1. Shooter Bias in Virtual Reality: The Effect of Avatar Race and Socioeconomic Status on Shooting Decisions
- Author
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Jessica J. Good, Tabitha C. Peck, and Katharina R. Seitz
- Subjects
Race (biology) ,Atmospheric measurements ,Applied psychology ,ComputingMilieux_PERSONALCOMPUTING ,Law enforcement ,Virtual reality ,Psychology ,Socioeconomic status ,Object (philosophy) ,Task (project management) ,Avatar - Abstract
Shooter bias has been extensively studied in desktop environments, however research in more immersive environments is lacking. We evaluated the effects of target race and perceived socioeconomic status using a 2(target race: Black or White) x 2(target SES: low or high) x 2(target object: gun or cellphone) within-subjects design. Participants (N=50) completed 160 trials. We found evidence that shooter bias exists in virtual reality. More data is needed to strengthen conclusions. Virtual reality fills an important gap in shooter bias research, as it increases the realism of the task and provides a potential avenue for police training.
- Published
- 2020
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