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Virtual Reality Could Influence People


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ScienceDaily (Nov. 6, 2012) — Internet-based interactive games and social media outlets have become intertwined with the physical realities of millions of people around the world. When an individual strongly identifies with the cyber representation of themselves, known as an avatar, the electronic doppelganger can influence that person's health and appearance, according to a University of Missouri researcher's study. Harnessing the power of the virtual world could lead to new forms of obesity treatment and help break down racial and sexual prejudices.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121106162152.htm

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Their finding is flawed; they claim it could be used to treat obesity, but a majority of games characters are athletic/muscular types (how many main characters in games are fat? very few) yet it hasn't curbed the obesity rate at all, while there are a few methods that are possible e.g a omnidirectional treadmill while you have VR goggles on so as you move in game you exercise, but very few people would be willing to use it during gaming.

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Their finding is flawed; they claim it could be used to treat obesity, but a majority of games characters are athletic/muscular types (how many main characters in games are fat? very few) yet it hasn't curbed the obesity rate at all, while there are a few methods that are possible e.g a omnidirectional treadmill while you have VR goggles on so as you move in game you exercise, but very few people would be willing to use it during gaming.

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Self-presence, or the degree to which users experienced their avatars as an extension of themselves, was found to predict the influence of the avatar on people's physical reality.

When a gamer creates a character to shoot things , it doesn't necessarily mean he or she defines him or herself with that online character. It's just a means to an end most of the time. Or like Word of Warcraft the game characters are not even human a lot of the times, so relating to it in a self-presence way is less evident.

This is different in games like Second Life, which they researched.

Also they are researching the possibilities of creating an online self to visualize a slimmer self. Which would be the sole purpose, not gaming.

Anyway, it's about more than obesity. The focus is also on sexual and racial prejuidices.

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I have played games all of my life, even now in my mid 20s i play alot more now than before, and Im on 150lbs at 5`8``

Its all about what you put in ur mouth

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