Cognition, criminal conduct, and virtual reality: Understanding and reducing offending using simulated environments

Abstract

Over the past years, research has shown that virtual reality (VR) technology can be used to observe, interpret, and change human behavior and cognition in a variety of domains. This chapter explores the potential of VR as a tool to observe, interpret, and change human behavior and cognition as they relate to antisocial behavior. We review the criminological research literature as well as research literature from related disciplines on VR applications that has focused on observing and reducing antisocial behavior. The main findings of our review suggest that the key merits of VR in the domain of crime and antisocial behavior are its ability to provide safe learning environments that would otherwise involve risk, the possibility of generating ethical and ecologically valid virtual alternatives for real-life situations, and the development of stimuli that are impossible to create in real life. These unique characteristics make VR a promising tool to observe criminal behavior as it takes place and develop intervention programs to reduce antisocial behavior.

Keywords: Antisocial behavior; Behavioral change; Cognition; Observation; Virtual reality.