Comments on: We Are Living in a Virtual World: Part 1

By: Lynn Carol Miller, Professor Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

Lynn Carol Miller, Professor Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 22:44:20 +0000

Since the early 1990′s, our scientific team has been developing and testing interactive interventions and media as a vehicle for reducing risky sexual behavior (especially for men who have sex with men). We’ve found in two longitudinal studies that these interactive technologies (using interactive videos) can be very effective for reducing risky sexual behavior over time in high risk populations. These engaging interventions address the factors (e.g., cognitions, emotions, lack of skills) that are related to riskier and safer decisions. There are somewhat different interventions for individuals by ethnicity (African-American; Latino; Caucasian). We are currently developing an interactive “serious game” with virtual avatars that are considered “intelligent” — these are special avatars (using artificial intelligence) that can be differentially programmed to have different important goals, beliefs, and so forth. Then the users (who create their own character) interact with other avatars on a date as they would in real life. This enables us to give users more personalized interventions as users learn to better address various challenging risk situations (where they may have made risky choices previously). The goal is to better optimize each individual’s virtual and subsequent real-life decision-making. This new serious game intervention, built on our earlier successful work, will be tested experimentally to see if participants at risk for contracting HIV reduce their risky behavior subsequently. If efficacious, it will be readily made available over the web nationally to our targeted populations as serious game interventions.

By: EzPrintSolutions

EzPrintSolutions — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 10:33:34 +0000

Its a pretty good idea to use virtual worlds for learning and even maybe virtual training in jobs etc soon. I assume its easily accepted since the generations up to those who are now in their 40′s would have been part of the video game generations. Atari, Commodore 64, etc and that’s one thing the video game generations have said at one time = ” these video games just keep getting better, can you imagine what they’ll be like in the future!” The video game generations expected the new technology to make it so that one day you play the video game from inside a virtual world. That technology has probably not explored even a remote percentage of what could be done, in my opinion.
http://www.ezprintsolutions.com

By: Felicita ( Real Life name) Lizzette Zenovka (Second Life name)

Felicita ( Real Life name) Lizzette Zenovka (Second Life name) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 20:03:57 +0000

In June 2007 I joined Second Life and I saw the opportunity to ue this virtual world as a venue to increase HIV Awareness, So thanks to Fleep Tuque the owner of Chilbo Community Building Project for providing me a building in which to house the SL HIV Prevention and Education Center in Madhupak. Since that time I had over 100 visitors to the center and have expanded the center to include information on STI’s and other Women Health issues. I have provided Risk Reduction Counseling to a few member of SL as well as Counseling to PLWH/A. In April 2008m,Ethan LeSabre (SL name)the manager of the AIDS Memorial Garden asked me to open the SL HIV Prevention and Education Annex which has been visited by at least 35 members of SL. Ethan and I are presently working on the developement of the Second Life HIV/AIDS Support Network Headquarters in Upadhyaya region. So, if you are a SL member or are planning to become a member please visit the sites mentioned above and drop me a note card and let me know what you think.