pauperism of specific psychological advice , then “ transform ” them into Freud with advanced virtual realness devices . In the study , subject first body forth practical reality incarnation of themselves , and described their problem to Freud . Then , they switched to Freud ’s body , and assay to answer their own questions . Finally , back in their own VR bodies , they listened to Freud ’s recorded response — which , of course of action , was their own response , with a slightly change voice .
The study , published inNature Scientific Reports , found that subjects had a more positive reply to their own advice when it came from the VR Freud avatar . When subjects simply talked out issues as themselves , they found the advice less efficient .
harmonise to the researchers , the feeling of embodying someone we see as authoritative involve the way we find and cerebrate about ourselves . But there ’s one arrest — the illusion need to be everlasting . version of the study in which Sigmund Freud ’s movements were not perfectly synchronize with subjects ’ broke the illusion and nullified the shock of his advice . According to the study , “ this form of substantiate position pickings can conduce to sufficient insularity from customary way of cerebrate about personal problem , so as to improve the consequence , and demonstrates the power of virtual body possession to set up cognitive change . ”
Researchers specifically chose Freud for their study because of his renown . consort to research worker Sofia Adelaide Osimo , “ Freud was not only plant to be very authoritative and well - known , but his image prove also to be highly recognizable and prototypical . " The thought that simply “ feel like Sigmund Freud ” can bear upon our self - perceptual experience is powerful ; though the researcher have n’t announced plan for more renown - embodiment experiments , it ’s interesting to conceive of future subject on how we react to embodying other capital thinkers or medium personalities .
[ h / t : Science Daily ]
