Book part:

Virtual-Reality-Datenbrillen im Spannungsfeld zwischen Empathie- und Isolations-Maschinen

The distinction between natural and virtual reality is to be repealed by virtual reality technologies. Experiences in the virtual reality shall differ as little as possible from experiences in the non-virtual reality. Especially virtual reality glasses manage to produce a high immersion and strong feelings of presence. This is exactly what makes those glasses allegedly to empathy machines. They allow users to act directly from the perspective of an avatar. Users both cognitively and emotionally witness virtual contexts of action in which the avatar is embedded. This empathy generating, technically mediated adopting of perspective seems to be a pro-social media impact. This, however, is thwarted by the isolation arrangements, which are required for the use of virtual reality glasses to perceive digitally generated stimuli. This isolation, which is a basic condition for the use of virtual reality glasses, separates media users from their social context. So on the bottom of the line the ability to be empathic – which should actually be promoted – gets hindered.