User:Cmn4100ds/sandbox

= Technoself studies =

Real and Virtual Identities
One area of significance within Technoself Studies is that of Real and Virtual Identities. There are questions about whether there is a clear distinction between online and offline identities, or if these are representations of different aspects of the self.

Real and Virtual Identities
Avatars are a visual representation of a user in an online environment. This representation may be an accurate physical representation of the user, or may be completely different. This online representation may affect the offline self. Pena and his colleagues explored a phenomenon known as the “Proteus Effect” wherein “avatars can prime negative attitudes and cognition in desktop virtual settings”. They conducted a study that demonstrated how the appearance and affiliations of an individual’s online avatar can alter the individual’s offscreen personality and attitudes. Pena’s group used virtual group discussions to gauge the aggressiveness of individuals using avatars wearing black cloaks versus their control group counterparts wearing white and found more aggressive intentions and attitudes in the black cloak group.

Similar results were found in a second study that used Thematic Apperception Test studies to determine the differences between values and attitudes of a control group and a group using a Ku Klux Klan (KKK)-associated avatar. Individuals using the KKK-associated avatars were less affiliative and displayed more negative thoughts than the control group. Further support for Pena et al’s work can be found in other studies that yielded similar results: “Yee and Bailenson found that, in an immersive 3D environment, participants using avatars with more attractive faces walked closer and disclosed more information when compared to those using avatars with less attractive faces. In addition...participants using taller avatars tended to negotiate more forcefully in comparison to those using shorter avatars.”. A growing body of evidence supports how our online personas can affect our offline self; altering our attitudes and values.

Online anonymity and presentation of the self
Online anonymity is commonly described using the phrase “On the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog". Online anonymity allows users to present different versions of themselves in online environments. Unconstrained by physical limitations, users are free to choose and construct their virtual form(s) and identities. Virtual spaces which foster such freedom and anonymity therefore allow users to depart from the expectations, norms, and behaviours of their daily lives.

A user’s online identity is a social identity that represents the user in the online environment, allowing a user a high level of control over their identity in a way that differs from the offline world. Turkle found that the level of control over creating an online identity also extends to the intensity of connections made in such virtual spaces, as users may engage and disengage at will. Dervin and Abbas note that Turkle, in her early work was “one of the first to show how anonymity ‘provides ample room for individuals to express unexplored parts of themselves’ more easily than in face-to-face interaction”.

Avatars can be an important element of the online presentation of the user. In many cases, “avatars in blogging were created to accurately reflect their owners’ physical appearance, lifestyle and preferences. By contrast, participants in the dating and gaming treatments accentuated certain aspects of their avatar to reflect the tone and perceived expectations of the context”. In other words, individuals often emphasize or downplay certain characteristics depending upon the context of their online interactions. These inconsistencies tend to be trivial, however. For instance, men tend to mildly over-exaggerate their height, while women often underestimate their weight. This is typically not an attempt to mislead others but to be as honest as possible while still presenting themselves in the best light.

According to Vasalou & Joinson, although various online forums may present us with the opportunity to create (an) alternate persona(s), we typically choose to create an avatar or represent ourselves in a way that is consistent with reality: “In having equal access to everyday artifacts and fantasy options, participants were inclined to draw on existing self-views rather than grasping the opportunity to explore other personas". Furthermore, Vasalou and Joinson also claim that, in the context of online communication, high self-awareness (as demonstrated by an avatar largely consistent with an individual’s offline persona), contributes to a higher rate of interpersonal communication.