Abstract
Thirty Second LifeTM residents were interviewed about their perceptions of the boundary between their virtual world and material world identities and the practices they used to share or to conceal identity information across that boundary. A range of stances toward the boundary – from completely open to completely closed – was found, although even the people who were the most open kept some kind of boundary. Stances toward the boundary and choices about sharing information were related to two broad motivations – relationship formation and reputation maintenance. The interview data is discussed in terms of social penetration theory, social identity theory, theories of stigma, theories of the self and theories of anonymity. Ethical issues in virtual world research are also addressed. Suggestions for future research on identity in virtual environments, for the design of virtual environments, and implications for modern conceptualizations of the self are discussed.
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Notes
- 1.
The terms “real”, “real life”, “rl” will nevertheless appear in the direct quotations from respondents.
- 2.
- 3.
A notecard in Second Life is an item containing text or other objects. Notecards are stored in one’s inventory list.
- 4.
Boellstorff (2008) defines griefing as “participation in a virtual world with the intent of disrupting the experience of others” (p. 185). Examples are using abusive or offensive language, filling up an area with useless objects, or sending flame messages to a group’s chat space.
- 5.
People who “identify with animals or who are animal like” (Boellstorff 2008: p. 184) and whose main avatar is usually an animal or has prominent animal features.
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Acknowledgments
The authors thank O. Candelario, Mary Ellen Gordon, Peggy Daniels Lee, and Harriet J. McLeod for helpful comments on this chapter.
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McLeod, P.L., Leshed, G. (2011). As Long as They Don’t Know Where I Live: Information Disclosure Strategies for Managing Identity in Second LifeTM . 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_10
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