Derby's unconscious 'green' thoughts revealed
Academics at the University of Derby are using the virtual reality platform Second Life to gauge people's unconscious attitudes towards 'green' issues such as recycling.
Psychologist Simon Bignell and Environmental management academic Rosemary Horry have created an 'Eco House' setting in Second Life where volunteers will be asked to take part in exercises which challenge their attitudes and beliefs towards environmental issues.
The pair have secured funding from the Higher Education Academy to run the Education for Sustainable Development project. The scheme will offer online tutorials and problem-based tasks for students to complete this academic year.
Using 3D virtual avatars and buildings, the project will help to highlight the motivational and behavioural factors that affect sustainability in areas such as recycling and energy efficiency.
Bignell said: "Second Life is an excellent platform for psychologists in particular to assess people's attitudes and beliefs to different issues.
"Some people, for example, say they recycle material but actually they don't, and we hope this technology can help discover what the barriers to change are."
