This got no reaction from my students so thought I would post it here during holiday break (well, some of us are on break). The news story was mentioned on tips, but I am just playing with the implications. I was trying to get student reactions to this because of their varied involvement in diverse online sites. I wonder too if clinicians are seeing folks/students with dissociative disorders tied to different "selves" that they present on myspace, Facebook, etc. How well do created avatars represent our selves or personalities?
Some thoughts on a prelim. news story about research where people are led to see and feel from someone else's perspective. My thoughts intended to elicit your comments: If we can be led to see and feel from each other's viewpoint then does this mean greater appreciation of that person's feelings and thoughts? Could I confuse your embodied viewpoint with my own? Could those prone to mental problems become even more screwed up with such experiences? If we exchange viewpoints then do I come to feel the expression of your personality? Don't we already have such experiences with online gaming, role-playing games, and the use of avatars? Do I not become my avatar? BTW, are such avatars a form of hyperspace immortality? If we capture and create an online log of me viewing/experiencing your world from your viewpoint can I say that I am now two selves? Do such experiences promote virtual mind-reading? See the news article and share your perspectives! http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/02/health/02mind.html?_r=1&nl=8hlth&emc=hltha1 Gary Gerald L. (Gary) Peterson, Ph.D. Professor, Psychology Saginaw Valley State University University Center, MI 48710 989-964-4491 peter...@svsu.edu --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly (bsouthe...@frostburg.edu)
