Virtual Human Interaction Lab

  Worn out by your current reality? Do we have a program for you on Friday! Virtual Reality has begun to permeate our everyday lives, and will continue to do so as the consumer VR industry grows. But what are the implications of engaging in virtual reality media and how do they compare to our traditional media experiences? Stanford's Virtual Human Interaction Lab has striven to answer these questions and more for the past 13 years. At VHIL, they study the ways in which VR changes how we think and behave and how VR experiences are different from other types of media like television, film, video games, etc. Most of their research focuses on encouraging prosocial behavior, empathy, environmental behavior, and, in general, things that produce a positive impact on individuals or the world at large. Shawnee Baughman will give a brief synopsis of what VR is and how the technology has evolved; then she will delve into some of VHIL's specific research regarding empathy and environmentalism before introducing one of VHIL's researchers, Fernanda Herrera, who will speak about an opportunity for audience members to sign up to participate in one of their studies. After the meeting is adjourned, Shawnee and Fernanda will have some VR demos setup nearby for anyone to try.
To learn more about VHIL, check out vhil.stanford.edu

  Shawnee Baughman holds a BA in Communication and an MA in Media Studies, both from Stanford University. She conducted her Honors and Masters theses projects at Stanford's Virtual Human Interaction Lab, where she studied how positive VR experiences can impact prosocial behavior in real life. Shawnee graduated from her Masters program in 2014 and subsequently became the Lab Manager for VHIL, helping to create and study dozens of virtual environments. She resigned her post at the lab this month and is now Senior Operations Associate for an upcoming VR company in Menlo Park, STRIVR Labs.

  Fernanda Herrera holds a BS in Psychology from the University of Texas in Austin and is currently a PhD candidate in the Department of Communication at Stanford. Fernanda's research interests focus on the psychosocial effects of new media and technology as well as the cognitions and perceptions experienced while interacting with new media. She is currently conducting several studies at VHIL that focus on the effects of interacting in virtual environments as they pertain to empathy, social interaction, and embodiment.