Daniel Freeman, a researcher at the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College London, is leading a project that uses virtual public transportation to understand the nature of paranoia and social perception. Two hundred volunteers participated in the initial study, which monitored their reactions to the sights and sounds of a normal underground ride.
The test subjects’ interpretations of the same stimuli–passing glances from other passengers, for instance–give researchers a better understanding of both the prevalence of paranoia in Britain and the specific ques that trigger paranoid ideation, as well as background factors such as mood and physical health that can make the condition worse. While giving insights into how paranoia functions, Freeman and his colleagues hope that eventually the virtual reality tube ride can be used to enhance treatment.
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. Historian Shae Davidson's research interests include public policy and the relationship between culture and civil society. His publications range from articles on industrial history to absurdist poetry.
