Since I had never heard of 'Second Life' before being referred to it by a friend for this particular assignment, I immediately decided to join and check it out. I found the site a little confusing at first since I had never been on it before, and it actually took me a good while to get a little comfortable with moving around it.
I figured out that a Gossip Girl Community was offered, so, being a fan, I of course created an avatar under the name of Monica that would be living in the virtual Gossip Girl world. After I read Yee and Bailenson (2007) I noticed how some particular aspects of my avatars made me act in certain ways while on the site. The show is centered around rich, (some) stuck-up characters in New York City. I've been watching the show since it aired, and because of that, I was leaning towards acting more snooty than I normally would in real life while interacting online. You could shop with the character, and putting expensive clothing on the avatar made acting pompous even easier. Another factor playing into how I used my avatar was the attraction with which I created her. Because she was created as attractive in conservative clothing, it was easier to interact with other attractive avatars.
This assignment was difficult at first since I couldn't figure out how to get around the site to save my life, but after a bit, it was interesting to see how people interacted through their little avatars in the Gossip Girl Community.
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Hi Brittanie,
Though your blog was very brief, it projects some interesting ideas and questions brought about through the use of an avatar in a virtual world. First off, I must say that I can relate to your experiences! When beginning this assignment, I also felt very confused and lost in the “Second Life” virtual world. I was unsure how to navigate my avatar and interact with others. But, like you, I soon became comfortable with it. One aspect of your assignment that I thought was very interesting was the fact that you chose to enter a community that was based on a television show that your frequently watch. Personally, I think communities such as the one you entered are good because they ensure the player is already (or somewhat) award of its features; this ensures you have an idea of what to expect throughout the community. However, the only question I have regarding this community is its impact on your behaviors and the actions of your avatar. You mention that you felt an urge to be “snooty;” was this urge brought about the community and its features or was it due to the fact that you’re a viewer of the television show? I understand it might be a bit hard to distinguish what source is at fault for this “snooty” urge. Based on your assignment and experiences would it be safe to assume that people apply cues and signals used in real-life to their interactions virtual worlds?
Overall, you did a nice job, though it would’ve been a bit better if you would have included more descriptions of you experiences in relation to the class lecture and Yee & Bailenson’s findings.
Joshua Navarro
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