A more thorough explanation:

Term: Vicarious
Definition: When someone experiences something indirectly, as a substitute for someone else. For example, if you watch a scary movie and feel scared for the characters, that's a vicarious experience. It's like you're feeling their emotions instead of your own. Another example is when a parent lives vicariously through their child's accomplishments, feeling proud and happy as if they had achieved those things themselves. In both cases, the person is not directly experiencing the emotions or actions, but rather through someone else.