Credit: Scientific Reports
Can’t take your own advice? What if you were someone else?
A recent study from the University of Barcelona found that having a personal conversation with oneself simulating Sigmund Freud significantly helped people’s moods. People are always better at giving advice to their friends as opposed to talking their own advice. It makes people feel good about themselves that they could help someone else out. It also helps people to see the bigger picture, especially when the problem does not involve themselves.
Researchers found that when people talk to themselves as if they are another person, it really helps them sort through their minor problems. By adopting a different body using virtual reality, it changes our behavior, attitude, and perception of things going on around us.
The study was trying to figure out what was more effective: talking about your problems and then body switching as if you were Sigmund Freud and responding, or talking about your problem and then hearing scripted responses from Freud. People had an avatar created so they could visually see and hear a live conversation with themselves. When they switched over to Freud, they would have the same appearance that he did and whatever advice they gave to themselves would be disguised in Freud’s voice. The results were staggering.
80% of people in the body-swapping group felt much better about themselves and saw an increase in their mood. 50% of people in the control group who received automated answers from Freud said that they felt better. The people in the body-swapping group were able to get a better understanding of what was going on and felt like they could get control over the situation.
This method could prove very beneficial to clinicians as part of their therapeutic practices. If people have access to virtual reality devices at home, they could perform this practice in the comfort of their own living rooms.
