GENERATING INTERPERSONAL CLOSENESS

Figure 1. The Experimental Generation of Interpersonal Closeness: A procedure and Some Preliminary Findings (Aron, Melinat, Aron, Vallon, Bator) . Retrieved from https://psychodramaaustralia.edu.au/sites/default/files/falling_in_love-aron.pdf

Post thumbnail from How to Make a Friend Fast—The Scientific Method

In the third week, Sean and I have our main focus on evaluating ways of generating closeness among individuals. The result of our evaluations will be contribute to developing audience engagement throughout the whole VR experience.

Areito and Raqi provided us a university psychology study called “The Experimental Generation of Interpersonal Closeness: A Procedure and Some Preliminary Findings”. The study carries out self-disclosure and relationship-building tasks that gradually escalate in intensity. Sean and I went through the tasks together which included sets of self-closure questions, the result of the experiment helped with developing closeness between us to some extent. However, since we have known each other before hand, the outcome of closeness development was not very noticeable.

In order to further develop the experiment, Areito, Raqi, Sean and I arranged an exercise of “hot seat,” which is a theatre technique in which characters play with the participants. “Hot seat” is very effective when it comes to creating great depth within characters, and improves performance development. All four of us took on a role and were interviewed by another person, then answered the person in character. This practice gave us a chance to have a better understanding of developing interpersonal closeness , along with gaining new insights of characters.