Observing heroic behavior and its influencing factors in immersive virtual environments

doi:10.1073/pnas.2314590121

PSYCH OpenIR

	Observing heroic behavior and its influencing factors in immersive virtual environments
	Jin, Kelou 1,2; Wu, Jie 1,2; Zhang, Ran 1,2; Zhang, Shen 1,2; Wu, Xiaoyan 1,2; Wu, Tingting 3; Gu, Ruolei 4,5; Liu, Chao 1,2,6,7,8
通讯作者	Gu, Ruolei(gurl@psych.ac.cn) ; Liu, Chao(liuchao@bnu.edu.cn)
摘要	Studying heroism in controlled settings presents challenges and ethical controversies due to its association with physical risk. Leveraging virtual reality (VR) technology, we conducted a three - study series with 397 participants from China to investigate heroic actions. Participants unexpectedly witnessed a criminal event in a simulated scenario, allowing observation of their tendency to physically intercept a thief. We examined situational factors (voluntariness, authority, and risk) and personal variables [gender, impulsivity, empathy, and social value orientation (SVO)] that may influence heroism. Also, the potential association between heroism and social conformity was explored. In terms of situational variables, voluntariness modulated participants' tendency to intercept the escaping thief, while perceived risk demonstrated its impact by interacting with gender. That is, in study 3 where the perceived risk was expected to be higher (as supported by an online study 5), males exhibited a greater inclination toward heroic behavior compared to females. Regarding other personal variables, the tendency to engage in heroic behavior decreased as empathy levels rose among males, whereas the opposite trend was observed for females. SVO influenced heroic behavior but without a gender interaction. Finally, an inverse relationship between heroism and social conformity was observed. The robustness of these findings was partly supported by the Chinese sample (but not the international sample) of an online study 4 that provided written descriptions of VR scenarios, indicating cultural variations. These results advance insights into motivational factors influencing heroism in the context of restoring order and highlight the power of VR technology in examining social psychological hypotheses beyond ethical constraints.
关键词	heroic behavior virtual reality perception empathy social conformity
	2024-04-23
语种	英语
DOI	10.1073/pnas.2314590121
发表期刊	PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
ISSN	0027-8424
卷号	121 期号:17 页码:7
收录类别	SCI
资助项目	Scientific and Technological Innovation 2030-Major Projects[32271092] ; National Natural Science Foundation of China[32271092] ; National Natural Science Foundation of China[32130045] ; National Natural Science Foundation of China[32071083] ; National Natural Science Foundation of China[32020103008] ; Major Project of National Social Science Foundation[19ZDA363]
出版者	NATL ACAD SCIENCES
WOS关键词	SOCIAL VALUE ORIENTATION ; PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOR ; SEX-DIFFERENCES ; HELPING-BEHAVIOR ; REALITY ; GENDER ; WOMEN ; CONFORMITY ; VIOLENCE
WOS研究方向	Science & Technology - Other Topics
WOS类目	Multidisciplinary Sciences
WOS记录号	WOS:001222975200002
资助机构	Scientific and Technological Innovation 2030-Major Projects ; National Natural Science Foundation of China ; Major Project of National Social Science Foundation
引用统计
文献类型	期刊论文
条目标识符	https://ir.psych.ac.cn/handle/311026/49358
通讯作者	Gu, Ruolei; Liu, Chao
作者单位	1.Beijing Normal Univ, State Key Lab Cognit Neurosci & Learning, Beijing 100875, Peoples R China 2.Beijing Normal Univ, Int Data Grp, McGovern Inst Brain Res, Beijing 100875, Peoples R China 3.Capital Normal Univ, Sch Psychol, Beijing Key Lab Learning & Cognit, Beijing 100048, Peoples R China 4.Chinese Acad Sci, Key Lab Behav Sci, Inst Psychol, Beijing 100101, Peoples R China 5.Univ Chinese Acad Sci, Dept Psychol, Beijing 100049, Peoples R China 6.Beijing Normal Univ, Ctr Collaborat & Innovat Brain & Learning Sci, Beijing 100875, Peoples R China 7.Beijing Normal Univ, Beijing Key Lab Brain Imaging & Connect, Beijing 100875, Peoples R China 8.Beijing Normal Univ, Fac Psychol, Natl Demonstrat Ctr Expt Psychol Educ, Beijing 100875, Peoples R China
推荐引用方式 GB/T 7714	Jin, Kelou,Wu, Jie,Zhang, Ran,et al. Observing heroic behavior and its influencing factors in immersive virtual environments[J]. PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,2024,121(17):7.
APA	Jin, Kelou.,Wu, Jie.,Zhang, Ran.,Zhang, Shen.,Wu, Xiaoyan.,...&Liu, Chao.(2024).Observing heroic behavior and its influencing factors in immersive virtual environments.PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,121(17),7.
MLA	Jin, Kelou,et al."Observing heroic behavior and its influencing factors in immersive virtual environments".PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 121.17(2024):7.