Interpersonal Emotion Regulation: Insights From the Virtual Reality Field

For many years, emotion regulation has been regarded as an intrapersonal process. Nonetheless, a growing body of evidence has outlined the importance of the social context in which the emotions are regulated, giving rise to the concept of interpersonal emotion regulation (IER). In line with the studies supporting the role of contextual and momentary factors in shaping emotions and their regulation, virtual reality (VR) has recently emerged as a powerful tool for a more ecological exploration and improvement of the mechanisms underlying IER. In the chapter, the authors provide an overview of the evidence coming from the VR-based literature, with a specific focus on the use of this approach to the understanding and enhancement of empathy, prosocial behaviors, and social abilities. A final discussion will be provided to highlight current limitations and future innovative lines of research integrating VR into this field of research.