Virtual Reality; A solution to Real
World Problems?
Today, there are many bizarre and unsafe sounding
ways to lose weight by avoiding healthy eating habits and exercise. Some of
these risky methods include extreme diets consisting of nothing but cranberry
juice for a week, taking dangerous weight loss pills, and even ingesting tape
worms. What if you could instantly obtain the motivation to lose weight
naturally, by simply visiting a website? Studies from an article called “Virtual
Reality Could Help People Lose Weight, Fight Prejudice” show that by using
certain online-gaming websites, users are actually gaining more positive views on
their appearances, which is promoting healthy decisions such as weight loss.
When someone accesses this type of gaming websites, they choose an avatar to represent themselves. An avatar is a digitalized and customizable person which takes on the role of symbolizing the user in the gaming world. As the gamer uses this avatar, they start to envision themselves as having the appearance of the avatar. By using an avatar, it takes very little risk and effort to change one’s appearance drastically.
Although the use of an avatar does not truly change what the user looks like, it can make them feel more attractive, give them the motivation to improve themselves, or even allow one to eliminate racial or sexual prejudice. By allowing the user to change their race or gender, it allows one the ability to test out what it is like to be the member of another race or sex.
My thoughts on this article are that the use of avatars is a very positive influence for many who are struggling with self-image issues, but could also become a negative influence, causing people to go to extremes to become like their avatars. People today can become obsessed with the goals of obtaining “perfection”, and those who idolize false images such as avatars might drive themselves into dangerous habits to get that perfect look their avatar has. I think that the future potential of this discovery could be that it leads to technological advances in the therapy field. A virtual reality program could be developed in the future allowing one to improve their views on their appearance by using avatars in a controlled way. It would take a lot of researching and testing in order to complete a safe and effective virtual reality self-therapy system, but I have faith in our technologically innovative society in doing so.
When someone accesses this type of gaming websites, they choose an avatar to represent themselves. An avatar is a digitalized and customizable person which takes on the role of symbolizing the user in the gaming world. As the gamer uses this avatar, they start to envision themselves as having the appearance of the avatar. By using an avatar, it takes very little risk and effort to change one’s appearance drastically.
Although the use of an avatar does not truly change what the user looks like, it can make them feel more attractive, give them the motivation to improve themselves, or even allow one to eliminate racial or sexual prejudice. By allowing the user to change their race or gender, it allows one the ability to test out what it is like to be the member of another race or sex.
My thoughts on this article are that the use of avatars is a very positive influence for many who are struggling with self-image issues, but could also become a negative influence, causing people to go to extremes to become like their avatars. People today can become obsessed with the goals of obtaining “perfection”, and those who idolize false images such as avatars might drive themselves into dangerous habits to get that perfect look their avatar has. I think that the future potential of this discovery could be that it leads to technological advances in the therapy field. A virtual reality program could be developed in the future allowing one to improve their views on their appearance by using avatars in a controlled way. It would take a lot of researching and testing in order to complete a safe and effective virtual reality self-therapy system, but I have faith in our technologically innovative society in doing so.
