Exploring The Impact of Simulated Transfer of Sensory Experience on Social Behavior and Empathy

Abstract

Our social behavior and interpersonal actions, often seen as rational and controlled processes, are influenced significantly by many subconscious factors including low-level sensory perception. Many of our emotions, biases, and impulses are driven by the information we perceive from the world around us and within our own bodies. In this thesis, I propose methods for simulating the transfer of elements of first-person sensory experience between individuals, particularly interoceptive or internal-sensing experiences which are typically felt within an individual’s body and not communicated externally. Because interoceptive signals are not typically communicated between people, they may be able to avoid the uncanny valley of attempted mimicry of existing nonverbal communication elements, while offering the benefits of an innately close link to emotional perception and affect. The goal of this research is to begin exploring the impact of novel tools for perception-sharing on interpersonal understanding, relationships, and the general field of social perception.