"Psychological Benefits of Walking in a Virtual Nature"
Friday June 29
9AM to 10 AM PST
By Benny Rigaux-Bricmont
"Can the benefits of nature walks for psychological well-being and
cognitive ability be replicated in a purely virtual environment? The
island of Natmoud was built in the virtual world of Second Life (
SL) to see whether immersion in such an environment is possibly therapeutic. Residents of
SL
were invited to visit Natmoud and comment in writing on their
experience while there. Reading and analyzing these comments with TROPES
semantic software allows us to identify the main factors contributing
to a relaxing and comforting atmosphere. The implicit hypothesis that a
virtual representation of nature can be soothing is confirmed. We also
find that wildlife – which is abundant on the island * –appears to be
the main feature that catches the attention of walkers. Given that these
verbatim transcripts from a small convenience sample reflect, with one
exception, the emotions felt by women, the results cannot really be
generalized. In the analyses, the anonymity of the avatars is preserved
by using initials, even though in all the cases the participants
consented to the reproduction of the emotions they expressed."
For more information,
Click Here.
Natmoud Island (
52/137/28)
* * * * *
"Updating Darwinian Evolution Part II: The Role of Sexual Selection"
Saturday June 30
9AM to 10 AM PST
By Dr. Stephen L. Gasior
"The most common conception of evolution is that the hardiest survive.
Darwin proposed another type of competition–that for mates within a
species. When competing for mating partners the ability to find the
right match and display your wares become important forces shaping the
evolution of physiology, chemistry, and the brain. This talk explores
the science of sexual selection in humans. Sexual selection has been
well established in animal species for half a century, but the ability
to study it in humans is relatively recent. Using the documentary The
Science of Sex Appeal as a scaffold, this talk helps us update Darwin’s
Theory of Evolution. "
For more information, Click Here.
The Science Circle (61/127/32)
