Monday, August 04, 2008
Researchers torture females for science
Experiment carried out by Professor Mel Slater of Catalan Polytechnic University, but he's replaced the fake "real" torture victims with real virtual victims.
But here's the interesting part. In 2006, when the UK did 'Milgram' again also using female subjects, the UCL team conclude their test subjects reacted on "the subjective, behavioural and physiological levels as if it were real in spite of their knowledge that no real events were taking place." Measurements of heart rate and heart rate variability showed they reacted as though the situation was real. They were just as aware and worried they were doing wrong, but shocked the female anyway.
IMO: According to the "New Scientist" anyway. But as I have said before in this blog, the virtual reality results in psych experiments are often surprising. On the face of it, this result is surprising, and makes it look as if people empathise with robots as much as with each other. The simple answer, after two world wars and the more expensive Iraq/Bush escapade, is that the unfortunate appearance is perhaps that Westerners at least do not empathise with either people or robots. I could believe that, and could believe that their so called 'feelings' are sentimental tripe.
Experiment carried out by Professor Mel Slater of Catalan Polytechnic University, but he's replaced the fake "real" torture victims with real virtual victims.
But here's the interesting part. In 2006, when the UK did 'Milgram' again also using female subjects, the UCL team conclude their test subjects reacted on "the subjective, behavioural and physiological levels as if it were real in spite of their knowledge that no real events were taking place." Measurements of heart rate and heart rate variability showed they reacted as though the situation was real. They were just as aware and worried they were doing wrong, but shocked the female anyway.
IMO: According to the "New Scientist" anyway. But as I have said before in this blog, the virtual reality results in psych experiments are often surprising. On the face of it, this result is surprising, and makes it look as if people empathise with robots as much as with each other. The simple answer, after two world wars and the more expensive Iraq/Bush escapade, is that the unfortunate appearance is perhaps that Westerners at least do not empathise with either people or robots. I could believe that, and could believe that their so called 'feelings' are sentimental tripe.
# posted by uv : 10:42 AM
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