Remoteness decreases negative feelings about killing.

ABSTRACT: Advancements in technology now afford surveillance and projection of force beyond the immediate vicinity. When people communicate or act via technology, feelings of subjective distance may attenuate affective and behavioral responses that would otherwise be experienced more intensely. As the psychological effects of technology on remoteness (and its consequent behavior) are thus far understudied, we had participants (N = 205) complete an ostensible insect-killing task in which participants were either close (in the same room) or remote (via webcam) from their targets. Participants who killed insects in the same room felt less negative emotional consequences than participants who killed remotely, suggesting that remoteness can blunt the immediate emotional consequences of killing. In additi

SUBMITTER: Katz GS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12932782 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature