In recent years, computer simulations have been used to desensitize people suffering from a variety of phobias or generalized social anxiety. This paper describes experiments to assess the effectiveness of using voluntary facial gestures during these simulations as a way to reduce anxiety.
Experimental subjects were pretested to determine whether they experienced high or low levels of anxiety during social encounters. In the experiment, subjects were asked to force facial expressions (smiles or frowns) as simulated female and male characters approached on screen and spoke. After each session, subjects were asked to subjectively rate their mood, arousal, and feelings of dominance. Physiological measures of skin conductance were also taken during the simulated encounters.
The experiments confirmed that voluntary facial gestures had a significant effect on the subjects’ experience of the simulated social encounters. Subjective ratings and physiological measures gave consistent results. These outcomes were expected to match results from similar experiments using real-world social encounters. It was important to confirm that these well-known effects also occurred in simulated encounters, and this study did confirm that.
For many kinds of phobias (for example, a fear of flying), it is much more practical to conduct desensitization training in simulated environments. It is therefore important to assess the relative impact of simulated experiences on an experimental population. This paper adds significantly to that body of knowledge.