Exploring Racism in Immersive Virtual Reality: Understanding the Effects on Awareness and Engagement With Social and Racial Inequities
Abstract
Immersive virtual reality (IVR) may support meaning-making and learning related to race and racism. The present study explored the use of IVR in supporting awareness and engagement of systemic social and racial inequity in a White, liberal student sample (N= 95). Students were randomly assigned to a control condition (inactive, no-IVR) or treatment condition (IVR experience of racism from the perspective of a Black, male avatar). Social and racial awareness (systems justification, colorblindness) and engagement (empathy, intergroup anxiety) were assessed at three time points: Time 1 (Pre), Time 2 (Post, 2 weeks after Time 1 and immediately following the IVR experience), and Time 3 (Delayed—14 weeks after Time 2, following an anti-racism course completed by all participants). Compared to the control group, participants in the treatment condition reported a greater awareness of structural inequities in society and greater dispositional empathy at Time 2 (Post). At Time 3 (Delayed), following a 14-week anti-racism course completed by all participants, the differences observed between conditions at Time 2 (Post) were no longer statistically significant. Additional within-group analyses revealed delayed Time 3 (Delayed) effects for the control and treatment conditions. The study findings suggest that IVR can effectively enhance social and racial awareness in a sample of White, liberal students