EBSCO-Metadata-12_15_2024

Overview of the Study

  • Title: The influence of Survivor stories and a virtual reality representation of a residential school on reconciliation in Canada.

  • Publication Date: June 1, 2024.

  • Authors: Katherine B. Starzyk, Iloradanon H. Efimoff, Katelin Helene Siemens Neufeld, Andrew Woolford, Aleah S. M. Fontaine, James E. Young, Andrea Bunt, Jessica Trickey, Struan Sinclair, Adam Muller.

  • DOI: 10.3389/frsps.2024.1346101.

  • Published In: Frontiers in Social Psychology.

  • Peer-Reviewed: Yes.

Context and Importance

  • Indigenous Peoples in Canada have faced numerous genocidal efforts, notably through residential schools.

  • There is a growing movement across Canada to enhance critical historical education regarding the impact of residential schools, utilizing various methods of education from academic to experiential.

Research Design and Methodology

  • Participants: 241 non-Indigenous individuals participated at baseline and intervention, with 132 remaining for follow-up evaluations.

  • Conditions Tested:

    • Virtual Reality Condition: Participants engaged in a virtual reality representation of a residential school experience.

    • Transcript Condition: Participants read transcripts detailing narratives from the residential school environment.

    • Control Condition: Participants received no intervention.

  • Time Points: Assessment occurred at three different time points:

    1. Baseline

    2. Immediately after intervention

    3. Follow-up assessment to gauge persistence of effects.

Key Findings

  • Participants exposed to the virtual reality representation showed increases in:

    • Empathy towards Indigenous people.

    • Feelings of political solidarity with Indigenous communities.

    • Increased outgroup warmth (affection towards individuals outside their own group).

  • The virtual reality intervention provided greater increases in privity (immediate emotional engagement) as compared to the transcript condition.

  • While both educational approaches initially improved attitudes, the appreciation for these impacts diminished over time, highlighting the necessity for continual engagement in historical education to sustain these benefits.

Implications and Future Directions

  • This study expands the existing literature on critical historical education by demonstrating the efficacy of immersive virtual reality in fostering emotional and civic engagement.

  • Future research should explore methods to sustain and deepen the impact of educational interventions over time, potentially integrating ongoing training or reflective practices for participants.