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Computer Characters Tortured for Science
Rob Carr writes "Considered unethical to ever perform again with humans, researcher Mel Slater recreated the Milgram experiment in a immersive virtual environment. Subjects (some of whom could see and hear the computerized woman, others who were only able to read text messages from her) were told that they were interacting with a computer character and told to give increasingly powerful electric shocks when wrong answers were given or the 'woman' took too long to respond. The computer program would correspondingly complain and beg as the 'shocks' were ramped up, falling apparently unconscious before the last shock. The skin conductance and electrocardiograms of the subjects were monitored. Even though the subjects knew they were only 'shocking' a computer program, their bodies reacted with increased stress responses. Several of the ones who could see and hear the woman stopped before reaching the 'lethal' voltage, and about half considered stopping the study. The full results of the experimental report can be read online at PLoS One. Already, some (like William Dutton of the Oxford Internet Institute) are asking whether even this sanitized experiment is ethical."
So when does this come out for the Wii?
There are no loopholes. It's either legal or it's not.
Seriously! Who hasn't played Edgar Allen Poe with their Sims character, walling them into a room to see how long it would take them to die. ...or was that just me?
This kind of thing takes place in another "immersive virtual environment" every day.
Test subject Andrew "Ender" Wiggin was reported to say, "It took a while to master this VR, but I'm getting better. The simulated victim spills the beans 70% of the time now, but I want to try for 75%."
As copyright owner of this comment, I authorize everyone to defeat any technological measure which limits access to it.
A lot subtler than me. I didn't use Sims.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Avatars.
When they gave the test to Donald Rumesfeld it took three techs to pry the button out of his hand. They said it was the giggling that was really creepy.
...when computers have been granted rights, machines will be seeking some pretty heavy compensation for this experiment retroactively. I'd hate to be the grandkids of the experimenters who did this.
Doesn't it make you feel good to know that our freedoms are protected by politicans, lawyers and journalists.
The second group are double dipping! As you forgot the eigth group, I suggest that they do it with a chicken. A rubber chicken!
How we know is more important than what we know.
"I'm sorry Sir, we tricked you. That was just an actor in that booth, you didn't actually torture anyone to death."
..."
"What? You're kiding me, I don't believe it!"
"Really Sir, his name is John Row, he's a method actor from
"Lalalalala, I can't hear you."
"Sir? Sir?"
"God damn scientists, take away my fun."
How we know is more important than what we know.
As soon as I saw an electronic victim I would have just started jamming on the shock button as fast as I could until it died...just as an experiment. I would observe the response from the "authority". I'd note what he'd attribute my seemingly violent and malicious outburst to.
When he asks why I did it. I'll tell him it's the only way I can orgasm. [/Ichi]
I bet that'd throw his results off.
An auditor would ENJOY smacking the imps around.
So.. any chance of doing this with a Natalie Portman-looking virtual subject being tortured using hot grits? Just, um, curious.
"You just need someone who is an apparent authority to guide them and absolve them while they're doing it."
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