Transcending taboos : a moral and psychological examination of cyberspace / Garry Young and Monica Whitty.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Young, Garry, 1966-

Contributor:

Whitty, Monica T., 1969-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Virtual reality--Moral and ethical aspects.

Virtual reality.

Cyberspace--Moral and ethical aspects.

Cyberspace.

Virtual reality--Psychological aspects.

Cyberspace--Psychological aspects.

Psychological aspects.

Physical Description:

vi, 226 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Hove, East Sussex ; New York : Routledge, 2012.

Summary:

"Cyberspace is composed of a multitude of different spaces, where users can represent themselves in many divergent ways. Why, in a video game, is it more acceptable to murder or maim than rape? After all, in each case, it is only pixels that are being assaulted. This book avoids wrestling with the common question of whether the virtual violation of real-world taboos is right or wrong, and instead provides a theoretical framework that helps us understand why such distinctions are typically made, and explores the psychological impact (rather than the morality) of violating offline taboos within cyberspace.The authors discuss such online areas as: "Reality" sites depicting taboo imagesSocial sites such as Chatroulette Online dating sitesVideo game content. This book evaluates the possibility for change afforded by cyberspace, and considers whether there are some interactions that should not be permissible even virtually. It also examines how we might be able to cope with the potential moral freedoms afforded by cyberspace, and who might be vulnerable to such freedoms of action and representation within this virtual space.This book is ideal for researchers and students of internet psychology, philosophy and social policy, as well as therapists, those interested in computer science, law, media and communication studies"-- Provided by publisher.

"Cyberspace is composed of a multitude of different spaces, where users can represent themselves in many divergent ways. Why, in a video game, is it more acceptable to murder or maim than rape? After all, in each case, it is only pixels that are being assaulted. This book avoids wrestling with the common question of whether the virtual violation of real-world taboos is right or wrong, and instead provides a theoretical framework that helps us understand why such distinctions are typically made, and explores the psychological impact (rather than the morality) of violating offline taboos within cyberspace. The authors discuss such online areas as: - 'Reality' sites depicting taboo images - Social sites such as Chatroulette - Online dating sites - Video game content. This book evaluates the possibility for change afforded by cyberspace, and considers whether there are some interactions that should not be permissible even virtually. It also examines how we might be able to cope with the potential moral freedoms afforded by cyberspace, and who might be vulnerable to such freedoms of action and representation within this virtual space. This book is ideal for researchers and students of internet psychology, philosophy and social policy, as well as therapists, those interested in computer science, law, media and communication studies"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

1 Introduction 1

Part 1 Should cyberspace be a space where, virtually, anything is permissible? 5

2 Virtual immediacy: Altered contingencies, altered possibilities 7

3 Disgust: A measure of moral wisdom or moral fallibility? 15

4 Obscenity: A measure of offence or depravity? 25

5 The passive voyeur: Where's the harm in looking? 36

6 Virtually real emotions: Addressing the paradox of fiction 49

7 On the nature of play: Cyberspace as a virtual playground 62

8 Single-player games: What is and perhaps what should never be 75

9 Multiplayer games: Are we all agreed? 91

Part 2 The nature and authenticity of selves within cyberspace 105

10 Disembodiment: A meeting of minds 107

11 Embodiment: Cyber-relations and possible selves 120

12 Progressive embodiment: The supermorphic persona 130

Part 3 Psychological parity and changes to the self 143

13 Violent games: Where's the harm in playing? 145

14 Psychological parity: Coping with altered contingencies 156

15 Identity and interpretation: Repercussion for parity and potential harm 170

16 Transcending taboos: The way forward 185.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [188]-213) and index.

ISBN:

9780415579339

0415579333

9780415579360

0415579368

9780203126769

0203126769

OCLC:

659750898