The use of XR technology in criminological research:a scoping review

Objectives: Criminology has begun to use virtual reality (VR) as a tool to understand criminal behaviour. There have been many advances in VR that open up the possibility of novel research designs, in addition to the inclusion of augmented reality (AR) as a potential research tool. A review of the efficacy of the use of AR and VR (together known as XR) within criminology is now required to guide the further development of this field. Methods: We employed a scoping review, which after screening, incorporated 41 papers for review. Results: We uncovered three important characteristics for the papers: research topics for which XR is employed, the prominence of VR research over AR and XR and methodological rigour. VR is mostly employed for creating scenarios, in particular in research on memory and aggression. Studies vary greatly in their use of interaction within VR scenes, description of technical specifications and sample sizes. Conclusions: Despite the identification of some methodological limitations in the existing literature, VR has found its place in criminological research. With technological advancement, AR may also find its place in the future, allowing for the ongoing development of research applications. Creating comprehensive guidelines on how to use XR technology in criminology remains necessary.</p

Nudging purchase intention towards more secure domestic IoT:The effect of label features and psychological mechanisms

The domestic Internet of Things market is flooded with unsecure devices and yet, the demand rises. This study aimed to find ways for labels to nudge consumers into purchasing safer devices. Two studies were conducted, one with a Dutch student sample (N = 193) and one with a UK population sample (N = 278). Multiple labels were presented to participants to test potential effects of security degree (high vs. low), framing (positive vs. negative) and label type (grade format vs. informative format), in interaction with initial attitude towards smart devices and trust in the label, on purchase intention. Furthermore, we investigated the antecedents of trust in the label. Findings for both studies indicated significant positive effects of high security degree, positive framing, initial attitude and trust in the label on purchase intention. Both studies find that the positive effect of security degree on purchase intention was stronger when initial attitude was higher and when trust in the label was higher. The informative label was both more trusted and more preferred, so therefore recommended to be used. Overall, security information is effective in steering people towards purchasing safer IoT, and higher trust in the label increases the effectiveness of the label

Virtual burglary:exploring the potential of virtual reality to study burglary in action

Objectives: This article explores the potential of virtual reality (VR) to study burglary by measuring user responses on the subjective, physiological, and behavioral levels. Furthermore, it examines the influence of individual dispositions, such as sensation seeking and self-control, on behavior during a virtual burglary event. Methods: Participants, male university undergraduates (N ¼ 77), could freely move around a virtual neighborhood wearing a VR headset and using a game controller and were instructed to burgle one of the houses in the neighborhood. Participant movement, items stolen from the house, and heart rate (HR) were recorded throughout the burglary event. Individual dispositions were measured before, and subjective user responses were measured after, the event. Additionally, we experimentally varied whether there was an alarm sounding and participants’ beliefs about the chance of getting caught (deterrence). Results: Participants reacted subjectively to the burglary event by reporting high levels of presence in the virtual environment (VE) and physiologically by showing increased HRs. In terms of behavior, high deterrence resulted in fewer items being stolen and a shorter burglary. Furthermore, sensation seekers stole more valuable items, while participants high in conscientiousness stole fewer items. Conclusions: The results suggest that VEs have substantial potential for studying criminal behavior

Who does most of the work? High self‐control individuals compensate for low self‐control partners

Accomplishing goals with others can be troublesome. Some people may work extra hard while others do much less. When does this workload asymmetry occur? The present research investigates the role of perceived partners’ self-control in workload distribution. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that high self-control individuals work harder and compensate when they work together with low self-control partners. Results from two studies indicate that high self-control individuals are sensitive to their partners’ level of self-control and adjust their behavior accordingly (i.e., exerting extra effort) when working with them

Improving Password Strength through Coping Messages

We conducted an online experiment to test the effectiveness of security messages, based on the coping elements of the Protection Motivation Theory, to improve immediate password creation, the intention to create strong passwords after the study and behavioural change after four weeks

Personality pathways to aggression: Testing a trait-state model using immersive technology

Trait-state models aim to provide an encompassing view of offender decision-making processes by linking individual dispositions to proximal factors. In an experiment using an immersive virtual reality bar fight scenario, we propose and test a trait-state model that identifies the pathways through which robust personality correlates of aggressive behavior, that is, agreeableness, emotionality, and honesty-humility, result in intentions to aggress. Using structural equation modeling, we show how these personality traits relate to intentions to aggress via anger, fear, perceived risk, and anticipated guilt/shame. Additionally, we demonstrate superior validity of our virtual scenario over a written version of the same scenario by virtue of its ability to provide more contextual realism, to establish a stronger sense of presence, and to trigger more intense emotional states relevant to the decision situation. Implications for future decision-making research and theory are discussed