360º Virtual Scenario Method

The 360º Virtual Scenario Method research program aims to remedy some of the defects of the traditional written scenario (or “vignette”) method by employing immersive 360º video. This immersive method is based on the as­sump­tion that the commonly used written scenarios lack contextual detail and are unlikely to capture the more visceral and emotional aspects that surround real-world offending, which commonly occurs during “hot” and al­tered states of mind. Additionally, the ten-to-fifteen-line narrative of the standard scenario is unlikely to ade­quately reflect the complex reality of real-life decision-making situations and to realistically incorporate important nuances of social experience.

Rather than asking participants to imagine themselves in a specific situation on the basis of a short narrative, a virtual scenario perceptually immerses them in it. The 360º Virtual Scenario Method research program seeks to validate a stimulus set containing different immersive scenarios in a bar-room setting. Our current research fo­cuses on the effect of emotions and affective states, i.e., anger and sexual arousal, on aggressive behavior and bystander/guardianship behavior. Furthermore, we study the situational and dispositional characteristics that underlie both behaviors using in-VR and regular surveys, physiological measurements, and eye tracking.
 

MAXLab ABISS request form

Using Virtual Reality to Study Aggressive Behavior in a Barroom Setting

The effect of emotions on decision making is a fixture of daily life. Although some emotions, like fear, can sharpen senses and focus decisions, other affective states, like anger, can bias judgements and make people behave in a way that is not in their self-interest. This is because emotional experiences produce intense motivations towards goal-oriented be­hav­ior. A growing research literature suggests that, like the decision to engage in other risky be­hav­iors, the decision to engage in crime can likewise be influenced by emotional experiences. However, because crime cannot easily be examined in laboratory or real-world settings (for ethical and safety reasons), this research has been limited to the use of traditional survey methodology, which cannot capture the degree to which a po­ten­tial criminal actually experi­ences an emotional state within a criminal opportunity. In contrast, VR scenarios im­merse study participants in envi­ron­ments that more closely reflect “real‑world” settings where crimes occur. The focus of this project is to further explore the influence of two criminogenic emotions: anger and sexual arousal. To test the effect of these affective states on crime decisions, we are developing two virtual scenarios – one present­ing the opportunity to engage in a bar fight, the other presenting the opportunity to intervene to prevent a sexual assault. Our goal is to assess whether elements of the scenario induce emotional responses in our study partici­pants that subsequently shape behavioral intentions to act aggressively.

External projects that use MAXLab_ABISS

Institution: Cognitive and Decision Sciences University of Basel
Helping at a cost: Investigating age-related differences in personal safety decisions using virtual reality

This research project explores how aging influences personal safety decisions, particularly in prosocial scenarios involving risk. In this project, we leverage the MAXLab ABISS VR scenarios to immerse individuals in the role of a witness to an escalating harassment situation. Participants are asked to express their intentions to act, as well as provide reasons for their decisions. Concurrently, we record think-aloud protocols during the VR experience, which are analyzed using AI-driven natural language processing tools. This approach allows us to uncover deeper insights into participants’ perceptions of the scenarios, the influence of the VR method, and age-related differences in decision-making processes. Through this project, we aim to expand the empirical evidence base on the intersection of aging, prosocial behavior, and decision-making under risk. Additionally, by integrating cutting-edge VR simulations and AI analysis, we seek to contribute to methodological advancements that improve the ecological validity and precision of research in this field, paving the way for future innovation in aging and behavioral studies.

Institution: Medical School Hamburg
Empirical Evidence of Statement Validity Methods: Analyzing Mnemonic Consistency and Criteria-Based Content Analysis Using Virtual Reality

It is standard practice for legal psychologists assessing the experiential relevance of witness statements in cases of offenses against the sexual self-determination to base their expert reports on statement validity methods, such as criteria-based content analysis (CBCA) and mnemonic consistency analysis, next to additional analytical steps. However, empirical evidence for these methods has been partially heterogenous, or the methods have hardly or not at all been verified. In the past, researchers attempting to empirically verify statement validity methods were faced with the dilemma of having to choose between the empirical control of stimuli afforded by lab studies and the advantages presented by the generalizability of field studies. With traditional methods, there were only limited options of designing experimentally controlled stimuli that resemble real (sexual) victim experiences, feel personally relevant to test subjects, and thus ensure high internal and external validity. The pre-registered research project “Empirical evidence of statement validity methods: Analyzing mnemonic consistency and Criteria Based Content Analysis with virtual reality” (https://osf.io/vjt6f) makes use of the MAXLab ABISS “sexual harassment” scenario to explore the witness statements of adult women in the context of statement validity methods and their empirical evidence.

Selected Publications