Exploring Virtual Reality as a Potential Care Technology

ABSTRACT

Virtual reality or VR is a technology that uses computers to generate simulated worlds. It has been attracting attention lately as, for some, it represents a new frontier in communication, while others are far from convinced. This paper proposes a recasting of VR as a technology for “care ethics.” It draws on some examples of work in environmental communication and sister disciplines that show that VR has activated empathy and enabled novel perspective-taking when it comes to communicating environmental issues such as ocean acidification or deforestation. The article also includes a discussion of the opposite, or how VR can activate apathy and desensitize others towards the environment. In addition, two new ideas are presented: One is the idea of ⁣⁣environmental wounding or wounds incurred while doing environmental work and how VR could partially help offer some relief. The VIRAL framework, based on care ethics and reimagination, is also proposed. The essay also touches on broader implications for new technologies and how they can be used as tools of care to address environmental and social challenges.

KEYWORDS:

• Virtual reality
• environment
• communication
• empathy
• care
• apathy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

1 This claim is based on an examination of the term “virtual reality” in titles published in the Environmental Communication Journal from January 1, 2007 to October 7, 2023.