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 Jeremy Bailenson  Jeremy Bailenson is an American communication professor at Stanford University. Jeremy Bailenson is most known as the founding director of Stanford University’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab. However, Jeremy Bailenson’s work surrounding the psychology of Virtual and Augmented Reality is world renown. His work has appeared in multiple publications such as: the Washington Post, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, Slate, and the San Francisco Chronicle. Bailenson is very passionate about his work and believes in its benefits for society.

Education Jeremy Bailenson graduated cum laude in 1994 from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts. Following graduation, Bailenson continued his education and went on to receive a Ph.D from Northwestern University (1999) in cognitive psychology. Upon completing his studies, Bailenson worked as a Post-Doctoral Fellow and Assistant Research Professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara before moving on to where he currently works today. Jeremy Bailenson currently functions as a Professor of Communication, Education, and Program in Symbolic Systems at Stanford University. Bailenson is also “a Senior Fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment, and a Faculty Leader at Stanford’s Center for Longevity”. Along with his various job titles, Bailenson is able to produce his own studies through the Virtual Human Interaction Lab. There, he works with team members to conduct studies that measure virtual realities influence on human perception.

Career Bailenson’s work centers around the psychology of Virtual and Augmented Reality. In this field of study, Bailenson applies his education of cognitive psychology to study human communication. The National Science Foundation has funded Bailenson’s work for 15 years and with that, Bailenson currently studies how technology and online realities influence human relationships. His work with virtual reality focuses on how this change in perception can influence people’s levels of empathy, environmental conservation health, and education.

His first level of studies assesses virtual realities influence on levels of empathy. Bailenson’s theory for the correlation between the two centers around the idea of walking in another person’s shoes. Meaning if a person were to put on a virtual reality headset and “physically” walk in someone else shoes, they would become more empathetic. Bailenson theorizes this specific work could alter the minds of racists, criminals, or any other extremely biased individual. In one specific study, two experiments were conducted measuring participants empathy towards homeless people through perspective taking in virtual reality. Results found those more immersed in the virtual world were more likely to show higher signs of empathy- by signing petitions, than those who had not.

Jeremy Bailenson also studies whether or not virtual reality can have a positive influence on environmental conservation. Similar to his ideas on empathy, Bailenson theorizes that humans have to physically see how damaging certain things are to the environment if there is ever going to be a change. Bailenson and his team have developed many helpful resources through Stanford’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab. For example, his lab developed a virtual reality game where users can interact to learn about ocean acidification.

The third component of Jeremy Bailenson’s work on Virtual and Augmented Reality surrounds the topic of health and education. Studies have shown that the use of virtual reality has positively benefitted mental health, specifically mental retention. This is not only beneficial for overall health, but also for the job industry. Bailenson theorizes that virtual reality will soon become the sole way individuals will be trained for any type of job. Specifically, Bailenson’s studies show that people can overcome mental ailments or train to become a surgeon. Jeremy Bailenson life’s work can be seen in his hundreds of published academic journals and two novels: Infinite Reality and Experience on Demand. Publications Jeremy Bailenson has published hundreds of academic papers in various credible journals. Specifically, Bailenson has been published in Science, the Journal of American Medical Association, and PLoS One. Bailenson has also written two books, Infinite Reality and Experience on Demand. Infinite Reality was written by Jeremy Bailenson and co-author Jim Blascovich. For eight years their book was recognized as one of Amazon’s bestsellers. Infinite Reality references Bailenson’s work as to how virtual reality influences human relationships and perspectives. It is meant to act as a guide as society enters an even more virtual and technological age Infinite Reality was also cited in the Supreme Court to discuss the importance of interactive means. Bailenson’s second book, Experience on Demand, is his most recent novel produced. This book is the culmination of all of Bailenson’s studies over the last twenty years. Experience on Demand summarizes the psychological effects that virtual reality has been shown to have on people. This book also instructs readers how to navigate this virtual world and why it can be beneficial. Bailenson references his studies on increased levels of empathy, practicality with education and training, and environmental conservation.

Awards and Recognitions Jeremy Bailenson was granted the Dean’s Award for Distinguished Teaching at Stanford. He was also recognized in 2020 for his work with “The Virtual/Augmented Reality Technical Achievement Award”. As previously mentioned, Jeremy Bailenson’s co-authored first book, Infinite Reality, was one of Amazon’s Bestsellers for eight years following its publication date. Infinite Reality was also cited by the U.S Supreme Court. Bailenson’s second novel, Experience on Demand, was recognized and reviewed by many credible news sources. Some of these sources include The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.

Stanford’s University’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab has been publicly recognized and displayed at countless locations with a permeant one residing at the San Jose Tech Museum. Other locations include various aquariums, galleries, and museums.

Community Help Countless publications and research show that Jeremy Bailenson’s studies act as a viable guide towards the digital future. Bailenson is quite passionate about his work and his findings so much so that he offers consultation pro bono. To name a few, Bailenson has consoled government organizations such as the U.S Senate, Supreme Court, and the Department of Energy. Bailenson is very adamant about these advancements in technology and how they can benefit society.