Avatar (computing)

In non-gaming universes, the criteria avatars have to fulfill in order to become useful can depend to a great extent on the age of potential users. Research{{Who|date=March 2011}} suggests that younger users of [[virtual community|virtual communities]] put great emphasis on fun and entertainment aspects of avatars. They are also interested in the simple ease of use of avatars, and their ability to retain the user’s [[anonymity]].{{citation needed|date=May 2013}} Meanwhile, older users pay great importance to an avatar’s ability to reflect their own appearance, [[online identity|identity]], and personality.{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}} Most older users also want to be able to use an avatar’s expressive functionalities (such as showing emotions), and are prepared to learn new ways of navigation to do it.{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}} Surprisingly, some evidence suggests that avatars that are more anthropomorphic are perceived to be less credible and likeable than images that are less anthropomorphic.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Nowak|first=Kristine L.|title=The Influence of Anthropomorphism and Agency on Social Judgment in Virtual Environments|journal=Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication|year=2004|volume=9|issue=2|page=n.p|url=http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol9/issue2/nowak.html|doi=10.1111/j.1083-6101.2004.tb00284.x}}</ref> Social scientists at [[Stanford]]’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab<ref>[http://vhil.stanford.edu VHIL: Virtual Human Interaction Lab – Stanford University<!– Bot generated title –>]</ref> examine the implications, possibilities, and [[transformed social interaction]] that occur when people interact via avatars.

In non-gaming universes, the criteria avatars have to fulfill in order to become useful can depend to a great extent on the age of potential users. Research{{Who|date=March 2011}} suggests that younger users of [[virtual community|virtual communities]] put great emphasis on fun and entertainment aspects of avatars. They are also interested in the simple ease of use of avatars, and their ability to retain the user’s [[anonymity]].{{citation needed|date=May 2013}} Meanwhile, older users pay great importance to an avatar’s ability to reflect their own appearance, [[online identity|identity]], and personality.{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}} Most older users also want to be able to use an avatar’s expressive functionalities (such as showing emotions), and are prepared to learn new ways of navigation to do it.{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}} Surprisingly, some evidence suggests that avatars that are more anthropomorphic are perceived to be less credible and likeable than images that are less anthropomorphic.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Nowak|first=Kristine L.|title=The Influence of Anthropomorphism and Agency on Social Judgment in Virtual Environments|journal=Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication|year=2004|volume=9|issue=2|page=n.p|url=http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol9/issue2/nowak.html|doi=10.1111/j.1083-6101.2004.tb00284.x}}</ref> Social scientists at [[Stanford]]’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab<ref>[http://vhil.stanford.edu VHIL: Virtual Human Interaction Lab – Stanford University<!– Bot generated title –>]</ref> examine the implications, possibilities, and [[transformed social interaction]] that occur when people interact via avatars.

Avatar-based non-gaming universes are usually populated by age groups whose requirements concerning avatars are fulfilled.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}} For example, most users of [[Habbo Hotel]], [[Ty Girlz]] and [[Webkinz]] are aged 10 to 15 years, while users of [[Gaia Online]] and [[WeeWorld]] are 13 to 18.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}} The reason may well be the properties and functionalities of the avatars of these virtual communities, as well as what the games are able to give to their players. In contrast, [[There (internet service)|There]] and [[Kaneva Game Platform]] target users aged 22 to 49 and their avatars allow for a wide range of social interactions, including the expression of emotions: laughing, waving, blowing kisses, and rude gestures.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}} [[The Palace (computer program)|The Palace]], most of whose users seem to be older,{{citation needed|date=May 2013}} allows users to use their own images as avatars. This turns the avatar into a direct reflection of users’ real-life appearance, as desired by older users.

[[File:Second Life 11th Birthday Live Drax Files Radio Hour.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Avatars socialising in the 2003 virtual world ”[[Second Life]]”]]

[[File:Second Life 11th Birthday Live Drax Files Radio Hour.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Avatars socialising in the 2003 virtual world ”[[Second Life]]”]]

===Customization===

===Customization===

Early examples of customizable avatars include multi-user systems, including [[MUD]]s.<ref name=bear>{{cite web|last=Bear|first=Amy|title=Me, My Self, My Character, and I: Role-playing Identities in Ludic Space.|url=http://networkconference.netstudies.org/2010/04/me-my-self-my-character-and-i/|work=Online Conference on Networks and Communities|access-date=15 December 2012|date=27 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120727210310/http://networkconference.netstudies.org/2010/04/me-my-self-my-character-and-i/|archive-date=27 July 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> Most forums use a small [[JPEG]], [[Portable Network Graphics]] (PNG) or [[Graphics Interchange Format]] (GIF) file to display a small image next to posts from a user. [[Gaia Online]] has a customizable avatar where users can dress it up as desired.<ref>{{cite web|last=Au|first=Wagner James|title=Move over MySpace, Gaia Online is here|url=http://gigaom.com/2007/04/22/move-over-myspace-gaia-online-is-here/comment-page-2/|work=GigaOm|access-date=15 December 2012|date=22 April 2007}}</ref> Users may earn credits for completing sponsored surveys or certain tasks to purchase items and upgrades to customize their avatar.<ref>{{cite web|last=Morgan|first=KC|title=What’s So Great About IMVU?|url=http://tools.devshed.com/c/a/Website-Marketing/Whats-So-Great-About-IMVU/|work=Website Marketing|access-date=15 December 2012|date=10 March 2010|archive-date=3 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203043152/http://tools.devshed.com/c/a/Website-Marketing/Whats-So-Great-About-IMVU/|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Linden Lab]]’s ”Second Life” creates a [[virtual world]] in which avatars, homes, decorations, buildings and land are for sale.<ref>{{cite web|last=Hopkins|first=Curt|title=Second Life Economy At Record High|url=http://readwrite.com/2010/04/28/second_life_economy_at_record_high|work=ReadWritePlay|publisher=SAY Media, Inc.|access-date=15 December 2012|date=28 April 2010}}</ref> Less-common items may be designed to appear better than common items, and an experienced player may be identified from a group of new characters before in-game statistics are seen.<ref name=”bear” /> [[Sherry Turkle]] described a middle-aged man who played an aggressive, confrontational female character in his online communities, displaying personality traits he was embarrassed to display in the offline world.<ref name=”turkle”>{{cite web|last=McCorduck|first=Pamela|title=Sex, Lies and Avatars|url=https://www.wired.com/wired/archive/4.04/turkle_pr.html|work=Wired|access-date=15 December 2012}}</ref> Research by Nick Yee of the Daedelus Project demonstrates that an avatar may differ considerably from a player’s offline identity, based on gender.<ref name=”yee”>{{cite web|last=Yee|first=Nick|title=Our Virtual Bodies, Ourselves?|url=http://www.nickyee.com/daedalus/archives/001613.php?page=1|work=The Daedalus Project|access-date=15 December 2012|date=17 February 2008}}</ref> However, most players will make an avatar that is (proportionately) equal to their height (or slightly taller).<ref name=”yee” /> Sherry Turkle has observed that some players seek an emotional connection they cannot establish in the real world. She described a case in which a man with a serious heart condition preventing him from ordinary socializing found acceptance and friendship through his online identity.<ref name=”turkle” /> Others have pointed out similar findings in those with [[mental disorders]] making [[social interaction]] difficult, such as those with [[autism]] or similar disabilities.<ref>{{cite web|last=Harris|first=Stephen|title=Working Through Personal Identity Issues Using Virtual Communities and Networks|url=http://networkconference.netstudies.org/2010/04/working-through-personal-identity-issues-using-virtual-communities-and-networks/|work=Online Conference on Networks and Communities|access-date=15 December 2012|date=23 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320224257/http://networkconference.netstudies.org/2010/04/working-through-personal-identity-issues-using-virtual-communities-and-networks/|archive-date=20 March 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Early examples of customizable avatars include multi-user systems, including [[MUD]]s.<ref name=bear>{{cite web|last=Bear|first=Amy|title=Me, My Self, My Character, and I: Role-playing Identities in Ludic Space.|url=http://networkconference.netstudies.org/2010/04/me-my-self-my-character-and-i/|work=Online Conference on Networks and Communities|access-date=15 December 2012|date=27 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120727210310/http://networkconference.netstudies.org/2010/04/me-my-self-my-character-and-i/|archive-date=27 July 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> Most forums use a small [[JPEG]], [[Portable Network Graphics]] (PNG) or [[Graphics Interchange Format]] (GIF) file to display a small image next to posts from a user. [[Gaia Online]] has a customizable avatar where users can dress it up as desired.<ref>{{cite web|last=Au|first=Wagner James|title=Move over MySpace, Gaia Online is here|url=http://gigaom.com/2007/04/22/move-over-myspace-gaia-online-is-here/comment-page-2/|work=GigaOm|access-date=15 December 2012|date=22 April 2007}}</ref> Users may earn credits for completing sponsored surveys or certain tasks to purchase items and upgrades to customize their avatar.<ref>{{cite web|last=Morgan|first=KC|title=What’s So Great About IMVU?|url=http://tools.devshed.com/c/a/Website-Marketing/Whats-So-Great-About-IMVU/|work=Website Marketing|access-date=15 December 2012|date=10 March 2010|archive-date=3 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203043152/http://tools.devshed.com/c/a/Website-Marketing/Whats-So-Great-About-IMVU/|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Linden Lab]]’s ”Second Life” creates a [[virtual world]] in which avatars, homes, decorations, buildings and land are for sale.<ref>{{cite web|last=Hopkins|first=Curt|title=Second Life Economy At Record High|url=http://readwrite.com/2010/04/28/second_life_economy_at_record_high|work=ReadWritePlay|publisher=SAY Media, Inc.|access-date=15 December 2012|date=28 April 2010}}</ref> Less-common items may be designed to appear better than common items, and an experienced player may be identified from a group of new characters before in-game statistics are seen.<ref name=”bear” /> [[Sherry Turkle]] described a middle-aged man who played an aggressive, confrontational female character in his online communities, displaying personality traits he was embarrassed to display in the offline world.<ref name=”turkle”>{{cite web|last=McCorduck|first=Pamela|title=Sex, Lies and Avatars|url=https://www.wired.com/wired/archive/4.04/turkle_pr.html|work=Wired|access-date=15 December 2012}}</ref> Research by Nick Yee of the Daedelus Project demonstrates that an avatar may differ considerably from a player’s offline identity, based on gender.<ref name=”yee”>{{cite web|last=Yee|first=Nick|title=Our Virtual Bodies, Ourselves?|url=http://www.nickyee.com/daedalus/archives/001613.php?page=1|work=The Daedalus Project|access-date=15 December 2012|date=17 February 2008}}</ref> However, most players will make an avatar that is (proportionately) equal to their height (or slightly taller).<ref name=”yee” /> Sherry Turkle has observed that some players seek an emotional connection they cannot establish in the real world. She described a case in which a man with a serious heart condition preventing him from ordinary socializing found acceptance and friendship through his online identity.<ref name=”turkle” /> Others have pointed out similar findings in those with [[mental disorders]] making [[social interaction]] difficult, such as those with [[autism]] or similar disabilities.<ref>{{cite web|last=Harris|first=Stephen|title=Working Through Personal Identity Issues Using Virtual Communities and Networks|url=http://networkconference.netstudies.org/2010/04/working-through-personal-identity-issues-using-virtual-communities-and-networks/|work=Online Conference on Networks and Communities|access-date=15 December 2012|date=23 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320224257/http://networkconference.netstudies.org/2010/04/working-through-personal-identity-issues-using-virtual-communities-and-networks/|archive-date=20 March 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Social media===

===Social media===