Abstract
IN THIS FEATURE, we will try to describe the characteristics of current cyberpsychology research in Europe. In particular, CyberEurope aims at describing the leading research groups and projects running on the other side of the Ocean.
Empathy is a soft skill that allows individuals to understand and share the feelings of others. Scientists have shown that mirror neurons are responsible for empathy. 1 Empathy can cause a person to feel the pain of strangers or distant individuals as their own. In addition, research suggests that empathy plays a critical role in social cognition, enabling individuals to build trust and cooperate in complex social environments. 2 In an increasingly interconnected and diverse world, the development of empathy is essential. This skill helps not only in personal relationships but also in professional settings by facilitating communication and collaboration between individuals.
However, constant exposure to tragic images and stories provided by the media can have a desensitizing effect on empathy. 3 Despite being constantly informed about global crises, information saturation can lead to emotional disconnection. This phenomenon, often referred to as “compassion fatigue,” has been studied extensively, particularly among health care professionals and humanitarian workers, where the emotional toll of constant exposure to suffering can inhibit empathy. 4
Virtual reality (VR) is a powerful tool for enhancing empathy. VR’s immersive nature allows for a deep understanding of others’ perspectives and emotions. Exposure to virtual scenarios fosters a strong emotional connection and encourages reflection on the experiences of others. For example, studies have shown that VR experiences that simulate the perspective of marginalized groups or individuals suffering from specific hardships can significantly increase empathetic engagement and reduce prejudice. 5
Techniques such as biofeedback offer a promising approach to further enhance empathy in such scenarios. Biofeedback is a technique that allows individuals to view their physiological data, such as heart rate (HR) or skin perspiration, in real time. This allows the individual to understand how their body is responding to certain stimuli. Similarly, they can view another person’s physiological data to understand how that person is feeling at a given moment. This scenario enhances understanding and empathy in interpersonal interactions.
The “Virtual Echoes” Project
The main objective of this project is to develop an immersive VR application that enables the measurement, understanding, and enhancement of empathy through the direct experience of disaster situations. The application is designed to immerse users in catastrophic scenarios (such as natural disasters, fires, etc.) where they can realistically and emotionally experience the impact of such events. During this project, empathy will be measured by using the users’ physiological data (e.g., HR) and observing their emotional reactions. In addition, emotional understanding will be promoted through the telling of heartbreaking first-person stories. It is expected that the immersive capacity of VR will positively influence individuals’ emotional connection to the victims of these disasters. 3 Finally, the project aims to promote reflection, not only by understanding the impact of disasters but also by internalizing the importance of empathy in difficult situations.
The VR application will be structured in three levels, each designed to progressively immerse users in a disaster scenario and measure their empathetic response in different ways.
Level 1: Presentation of objective data
In this phase, users are provided with objective information about the disaster (e.g., meteorological data, quantitative data on the impact of the disaster, aerial images, or 360° videos of the affected areas, etc.), which gives them an overview of the scale of the event. During this stage, the physiological reactions of the users will be measured to see if the presentation of this data affects their emotions. To create this first layer, archival images, aerial footage of the affected area, or 360° video of specific locations could be used. Presenting objective data alongside visual content has been shown to elicit an emotional response by contextualizing the magnitude of disasters. 6
Level 2: Interaction in a Small-Scale Scenario
In this level, users will have the opportunity to explore a more intimate environment, such as a flooded home or damaged building. In this virtual environment, interacting with objects representative of the disaster (e.g., wet furniture, debris, personal belongings) will allow them to emotionally connect with the tragedy. From this level, users will have access to their own physiological data, allowing them to observe their real-time reactions to these situations. The development of this level will require a higher level of detail to ensure that users feel fully immersed. Depending on the scenario, stereoscopic 360° photos and videos could be captured to provide a 3D sensation. Photogrammetry of the site could also be performed, followed by virtual reconstruction using 3D modeling and realistic texturing programs. Incorporating personal objects has been found to elicit stronger empathetic responses, as these items symbolize emotional loss. 7
Level 3: Interview with a victim
The final level presents an interview with a disaster survivor who shares his firsthand experience. Through asynchronous interaction, the interviewee’s physiological data will be displayed alongside the user’s data to compare the emotions generated. An empathy indicator will allow the user to reflect on their emotional responses and level of connection with the survivor. At this level, the user should feel that the interviewee is speaking directly to them, making stereoscopic 360° video the most appropriate technology. 3 Both the individual’s physiological data and the empathy indicator are projected over the video.
The biofeedback system captures the user’s HR data in real-time and displays it live during Levels 2 and 3. In the final stage, the interviewee’s data will also appear asynchronously. This means that the data will be recorded in real-time during the interview but displayed when the individual uses the application. The application will compare the physiological data of both individuals to assess whether the user’s mirror neurons are responding similarly to the interviewee’s emotions. This data will generate an empathy indicator that will be available to the user at any time.
This application is not intended to serve as a stressor for individuals or to rely on sensationalism. At no point will compromising or graphic images be shown; instead, the focus will be on illustrating the consequences of various disasters, primarily on locations and physical objects. Throughout the process, users will be guided by a psychological professional and will be able to consult with them as needed.
Scenario Proposal: DANA in Valencia (Spain)—October 2024
The isolated high-level low-pressure system (known as DANA in Spanish) that affected the Community of Valencia (Spain) in October 2024 was one of the most devastating meteorological phenomena in the region in recent decades. Beginning on October 29, intense rainfall caused catastrophic flooding in several locations, particularly in the province of Valencia. The tragic toll of the DANA event was at least 215 deaths in the Valencian Community, with 211 victims in the province of Valencia. In addition, dozens of people were reported missing and numerous others were injured. The floods destroyed homes, damaged infrastructure and vehicles, and severely affected the local economy.
Given the significant impact of this event on Spanish society, the proposal is to develop a VR experience that allows individuals to experience firsthand the effects of this climatic disaster and its aftermath.
This scenario will include three levels, as described above. In the first level, general images and videos of the affected areas will be displayed, along with striking visuals of the consequences of the floods. In addition, objective data will be presented, such as maps to locate the most affected cities, statistics on casualties, missing persons, and injuries, and economic impacts. These resources will combine archival images and video with footage shot in the field.
The second level will digitally recreate the interior of a house destroyed by the DANA. Stereoscopic 360° video and photogrammetry of a real house will be conducted, and archival images of how houses and facilities looked after the flood will be used as references. Once all the references have been collected, the space and objects that the individual can interact with (e.g., photo albums or children’s toys) will be designed and modeled in 3D for greater immersion and familiarity. 8 These objects will help place the individual in a more personal context and attempt to convey how the family might have lived before the disaster and how they might feel after losing all their memories to water and mud.
Finally, on the third level, the individual will hear (and see) the first-person testimony of one of the DANA victims. The physiological information of the person telling the story will also be available, allowing the user to understand how HR relates to emotional states. This interview will be conducted prior to the creation of the second level to ensure that the scenario reflects the interviewee’s testimony as accurately as possible. In this way, the individual will feel a stronger emotional connection to the story by having virtually “been” in the setting described.
Expected Outcomes and Future Research Directions
This project aims to develop an innovative VR application to help individuals improve the soft skill of empathy. In addition, the application can serve as an educational tool to raise awareness about the impact of disasters.
The application will be developed by XRAI Lab, a team of virtual application development experts from the University of Burgos (Spain). The project will be supervised by a group of psychologists from the University Health Service of the same institution.
The development process is divided into several phases. Currently, the conceptual design phase has been completed, in which an initial scenario and the general interactions and narratives of the project have been defined. In the coming months, the first scenario will be developed, focusing on the DANA in Valencia. This scenario will include the three proposed levels, incorporating archival images, 360° videos, virtual reconstructions, and other necessary resources.
During this phase, the biofeedback system will also be developed and integrated into the application. In addition, questionnaires will be defined to measure both the initial empathy levels and the emotional state of the users. Next, a preliminary validation will be conducted with a group of users to identify technical bugs and fine-tune the immersive experience. Finally, a broader validation will be conducted with a diverse population, including citizens unaffiliated with the disaster, health care professionals, volunteers, and others to compare differences between groups.
Using the physiological data extracted from the application and the results from the questionnaires, patterns will be analyzed using artificial intelligence models. These patterns will provide deeper insights into how empathy works in such situations and will also help refine the empathy indicator discussed earlier. In the future, the possibility of extracting additional physiological data, such as eye-tracking or electrodermal activity, will be considered.
If the research yields promising results, the application could be extended to other social issues, such as migration, discrimination, or climate change. It could also serve as part of a professional soft skills training program or in educational settings, contributing to the development of psychosocial skills in various sectors.
This approach aims not only to implement an innovative short-term solution but also to lay the groundwork for ongoing research into new ways of promoting and measuring empathy in different contexts.
Footnotes
Author Disclosure Statement
The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.