This theory suggests that beliefs and attitudes follow from self-observed behavior, and this process is used by the individual to explain their actions. Self-perception theory (Bem, Citation1972) suggests that individuals will first infer and then subsequently assimilate attitudes and beliefs from observing their own behavior. One particularly prominent and widely advocated argument focuses on the importance of self-perception theory as a means of understanding the phenomenon of the PE. However, there is some debate concerning the theoretical components that explain this process. Furthermore, these studies have found some support for the claim that the PE can occur not only within the game world, but can transcend the virtual environment and affect physical world behaviors and attitudes of individuals (Yee & Bailenson, Citation2007 Peña et al., Citation2009 Yee et al., Citation2009). Furthermore, the graphical fidelity of a videogame as well as controller type (i.e., gamepad, keyboard and mouse, motion controllers) has indirectly been shown to potentially affect the strength of the PE through factors such as immersion and avatar embodiment (Blomberg, Citation2018: Gorisse et al., Citation2019). For example, research has indicated that the PE is more likely to occur when an individual is able to customize their avatar (Ducheneaut et al., Citation2009 Ratan & Sah, Citation2015), which is due to the greater degree of avatar identification and avatar embodiment that this allows (Ratan & Dawson, Citation2016 Li & Lwin, Citation2016 Song et al., Citation2014). In addition, research has identified that specific factors can influence the likelihood of the PE occurring as well as its strength. For example, research evidence has been found to indicate that individuals who play as taller avatars act more confidently and negotiate more aggressively irrespective of their physical world height (Yee & Bailenson, Citation2007 Yee et al., Citation2009). Simply put, Yee and Bailenson ( Citation2007) argued that an individual will make inferences concerning their avatar based on identity cues such as the avatar’s appearance, and will then modify their behavior or attitudes to align with the expected behavior believed to be associated with these observed attributes or characteristics. More specifically, in the context of virtual avatars, the PE refers to the phenomenon where the player-observed features of virtual avatars can influence the in-game behavior or attitudes of gamers. The term ‘Proteus effect’ (Yee & Bailenson, ( Citation2007)) is derived from the mythological Greek god Proteus who had the power of metamorphosis and was able to alter himself to any shape or form he desired in order to avoid showing his knowledge of past, present, and future events. One specific and increasingly prominent area of research regarding this aspect of the user-avatar relationship is referred to as the ‘Proteus effect’ (PE). More specifically, it has been suggested that the avatar may become integrated into the gamer’s sense of self, allowing for in-game avatar-related characteristics to influence the gamer in terms of both attitudes and behavior (Ratan & Sah, Citation2015 Citation2015). However, while the research evidence indicates that the gamer can, and often does, project elements of themselves into a game world through their avatar, the reverse may also be true and an avatar can impact or influence the gamer. This projection of individuals in a virtual world via their avatars has received increasing research attention, and personal aspects such as an individual’s personality (Worth & Book, Citation2014 Yee et al., Citation2011) and appearance (Cacioli & Mussap, Citation2014 Kafai et al., Citation2010 Messinger et al., Citation2008) have been indicated as factors with the potential to affect in-game avatar appearance and behavior. Avatars can often be highly customized characters whose visual design and in-game behavior are controlled by the gamers themselves.Īs both a visual representation of the gamer as well as a means of facilitating manipulation of a virtual world, an avatar can be seen as a means through which an individual is able to project their physical world self into a game world (Ducheneaut et al., Citation2009). An avatar is a visual representation of a character that the gamer uses to navigate and interact with in a virtual world through which gamers are able to seek out and achieve in-game objectives. The mechanics of videogames can vary significantly, and may require little more than pressing a specific button at the correct time to sweeping narrative-driven epics in vast and dynamic game worlds.Īlthough not universal, a common and often integral component found in videogames is the avatar. Since their commercial introduction in the 1970s, videogames have become an increasingly popular form of entertainment leading to the multi-billion-pound industry seen today (Juniper Research, Citation2020).
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