School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW, Australia.
Ann Behav Med. 2023 Jun 30;57(7):551-560. doi: 10.1093/abm/kaac081.
Social learning can be highly adaptive-for example, avoiding a hotplate your friend just burnt themselves on-but it has also been implicated in symptom transmission. Social learning is particularly pertinent given the rapid increase in the use of online mediums for social interaction. Yet, little is known about the social transmission of symptoms online or social chains extending further than a single model-observer interaction.
To explore whether socially induced symptoms could be propagated through a three-generation social transmission chain in an online setting.
We explored the social transmission of cybersickness following a virtual reality (VR) experience through online webcam interactions. One hundred and seventy-seven adults viewed a VR video in one of four links along a social transmission chain, after: viewing an actor model cybersickness to the VR video (First-Generation); viewing the First-Generation participant undergo VR (Second-Generation); viewing the Second-Generation participant undergo VR (Third-Generation); or naïve (Control).
Cybersickness was strongest in First-Generation participants, indicating social transmission from the model. This was mediated by expectancy and anxiety. Whether or not subsequent generations experienced cybersickness depended on what the observed participant verbally reported, which is consistent with social transmission.
Results demonstrate that symptoms can be readily transmitted online, and that expectancy and anxiety are involved. Although it is inconclusive as to whether symptoms can propagate along a social transmission chain, there is some evidence of protection from symptoms when a model who does not report any symptoms is observed. As such, this research highlights the role of social transmission in the modulation of symptoms through virtual mediums.
社会学习具有很强的适应性——例如，避免朋友刚刚烫伤自己的热板——但它也与症状的传播有关。鉴于在线社交互动的使用迅速增加，社会学习尤其相关。然而，对于在线症状的社会传播或不仅仅是单一模型-观察者相互作用的社会链知之甚少。
探讨在在线环境中，社会诱发的症状是否可以通过三代社会传播链传播。
我们通过在线网络摄像头互动，探讨了虚拟现实 (VR) 体验后网络不适的社会传播。177 名成年人在社会传播链中的四个链接之一观看了 VR 视频，链接如下：观看演员模型对 VR 视频的网络不适（第一代）；观看第一代参与者经历 VR（第二代）；观看第二代参与者经历 VR（第三代）；或天真（对照组）。
第一代参与者的网络不适最强，表明模型从社会传播。这是通过期望和焦虑来介导的。随后几代人是否经历网络不适取决于观察到的参与者的口头报告，这与社会传播一致。
结果表明，症状可以在线传播，并且涉及期望和焦虑。虽然尚不确定症状是否可以沿着社会传播链传播，但当观察到没有报告任何症状的模型时，症状会有一定程度的减轻。因此，这项研究强调了社会传播在通过虚拟媒介调节症状方面的作用。
