Seeing Is Not Thinking: Testing Capabilities of VR to Promote Perspective-Taking.

Virtual Reality (VR) technologies offer compelling experiences by allowing users to immerse themselves in simulated environments interacting through avatars. However, despite its ability to evoke emotional responses, and seeing 'through the eyes' of the displayed other, it remains unclear to what extent VR actually fosters perspective-taking (PT) or thinking about others' thoughts and feelings. It might be that the common belief that one can "become someone else" through VR is misleading, and that engaging situations through a different viewpoint does not produce a different cognitive standpoint.