In a virtual world, avatars can lead us to rethink our opinions

Our thoughts and actions are far more subject to the approval of the world around us than we imagine. — AFP Relaxnews

In the age of social networking, people’s opinions have never been so openly expressed and scrutinised. It is therefore more important than ever to understand how they are formed, and what can potentially influence them.

A study published in the journal PLOS One examines this phenomenon and shows that our moral judgements are far less rigid than we might imagine.