Trying Another Pair of Shoes

People suffering from depression and anxiety disorders can often face additional hardships from the outside world – stigmatization and lack of empathy from others.

“People who are mentally healthy grossly underestimate the severity of clinical depression and anxiety, attributing it to a lack of willpower,” a pair of Radford University researchers recently wrote.

But how can someone actually get a true sense of how anyone else actually thinks or feels?

A new project, undertaken by Assistant Professor of Marketing Luke Liska and psychology major Josh Shimp, hopes to address that question through virtual reality (VR) technology.

It’s called “Walking in Stigmatized Shoes” and takes the form of a game in which the player, following color-based clues, attempts to determine the paths a perpetually floating ball will take.

At the same time, orchestrated elements complicate that task – light levels and the floor design periodically change, and a disembodied voice offers mild criticisms.

“We’re not replicating the feeling of being depressed or having anxiety,” Liska explained. “We’re simulating the potential challenges and distractions one might encounter when managing simple tasks under the influence of anxiety or depression.”

Liska and Shimp hope to introduce at least 30 or more participants to the game and survey them after the experiment.

They have three primary questions they hope to answer: Can virtual reality effectively simulate the hardships of mental illness? Does experiencing the stress of the game affect the player's empathy? And can the simulation help counteract contemporary stigmas?

In order to do this safely, they’ve devised a survey to select suitable candidates for testing, using a standard scientific inventory to identify symptoms of depression and anxiety in applicants.

Liska and Shimp will soon present their work to Radford University’s Institutional Review Board for evaluation. If it’s approved, the duo hopes to proceed during the spring semester.

Shimp, from Damascus, Maryland, is a Highlander Research Rookie and was recruited into the project to supervise data entry and behavioral analyses.

“I've done research since my sophomore year of high school,” he said. “That's one of the reasons I chose Radford, because they love research.”

As a child, Shimp was diagnosed with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder.

“That’s why I thought of having a VR game, to show people what it feels like, because I think if they were to see the lights as bright as I do, and hear the sounds as loud as I hear them, they’d understand a little better,” Shimp said.

Liska is hopeful “Stigmatized Shoes” will have that effect on an even broader level.

“This project is focused not just on research but also how we can more broadly impact our community and possibly beyond,” he said. “We’re really focused on having a positive societal impact.”