🚀 go-pugleaf

January 25, 1993

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PLEASE  PARTICIPATE  IN  SURVEY  OF  VIRTUAL  REALITY

Dear Sci.virtual-worlds conference member,

As a sociologist working in the field of computerization and
information technology, I am conducting an on-line survey of
researchers, developers, and other interested parties working on
projects related to virtual reality.  The survey consists of a few
open-ended questions focused on the social, ethical, and cultural
implications of virtual reality technologies.  I have studied the
social impacts of computerization in a variety of contexts, and am now
studying from a sociological point of view impacts and implications
potentially associated with virtual reality.

Would you please be kind enough to answer the following questions and
forward your answers to my e-mailbox.  These are open-ended questions
so that you may comment at length if you wish or provide other kinds
of information including notice of relevant research, projections, and
speculations. I would protect the anonymity of the respondents and
report findings only in a general summary.


        THE  FINDINGS AND RESULTS OF THE STUDY WILL BE SHARED WITH
        THOSE INTERESTED.

Questions:

I.      What do you consider to be the most important social and
ethical consequences of the general development of virtual reality
systems?

II.     Does your understanding of virtual reality systems include
a focus on social relations?  In what ways may  virtual reality
systems transform personal interactions?

III     Do you know of or participate in any kinds of research
focused on the connections between virtual reality systems and
social relations?  In reference to social and personal issues,
what kind of research, if any, do you think would be important or
required?

IV.     Are there any specific legal, moral, or social problems
that you have encountered or thought about in your work  with
virtual reality systems?

V.      Would you please comment on the possibilities of virtual
social worlds in which humans would share a common technological
platform for interaction and communications?   From your point of
view,  is the potential for this kind of social experience
acknowledged in virtual reality research and development

Name_____________________________________________________________
Title/Project/Position_______________________________________________
Number of years working or familiar with virtual reality
systems________

        THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR PARTICIPATING IN THIS SURVEY


Joseph E. Behar, Ph.D.  Professor of Sociology

Dowling College Oakdale, New York 11769 (516-244-3155: office)
(516-589-6644: fax)

 PLEASE  FORWARD  YOUR RESPONSES TO:    jbehar@igc.org