The Limited Benefits of Using Virtual Reality 360° Videos to Promote Empathy and Charitable Giving

Charitable organizations have embraced virtual reality (VR); however, scientific evidence supporting its effectiveness for social good often uses poor experimental methodology and finds inconsistent results. We conducted a rigorous randomized control trial testing whether 360 degrees video virtual reality increases empathy and charitable donations. Participants (N = 155) were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: (a) Classic: 360 degrees footage of child refugees, (b) Boost: the same, but with perspective-taking instructions, (c) Audiobook: a control condition with the same information about child refugees but in text format, or (d) Waiting Room: another control condition with a 360 degrees view of a waiting room. Although the Classic and Boost conditions increased emotional empathy compared to controls, they did not improve cognitive empathy more than the audiobook. Moreover, any empathic gains were mostly extinguished after 10 days. Critically, the Classic and Boost conditions did not influence charitable donations to a relevant charity (UNICEF). Therefore, charitable organizations may wish to tentatively reconsider their investment in 360 degrees videos as, although they appear to make people feel empathic in the moment, these feelings do not appear to translate into tangible action.