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Effect of Virtual Avatars On Real-Life Behavior
Betsy Carroll writes "The Stanford research group on virtual teams discusses how the appearance of one's avatar in virtual worlds has an effect on real life behavior in an NPR interview. The researcher they speak with focuses on the concept of vicarious reinforcement for changing behavior. They also talk a bit about identity issues surrounding the avatar and the 'real' physical self."
Anyone else ever get annoyed at audio or audio/video news? I'm at work, can't listen to those.
Transcripts, much more helpful
Though I can't HTFA as I'm at work, I'm sure it raises some insightful points. When I create an avatar or online persona, I tend to imbue the characteristics into it that I wish my RL self was stronger in (in this case mostly social awareness and assertiveness). Giant penis jokes aside, does anyone else try to use their alter-ego as a role model?
The question is, what if your Avatar in your VR is a Undead in WoW? Will you then be Skin and Bones... without the skin?
I understand what the article is talking about, but this will only work for people with certain mindsets, and who use the VR interface (whether a real VR, or a avatar based system such as SecondLife or ActiveWorlds) in moderation. Using the VR extensively will mean you are giving up time in Real life that could be used moving around and instead settling into a sedentary state.
All things in moderation.
As a last note, I'm not even going to get into the case of where a male has a female character as an avatar and tries to look like them....
That is actually a very interesting conclusion. It really is true that just "thinking happy thoughts" does make you more likely to achieve them, but for naturally cynical people this is easier said than done. If I try to sit there and talk myself up, it usually backfires because the cynic in my just can't help poking holes in everything I'm saying and I end up talking myself down instead. It was easier when I believed in god, because it acted as a way of suspending disbelief.
What they are saying here is that just the act of imagining yourself as being better, even in the context of an artificial world that has no bearing on reality, has some of the same effects of imagining yourself being a better person in the real world. That seems like it would be a very useful technique. It is probably also part of the reason that MUDs can help asocial people be more social. I had always assumed that it was just because it sidestepped one's fear of external expectations/judgment, but the fact that it also bypasses internal judgment as well is something I hadn't thought of. Oh, and playing MUDs will help me be a better person IRL, so there naysayers:)
I'm going to be modded insightful! I'm going to be modded insightful! I'm going to be modded insightful!
*crosses fingers*
I'm going to be modded redundant! I'm going to be modded redundant! I'm going to be modded redundant!
*crosses fingers*
The new MSV alpha