Paranoia, cannabis use and virtual reality
This VR experiment is designed to assess susceptibility to paranoia and its impact on social function, taking each participant through the same common, real-life task; pick up a sandwich in a local shop, pay for it at the counter and then leave. On the way, ambiguous cues from characters in the environment are used as potential triggers.
As a programmed application, a controlled experiment, the VR experience can be repeated in exactly the same way for all participants and gives the opportunity, together with pre- and post- VR assessment questionnaires, to understand how differently participants respond to everyday social situations and how differences might be explained by previous life experiences and current cannabis use.
Principal Investigator
Professor of Drug use, Genetics and Psychosis