Abstract
This paper examines how senses of online identity may converge with, and diverge from, those of offline identity through a case study of the intentions behind, and interpretations of, avatar use within the virtual environment of Second Life™ among a group of UK university students. In exploring the participants’ rationales for their choices of avatar names and avatar appearances, the study witnesses ongoing shifts in notions of selfhood (and the conditions and strategies by which selfhood is determined), which may reflect theoretical projections as to the redefinition of paradigms of subjectivity fostered by the incremental virtualisation of societal experience.
An erratum to this chapter can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-0-85729-361-9_16
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Althusser, L.: Lenin and Philosophy (trans. Brewster, B.). Aakar Books, Delhi (2006)
Baudrillard, J.: Simulacra and Simulation (trans. Glaser, S.). University of Michigan Press, Michigan (1994)
Benjamin, W.: Illuminations (trans. Zohn, H.). Fontana Press, London (1992)
Boellstorff, T.: Coming of Age in Second Life: An Anthropologist Explores the Virtually Human. Princeton University Press, Princeton (2008)
Bolter, J., Grusin, R.: Remediation: Understanding New Media. MIT Press, Cambridge (2000)
Borges, J.: Labyrinths (trans. Yates, D., Irby, J.). Penguin, Harmondsworth (1970)
Camus, A.: The Myth of Sisyphus (trans. O’Brien, J.). Penguin, Harmondsworth (1975)
Cheng, L., Farnham, S., Stone, L.: Lessons learned: Building and deploying shared virtual environments. In: Schroeder, R. (ed.) The Social Life of Avatars: Presence and Interaction in Shared Virtual Environments, pp. 90–111. Springer, London (2002)
Conrad, M., Pike, D., Sant, A., Nwafor, C.: Teaching large student cohorts in second life. In: Proceedings of the First International Conference on Computer Supported Education (CSEDU 2009). Lisboa, Portugal (2009)
Conrad, M., Neale, J., Charles, A.: Of mice or men? – The avatar in the virtualscape. In: International Conference on Information Society 2010, London (2010)
de Bruxelles, S.: Second life affair leads to real-life divorce for David Pollard, aka Dave Barmy. In: The Times, 14 Nov 2008
Fiske, J.: Television Culture. Routledge, London (1987)
Genvo, S.: Understanding digital playability. In: Perron, B., Wolf, M. (eds.) The Video Game Theory Reader 2, pp. 133–149. Routledge, London (2009)
Harris, J.: How the net is altering your mind. In: The Guardian, 20 Aug 2010
King, G., Krzywinska, T.: Tomb Raiders and Space Invaders. I.B. Taurus, London (2006)
Klimmt, C., Hartmann, T.: Effectance, self-efficacy and the motivation to play video games. In: Vorderer, P., Bryant, J. (eds.) Playing Video Games: Motives, Responses and Consequences, pp. 133–45. Lawrence Erlbaum, Mahwah (2006)
Koskinen, I.: The design professions in convergence. In: Storsul, T., Stuedahl, D. (eds.) Ambivalence Towards Convergence, pp. 117–128. Nordicom, Göteborg (2007)
Sartre, J.-P.: Being and Nothingness (trans. Barnes, H.). Methuen, London (1969)
Storsul, T., Stuedahl, D.: Introduction. In: Storsul, T., Stuedahl, D. (eds.) Ambivalence Towards Convergence, pp. 9–16. Nordicom, Göteborg (2007)
Tiffin, J., Rajasingham, L.: In Search of the Virtual Class. Routledge, Abingdon (1995)
Tiffin, J., Rajasingham, L.: The Global Virtual University. RoutledgeFalmer, London (2003)
Vasalou, A., Joinson, A., Bänziger, T., Goldie, P., Pitt, J.: Avatars in social media: Balancing accuracy, playfulness and embodied messages. Int. J. Hum. Comput. Stud. 66(11), 801–811 (2008)
Žižek, S.: Violence. Profile Books, London (2008)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2011 Springer-Verlag London Limited
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Conrad, M., Charles, A., Neale, J. (2011). What Is My Avatar? Who Is My Avatar? The Avatar as a Device to Achieve a Goal: Perceptions and Implications. In: Peachey, A., Childs, M. (eds) Reinventing Ourselves: Contemporary Concepts of Identity in Virtual Worlds. Springer Series in Immersive Environments. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-85729-361-9_13
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-85729-361-9_13
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, London
Print ISBN: 978-0-85729-360-2
Online ISBN: 978-0-85729-361-9
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)