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  • © 2006

Avatars at Work and Play

Collaboration and Interaction in Shared Virtual Environments

  • First book to deal with applications of shared or collaborative virtual environments
  • High relevance to new media and computer-mediated communication developments
  • Essential reading for anyone researching and working in shared or collaborative virtual environments

Part of the book series: Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW, volume 34)

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Softcover Book USD 119.99
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Hardcover Book USD 169.99
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Table of contents (12 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xv
  2. Transformed Social Interaction: Exploring the Digital Plasticity of Avatars

    • Jeremy N. Bailenson, Andrew C. Beall
    Pages 1-16
  3. Analyzing Fragments of Collaboration in Distributed Immersive Virtual Environments

    • Ilona Heldal, Lars BrÃ¥the, Anthony Steed, Ralph Schroeder
    Pages 97-130
  4. The Good Inequality: Supporting Group-Work in Shared Virtual Environments

    • Maria Spante, Ann-Sofie Axelsson, Ralph Schroeder
    Pages 151-166
  5. Digital Dystopia: Player Control and Strategic Innovation in the Sims Online

    • Francis F. Steen, Mari Siân Davies, Brendesha Tynes, Patricia M. Greenfield
    Pages 247-273
  6. Back Matter

    Pages 275-277

About this book

Avatars at Work and Play brings together contributions from leading social scientists and computer scientists who have conducted research on virtual environments used for collaboration and online gaming. They present a well-rounded and state-of-the-art overview of current applications of multi-user virtual environments, ranging from highly immersive virtual reality systems to internet-based virtual environments on personal computers. The volume is a follow-up to a previous essay collection, ‘The Social Life of Avatars’, which explored general issues in this field. This collection goes further, examining uses of shared virtual environments in practical settings such as scientific collaboration, distributed meetings, building models together, and others. It also covers online gaming in virtual environments, which has attracted hundreds of thousands of users and presents an opportunity for studying a myriad of social issues. Covering both ‘work’ and ‘play’, the volume brings together issues common to the two areas, including:
What kind of avatar appearance is suitable for different kinds of interaction? How best to foster collaboration and promote usable shared virtual spaces? What kinds of activities work well in different types of virtual environments and systems?

Editors and Affiliations

  • Oxford University, Oxford, UK

    Ralph Schroeder

  • Chalmers University, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Ann-Sofie Axelsson

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access