Societal Impact

Researchers at RECVEB are very concerned about the impact of immersive virtual environment technology as an increasingly mainstream entertainment technology. We have learned much about the societal impact of other entertainment technologies, most notably television and movies, especially in the areas of violence desensitization and education. However, nearly all of the research on the effects of television and movies has been done after these forms of entertainment were introduced and changing public policy on the basis of this research has been slow. Now, at the beginning of a new form of entertainment technology, we are in a position to gauge the impacts of virtual environment technology and guide public policy from the outset.