An immersive virtual reality (IVR) and neuroscience-based approach to study and change attitudes and behaviour towards mafia-type organized crime

The global proliferation of Mafia-type organizations stems not only from their capacity to intimidate and corrupt but also from cultural norms—such as the “code of silence”—that discourage citizens from cooperating with law enforcement and foster societal indifference toward criminal activity. Investigating individual attitudes and responses to organized crime poses ethical and methodological challenges, especially in real-world settings. In this Perspective article, we argue that immersive virtual reality (IVR) offers a promising tool to overcome these challenges and promote positive changes in civic attitudes and behaviors. We suggest that exposing participants to mafia-related scenarios in IVR environments—while recording psychophysiological and brain data—can reveal both implicit and explicit markers of cognitive and emotional responses to criminal activity. Additionally, we discuss the Proteus effect, i.e., the behavioral change an individual undergoes based on the characteristics of their avatar and illustrate how embodying virtual characters with morally salient traits may foster civic resistance. IVR can thus serve both as a means to understand the psychophysiological underpinnings of responses to organized crime and as a tool to build resilience, supporting the development of targeted, evidence-based strategies that enhance public engagement and ethical action.