10| "Hey Good Lookin', Come Stand By Me"

Yee & Bailenson describe the Proteus Effect as the “effect of transformed self-representation on behavior” that “conforms to digital self-representation independent of how others perceive them.” This effect predicted that those employing attractive avatars would be more intimate in self disclosure and decreased interpersonal distance than those with unattractive avatars. It also predicts that taller avatars cause their users to feel more confident.

To test these hypothesis, I signed up for Second Life, an internet based virtual world in which I could control my appearance through 150 sliders so that I could capture the slightest nuance of appearance. My “base” avatar appeared non-intimidating, approachable, and laid back, mostly as indicated by my virtual blue jeans and purple sweater. She was also relatively attractive in a downplayed way (she wasn’t wearing a miniskirt nor bore any likeness to a playboy model, which I must say seemed a rare occurance in this game). Since an avatar is one of the only cues given off in a computer-mediated environment, my selection was highly important to the way Second Life players perceived and judged me, or, should I say, “Chrisel Nitely”.

I found it odd that Second Life had a list of preconceived surnames form which users can choose. It seems that would separate the user from their individual identity, which is in line with the SIDE Model, however, in another way, it enhances the uniqueness of your Second Life life. Perhaps having such a name primes you towards identifying as a Second Life member over your own identity (Social Identification). It’s almost as if you are required to check your first life at the door when you adopt your second persona.

Since my avatar looked somewhat laid-back and approachable, I am not sure whether my avatar had an influence on my behavior because I try (in my first life) to come off that way, and my control of my avatar may have had more to do with my personality than with her appearance. At first I tried walking in close proximity to others to initiate interaction in the game, however I was influenced by reading Yee and Bailenson’s hypothesis, and may not have done so if I hadn’t been thinking about it. As I navigated throughout an island, others seemed to be preoccupied, which was discouraging at first. Even an attractive avatar was not enough to grab their attention. However, all it took was one person to reciprocate my outgoing and friendly front by paying attention to me to reestablish my confidence in my virtual appearance and assumed personality. With the one person with whom I mostly communicated, I stood virtually closer to him/her/it- his perception of me as friendly and worth talking to affected my behavior (behavioral confirmation). This is not necessarily in line with the Proteus Effect hypothesis in that although an attractive avatar resulted in less interpersonal distance, my behavior was not independent of the perceiver’s opinion of me.

I actually work with one of Second Life’s comepetitor programs called ActiveWorlds, although it is in more of an educational context where I deal with junior high school students. In that context, how I am influenced by my avatar depends on what view I have in my window. If my view is first person, I am unaware and uninfluenced by my avatar. However, if I am in the third person view and can see myself in relation to the students’ avatars, it makes me aware of my position of authority and makes me communicate more professionally and more aware of my instructions. How the kids respond to me sometimes varies based on my avatar and how distinctive it is from theirs. For example, when they are all relatively indistinct humanoid avatars and I choose the Mutant Pumpkin, or Dr. Volderheide, a mad scientist on a robo-scooter, both of which are significantly taller than theirs, they are more likely to look at me and pay attention to what I say. Their increased attention deals with others’ perceptions of me and is inconsistent with the Proteus Model’s prediction that taller avatars are more confident and aggressive. However, my reinforced efforts to do a good job with instructions upon seeing myself as an avatar distinctive from theirs, completely separated from their perception of me and the effects of behavioral confirmation, is consistent with the Proteus Model’s prediction that these taller models make me more confident.

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