September 15th, 2005 by Steve Pavlina 
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If you found yourself in a Holodeck from Star Trek (i.e. a computer-generated simulation where the “people” are all just part of the simulation), how would your behavior towards the artificial characters differ from your default behavior towards real human beings?
Would you feel more or less introverted?
Why?
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September 15th, 2005 at 2:21 pm
I’d feel much less introverted and take more risks. A holodeck would give me a “consequence-free” environment, where I could practice being extroverted without the consequences of real life. I’m travelling in Europe at the moment and realize I have an opportunity to practice being extroverted (I won’t be seeing these people again). But I still find it very hard knowing that I’m talking with real people and they’re making an opinion of me based on what I say and do. But, I am taking more risks than I normally would. Maybe one day a holodeck will be invented.
September 15th, 2005 at 3:42 pm
I’m going to have to agree with what Glenn is saying. To me, it’d be more like joining IRC, or talking on ICQ/MSN. The typical social norms don’t apply online and neither they would in Holodeck. I wonder why?
September 15th, 2005 at 5:05 pm
Yep its seems to be more about perceived consequence than “real” people. Like IRC, many folks on Games sites or any online site feel a LOT less concerned about what will happen to them if they get out of the real world social norm.
It’s a blessing and a curse. Running a game site where some folks can certainly feel hurt and other have no concern online for what they say, it’s a hard thing to manage
That said, folks that do have a good sense of themselves and have concern for folks around them “online or off” tend to act a lot closer to their real world counter parts. Still a tad more free I’m sure. But that release is what makes it fun.
I think the beauty of the Holodeck is TRUE sense of no consequences. There isn’t anyone to hurt, so you really could try on some thoughts.
But would that new found attitude carry on in the real world, maybe not. The most brass 3d shooter player can be pretty timid when you are face to face.
Looking into a critical eye is a hard thing. In the real world most of us seem to care what a person whos standing in front of us thinks.
There are certain things I wouldn’t do in real life, not so much for my protection,but for the feelings of the observer.
Assuming we aren’t in the matrix
September 15th, 2005 at 5:44 pm
I agree as well; as for “why”, I think it’s because the core of our problem (or the core of my problem, at least) is precisely the negative opinion the other person may be forming about us - the “won’t be seeing these people again” Glenn mentioned implies that even if these people do form a negative opinion, we won’t have to live with that. Same with ICQ/IRC/MSN - it’s far easier to remove a contact than to remove a person from your life, especially if he’s a coworker or something similar.
September 15th, 2005 at 6:44 pm
I’ll buck the trend here and say I think I’d be more introverted. I think I’d find it hard to want to talk to “people” who obviously didn’t exist. Even living out people-related fantasies would feel fake to me, I suspect.
September 15th, 2005 at 7:55 pm
Personally I don’t think I’d act that differently if the people were simulations, although this sounds like something I’d have to try out to be sure. I might act more experimental due to being able to turn them off whenever I wanted to, but I don’t think I’d feel any more comfortable or find it any easier.
September 15th, 2005 at 8:41 pm
Absolutely much less introverted here! In a simulated environment, you’ve got no risk, so might as well let loose:)
September 15th, 2005 at 9:15 pm
Ha! Great question. I’d feel way less introverted because it doesn’t matter what the holodeck characters think. They’re not real.
Of course, I’m not sure exactly why the fact that they’re not real should matter… I guess because what they think would have no impact on my life, outside of the current program.
September 16th, 2005 at 1:12 am
A method psychologists use for making their clients acquire new life skills is role playing (or maybe the right term is psychodrama - I am not a native English speaker).
For example, if a client has problems confronting his boss about something, or asking someone of the opposite sex out, then the psychologist (or a student of the psychologist) plays the other party, and the client gets to exercise the behavior he or she has troubles with.
I have done this, and it’s quite effective.
September 16th, 2005 at 4:32 am
I’m a bit of an introvert - I “recharge” by being alone or around a few close people who are doing their own things (together w/o much interaction.) I would find the holodeck people annoying becuase I know they’re fake. Now if the holodeck was full of cool puzzles and interesting illusions and other shiny objects things would be different.
September 16th, 2005 at 5:48 am
I would interact with them just as I would real people, because an introvert is what I am and there’s no way to change that. The real question should be, if you are painfully shy in social situations would you interact with the holodeck characters differently?
September 16th, 2005 at 5:55 am
I would try to hump them !
September 16th, 2005 at 7:41 am
Isn’t this exactly what happens on the web? Not that the people aren’t real, but it’s easy enough to convince ourselves that they are just “virtual” people. Introverts seem to have a much easier time socializing on the web than in person. I have the inconvenient habit of remembering that these are actual people though, so I don’t open up as much as I might otherwise.
I wrote a post a while back about how this sort of thing gets in the way of my blogging. http://fiverstone.blogspot.com/2005/08/blogging-is-not-for-everyone.html
September 16th, 2005 at 7:55 am
I tend to agree with Dave. While it’s true that I’d imagine I’d be less introverted with the holodeck characters, I will still end up being an introvert trying to be otherwise.
Plus, on the idea that the holodeck is so realistic that you forget that they are fake anyway (especially if you choose a contemporary scenario), and that the computing power is such that it can pick up subtle nuances that can give you away… I can’t imagine how a real holodeck would treat you any other way. But I’m rambling.
Besides, even in some of my wildest dreams, I’m still painfully shy - talk about being true to oneself
September 16th, 2005 at 1:11 pm
Good question. Theoretically, I would be much lest reserved, because I knew I couldn’t hurt their feelings or end up with unwanted emotional attachments (positive or negative). And if I did — well, I could just reset them.
However, if placed in that situation, the level of reality would probably trigger my social programming, and I’d end up acting like I always do, due to being unfamiliar with holodeck technology.
September 16th, 2005 at 1:17 pm
I also disagree with people likening ficticious holodeck characters to real people who are online. It doesn’t matter if the people in your chat channel are even telling the truth or not. They exist, and will continue to exist when you leave the chat channel. The thing about internet socializing is that there are very few venues of normal, subtle communication — changes in posture, facial expression, breath, tone of voice. These would be available in the holodeck example, just without the human context. Why people think that makes internet socializing any less “real” than face-to-face socializing, I have no idea. That’s what causes a lot of internet drama.
September 18th, 2005 at 4:26 pm
If they are just computer generated “things” without a real life and real goals I’d be bored as soon as that sunk in.
There is no similarity in my mind between mindless drones and, even low bandwidth communication, with real people.
To turn the Turing Test on it’s head. People who are indistinguishable from drone computer programs may not really be human. (Note: that does not exclude some sorts of computer programs from being more worth “knowing” than some humans!!!)
September 19th, 2005 at 5:57 am
I am not sure I would know how to act if I were an introvert? Sometimes I think it might be kind of nice to be an introvert! However ! It just might be an impossibility for me to be anything but an extrovert!
September 19th, 2005 at 9:33 am
All i can say is that i’m proud being an introvert and no extrovert can able to influence me to come and join them in their crazy world.
September 19th, 2005 at 4:58 pm
I do not want to agree that introverts would respond differently to a holodeck than extroverts. Both intro and extroverts would be able to bask in a range of possibilities.
But I’ll answer the question. If I had a holodeck, where people acted to the fidelity of real people, how could I treat it differently than the real world? (If a holodeck is something else, then my answer will be less valid, but again the question would also be rather uninteresting)
I could drown myself in an extacy of having every imaginable desire and fantasy come to life. But a holodeck is an absurd thing to think of. It raises a lot of questions that are so what-if-ish that I can’t really relate to it. Ah, stupid sci-fi
September 21st, 2005 at 6:34 am
When I was a kid, and to this day, I have to make sure that the stuffed animals I have held onto are “comfortable”. They have to be treated with respect and placed in such a manner as not to distress them.
When I play video games, I treat the other characters are kindly as possible. I know a lot of people who get excited that they’re no longer in the “real world” and go berserk, hurting character and destroying property.
To me the fantasy of myself doing that type of thing is really unappealing and the image of it would haunt me whether or not it was real. So I abide by the same rules as real life.
It’s a little hard to say all this because I bet people will think it’s weird or freaky, but it’s only the truth. And I still enjoy the games, so I see nothing wrong with being civilized in a simulation.
September 21st, 2005 at 7:17 am
Hmmm - I don’t agree that it’s a consequence free environment. If you are married and entered the holodeck you couldn’t sleep with a hologram and expect there to be no consequences - your spouse would certainly object! Having said that I would be more outgoing on a holodeck.
September 23rd, 2005 at 9:46 am
In Jungian terms, an introvert’s main interests are in the inner world of concepts and ideas, while an extrovert’s are in the outer world of people and things. It is really that simple. So, as an introvert, it wouldn’t much matter to me whether the “people” were real or not — they are “outer.”