jookeyman wrote:http://ww3.haverford.edu/psychology/ddavis/psych214/koltko-rivera_2005_VR-rev.pdf
Thanks for the thoughtful reply.
This study, however, is already ancient and antiquated. What they envision for 2025 has already been surpassed and coming to mass adoption by 2017.
The term “virtual reality” (VR) refers to an immersive simulation that involves relatively high verisimilitude. “In general ... the term virtual reality refers to an immersive, interactive experience based on real-time 3-D graphic images generated by a computer” (Pimental & Teixeira, 1995, p. 15, italics in original). “Our preferred definition is an immersive experience in which participants ... view stereoscopic or biocular images, listen to 3-D sounds, and are free to explore and interact within a 3-D world” (Pimental & Teixeira, 1995, p. 91).
This writer could not imagine that it would go beyond animation only 10 years ago. It has.
Whatever the technology used, it will be much cheaper than it is today; in constant dollars, the personal income that can afford a wide-screen television in 2005 will be able to afford a fully functional personal VR system in 2025. Some technology experts have predicted this level of technological sophistication to be available even sooner than 2025 (e.g., Kurzweil, 1999, pp. 202-218).
DONE and it's only 2015
In the future world that I have described, VR will place many impulses within reach of instant virtual gratification, with no immediate social or legal consequences. By doing this, VR will radically change some of the fundamental rules on which the game of life has been played throughout the entire length of human history.
The issue of impulse gratification is worth consideration by itself. Will the immediate gratification of impulses available on VR make people less capable of delaying gratification in the real world? Or, will the release of tension provided by gratification in the virtual world make people more capable of focusing on work and life in the real world?
That is a sociological question which is determined by how one is raised more than anything else.
The impulse for instant gratification existed before VR . Certainly
some will choose to stay in the alternative reality more than the real world. Not much different than choosing to be drunk all the time, imo.
How much more likely will it be the case that people will use VR to fulfill sexual needs, especially when haptic sensing and haptic feedback mechanisms become more highly developed?
MUCH more danger from sexbots in that area. Women may not be necessary in 10 years.
I consider robots to be AR (augmented reality) so when I say "VR" I"m actually including all forms of mixed reality. Nothing will stop it at this point.
A decrease in the rate at which marriages and family units are formed and maintained should be considered a major negative consequence.
Abortion is a bigger threat if someone is seriously concerned.
In the VR world of 2025, however, these opportunities will be considerably expanded. One may pick any tradition, of any time, existing in the real world or in the imagination, and try it on for size. For that matter, one may create one’s own tradition, and populate it with ritual, symbol, and virtual co-worshippers (either avatars of real world humans, or AI constructs).
No doubt this will come with social consequences, as well. Will real world spiritual communities decline as virtual private spiritual pseudo-communities flourish? Or, will people try on the virtual experience and find that they now want to engage the real world counterpart? Will people reconfigure worship communities in a distributed VR environment? Will people more easily change (i.e., convert) from the religious communities of their heritage? If so, what will that do to traditions that have added some stability to their communities for millennia?
Spirituality and religious deception are now off the chain! It is entirely possible to create a god and broadcast worldwide. I'm sure it's only a matter of months for that.
VR has the potential for massive psychosocial impact. It would be wise to take a proactive approach to the matter of VR’s psychosocial impact. One way to do this is for professionals both in VR engineering and in social science to cooperate in conducting research into the possible effects of this powerful, transformative technology.
Was a bit surprised by the things they didn't cover regarding this issue. But how could they, since it is already beyond what they imagined in half the time?
Your inner-ear is constantly keeping your balance. If you go into the matrix (especially animated) then an imbalance as you move in virtual space can cause you to get nauseous, like motion sickness. Beyond that, your brain is engaged in two realities at the same time; one is virtual and the other is in knowing you are not actually there. In the beginning, I found my brain fighting the virtual existence, and it gave me a dull headache after about 10 minutes.
But after a few uses, I was able to mentally "let go" and can stay in the matrix without a headache. These are issues that will quickly be resolved as more research is done, and the technology improves exponentially every day now.
There will be psychiatric dangers. I don't believe that will even slow VR down. It's coming fast now.
But again....we are already beyond what this writer envisioned for 2025
