Authenticity in Virtual Reality for Autism: reassessing assumptions and rethinking research directions Seminar

Event details

Virtual Reality (VR) technologies have shown potential for learning and assessment for children, adolescents, and adults with autism. Much of the research in this area has taken a conceptual stance of veridicality; that is, that VR offers promise because it can provide authenticity and levels of realism alongside stimulus or environmental control, or both, which may first facilitate learning and the generalization of skills to the real world, and secondly can provide experimental contexts with strong ecological validity for assessment. This talk raises questions about the assumption of veridicality of VR for autism research by examining research literature that has used VR to support learning and to investigate social responding. The conclusions suggest there is a need for the field to systematically examine the different factors that influence responding in VR in order to understand when, and under what circumstances, the responses of individuals with autism can be considered appropriately authentic. There are also opportunities for thinking more radically about research directions by focusing on the strengths and preferences of people with autism, and promoting more participatory and inclusive approaches to research.