Asimina Vasalou
Avatars in social media: Balancing accuracy, playfulness and embodied messages
Vasalou, Asimina; Joinson, Adam; B�nziger, Tanja; Goldie, Peter; Pitt, Jeremy
Authors
Adam Joinson
Tanja B�nziger
Peter Goldie
Jeremy Pitt
Abstract
This paper examines how users negotiate their self-presentation via an avatar used in social media. Twenty participants customised an avatar while thinking aloud. An analysis of this verbal data revealed three motivating factors that drive self-presentation: (1) avatars were used to accurately reflect their owners' offline self; participants chose to display stable self-attributes or idealised their avatar by concealing or emphasising attributes aligned to imagined social roles, (2) the diversity of customisation options was exploited by some participants who broke free from the social rules governing self-presentation offline; others used the avatar's appearance to emotionally provoke and engage the avatar viewer and finally, (3) avatars were used as proxies; participants designed their online self in order to convey a message to a significant other. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Citation
Vasalou, A., Joinson, A., Bänziger, T., Goldie, P., & Pitt, J. (2008). Avatars in social media: Balancing accuracy, playfulness and embodied messages. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 66(11), 801-811. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2008.08.002
Journal Article Type | Article |
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Publication Date | Nov 1, 2008 |
Journal | International Journal of Human Computer Studies |
Print ISSN | 1071-5819 |
Electronic ISSN | 1095-9300 |
Publisher | Elsevier |
Peer Reviewed | Peer Reviewed |
Volume | 66 |
Issue | 11 |
Pages | 801-811 |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2008.08.002 |
Keywords | avatars, social media, accuracy, playfulness, embodied messages |
Public URL | https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1008003 |
Publisher URL | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2008.08.002 |