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. 2021 Dec 14;11(1):23923.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-03373-x.

Self-observation of a virtual body-double engaged in social interaction reduces persecutory thoughts

Geoffrey Gorisse  1   2 , Gizem Senel  1   3 , Domna Banakou  1   3 , Alejandro Beacco  1 , Ramon Oliva  1 , Daniel Freeman  4 , Mel Slater  5   6
Affiliations

Self-observation of a virtual body-double engaged in social interaction reduces persecutory thoughts

Geoffrey Gorisse et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

The proportion of the population who experience persecutory thoughts is 10-15%. People then engage in safety-seeking behaviours, typically avoiding social interactions, which prevents disconfirmatory experiences and hence paranoia persists. Here we show that persecutory thoughts can be reduced if prior to engaging in social interaction in VR participants first see their virtual body-double doing so. Thirty non-clinical participants were recruited to take part in a study, where they were embodied in a virtual body that closely resembled themselves, and asked to interact with members of a crowd. In the Random condition (n = 15) they observed their body-double wandering around but not engaging with the crowd. In the Targeted condition the body-double correctly interacted with members of the crowd. The Green Paranoid Thoughts Scale was measured 1 week before and 1 week after the exposure and decreased only for those in the Targeted condition. The results suggest that the observation of the body-double correctly carrying out a social interaction task in VR may lead to anxiety-reducing mental rehearsal for interaction thus overcoming safety behaviours. The results also extend knowledge of the effects of vicarious agency, suggesting that identification with the actions of body-double can influence subsequent psychological state.

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Conflict of interest statement

DF is a co-founder and non-executive board member of Oxford VR, a University of Oxford spin-out company. MS is a co-founder of Virtual Bodyworks, a University of Barcelona spin-out company. All other authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The scenario (A) The square between the tall buildings showing the groups. (B) A participant sees her body-double in front of the mirror during the embodiment phase before it goes out to the crowd. (C) The participant interacting with one of the groups.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Scatter diagrams for the SUDS and SSPS_neg scores by condition (Random, Targeted). (A,B) Factor score ysudslate on ysudsearly. (C,D) Factor score ysudslate on SSPS_neg.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Scatter diagrams and regression lines of the post GPTS scores by the pre GPTS scores, by condition (Random, Targeted). (A, B) GPTS reference. (C, D) GPTS persecutory.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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