Constructing my online self: avatars that increase self-focused attention

Three studies investigated whether users' strategies for customising online avatars increase their self-focused attention, also known as private self-awareness. Study 1 showed that a high number of users adapt their avatars to reflect their own appearance. Study 2 demonstrated that users who perceive their avatars to be similar to their own appearance experience as a result heightened private selfawareness. In Study 3, private self-awareness pervaded social interaction taking place over time when users with representative avatars, compared to a control group, reported increased private self-awareness. Drawing from research in interpersonal communication, we suggest that avatars which increase their owners' self-focus may have an influence on online behavior in the context of social computing. Author Keywords Avatars, self-awareness, interpersonal communication ACM Classification Keywords

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2007
• Where: CHI
• Authors: Asimina Vasalou, Adam N. Joinson, Jeremy Pitt
• Keywords: Author Keywords Avatars, CHI 2007, Human Computer Interaction, Private Self-awareness, Representative Avatars