Virtual intimacy: Propensity for physical contact between avatars in an online virtual environment

Sadowski, Adam S.; Lomanowska, Anna M.

doi:10.1016/j.chb.2017.09.011

Cited by 9 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Gamers likely use avatars to initiate more intimate interactions with avatars of the other gender (Sadowski and Lomanowska, 2018). Such interactions may be owing to avatar physical attractiveness or avatar ability to achieve, providing intriguing directions for future work.…”

Section: Research Limitations and Future Research Directionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

How avatars create identification and loyalty among online gamers

Teng

2019

INTR

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Purpose Online games are popular electronic commerce platforms in which gamers use avatars to interact with others. Avatar identification (the extent to which gamers regard avatars as an extension of themselves) is known to be related to online gamer loyalty. However, few studies have examined how avatars could be designed to enhance avatar identification and online gamer loyalty, indicating a gap. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to contextualize self-affirmation theory into online gaming contexts, identified key theoretical elements and examined how they are related to avatar identification and online gamer loyalty. Design/methodology/approach This study surveyed 1,348 massively multi-player online role-playing game players, and their responses were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings The analytical results indicate that irreplaceability within a team and avatar customization are positively related to unique avatar image, while avatar customization is positively related to positive avatar image. Moreover, avatar physical attractiveness and avatar ability to achieve are positively related to positive avatar image. Both unique and positive images of an avatar (as perceived by the user) are positively related to avatar identification, and further to online gamer loyalty. Originality/value This study proposes new constructs: irreplaceability within a team, avatar ability to achieve, unique avatar image and positive avatar image. Such new constructs provide insights to aid electronic commerce managers in avatar design, thus instilling gamer identification with avatars, and thus loyalty.

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Section: Research Limitations and Future Research Directionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

How avatars create identification and loyalty among online gamers

Teng

2019

INTR

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“…This experience remains indeed very private and intimate. It refers to a universe that individuals prefer to keep for themselves, as it may involve taboos and unconfessable themes such as addiction, interaction with fictional characters, avatars and even sensuality and sexuality (Whitty et al , 2011; Sadowski and Lomanowska, 2018). Researchers may face several psychological screens veiling individuals’ behaviors (Gavard-Perret et al , 2012): screen of conscience (as consumers are not always aware of their deep motivations to immerse in virtual worlds), screen of irrationality (as informants will tend to give logical explanations to their behaviors in virtual worlds), screen of tolerance (consumer’s social environment may disapprove of their immersion in virtual worlds) and the screen of politeness (in front of a research consumers’ discourse will tend to be acceptable).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

How real are virtual experiences?

Trabelsi-Zoghlami

Touzani

2019

EJM

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Purpose This paper aims to explore the virtual experience to understand its components and its effects on consumers’ real world. Design/methodology/approach Our approach relies on a rarely used projective method: “Album-on-Line” (AOL). This technique allows identifying consumers’ representations of their experience. It uses images to immerse participants in a virtual experience and to lead an individual reflection, then a group reflection. Findings Virtual experiences have utilitarian, hedonic, psychological and social dimensions. When immersing in virtual experiences, consumers’ perception and consumption of products and services change. A projection occurs leading to an identification to virtual characters. This projection also leads to a consumption aiming at finding back the excitement and challenge lived during virtual experiences. Research limitations/implications The main limitation of this research relates with the fuzzy distinction between the virtual and the electronic in consumers’ minds and even in the literature. Future work should propose a multidisciplinary definition of the virtual experience, considering its specificities and components. Practical implications This research offers companies a better understanding of consumers’ motivations to live virtual experiences. It may bring insights on how to provide a more customized offering and a more adapted communication. Originality/value Compared to previous work, the present research offers a better understanding of the components of online and offline virtual experiences by considering the virtual in its broadest meaning. The use of the AOL technique enabled a closer look at the specificities of the virtual experience as perceived by consumers. It was also possible to explore the “post-experience” stage by understanding the effect of virtual experiences on consumers’ perceptions and consumptions.

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“…For instance, text-based interactions can include emotes in order to convey more information about emotionality (Derks, Fischer, & Bos, 2008). Users can also communicate in virtual environments via personalized avatars that can be used to visually represent physical aspects of interpersonal interactions (e.g., gestures, proximity, touch), therefore adding an element of embodiment to CMC (Bente, Kramer, & Eschenburg, 2008; Lomanowska & Guitton, 2012; Sadowski & Lomanowska, 2018). Similarly, adjusting the position of the webcam in a videoconferencing interaction can allow for a face-only framing or a more enlarged view of one's body (e.g., Nguyen & Canny, 2009).…”

Section: | Features Of Computer-mediated Communication (Cmc)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Empathy in computer-mediated interactions: A conceptual framework for research and clinical practice.

Grondin

Lomanowska

Jackson

2019

Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice

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Empathy plays a crucial role in fostering positive social interactions and is elicited through verbal and nonverbal socioemotional cues. Computer-mediated communication (CMC) rapidly connects individuals at a distance but can partly filter out nonverbal cues. We draw from available telehealth and emotion communication literature to elaborate a cohesive conceptual framework of online empathy, a tool the field is currently lacking. The distinctive features of online communication and their impacts on the empathic interaction are described. We also detail strategies that users can employ to facilitate feeling, conveying, and being perceived as empathic in CMC. K E Y W O R D Scomputer-mediated communication, emotion communication, empathy, teletherapy, verbal and nonverbal cues 2 of 17 | GRONDIN et al.

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Virtual intimacy: Propensity for physical contact between avatars in an online virtual environment

Cited by 9 publications

References 29 publications

How avatars create identification and loyalty among online gamers

How avatars create identification and loyalty among online gamers

How real are virtual experiences?

Empathy in computer-mediated interactions: A conceptual framework for research and clinical practice.

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