An outdoor adventure program for young adults with cancer: positive effects on body image and psychosocial functioning.

This study evaluated the psychological effects of an outdoor adventure program on young adult cancer survivors (ages 18-39). The 6-day adventure program included personal instruction and supervision on the basics of kayaking, surfing, or climbing. Compared to a wait-list control group, participants who took part in the program for the first time had improved (relative to pretest) body image, self-compassion and self-esteem, and less depression and alienation. Participants who took part for the second time, though also helped by the program in similar ways, were no better off psychologically than participants who took part for the first time. Possible explanations for the positive effects and their apparent short duration are offered.

Virtual superheroes: using superpowers in virtual reality to encourage prosocial behavior.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have shown that playing prosocial video games leads to greater subsequent prosocial behavior in the real world. However, immersive virtual reality allows people to occupy avatars that are different from them in a perceptually realistic manner. We examine how occupying an avatar with the superhero ability to fly increases helping behavior. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Using a two-by-two design, participants were either given the power of flight (their arm movements were tracked to control their flight akin to Superman's flying ability) or rode as a passenger in a helicopter, and were assigned one of two tasks, either to help find a missing diabetic child in need of insulin or to tour a virtual city. Participants in the "super-flight" conditions helped the experimenter pick up spilled pens after their virtual experience significantly more than those who were virtual passengers in a helicopter. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that having the "superpower" of flight leads to greater helping behavior in the real world, regardless of how participants used that power. A possible mechanism for this result is that having the power of flight primed concepts and prototypes associated with superheroes (e.g., Superman). This research illustrates the potential of using experiences in virtual reality technology to increase prosocial behavior in the physical world.