research-article

Avatar-driven self-disclosure

Authors:

Hichang ChoAuthors Info & Claims

Computers in Human Behavior, Volume 39, Issue C

Pages 20 - 28

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2014.06.019

Published: 01 September 2014 Publication History

Abstract

The effect of avatar-self similarity on self-disclosure was examined.Self-awareness, self-presence, and identifiability are mediators.Avatar similarity increases self-disclosure via self-awareness and self-presence.Avatar similarity decreases self-disclosure via identifiability. Considering the importance of self-disclosure in building relationships and bonds, it is vital to investigate how self-disclosure is affected by avatars utilized in many online communities. In this study, we tested a research model that explores how perceived avatar-self similarity affects self-disclosure via different theoretical constructs such as self-awareness, self-presence, and identifiability. The research model was empirically tested with data from a web-based survey of 209 Second Life users. Results revealed that avatar similarity impacts self-disclosure but with varying effects, depending on how it is mediated by variables of identifiability, self-awareness and self-presence. Specifically, appearance similarity affects homophily, which heightens self-awareness. This results in increased feelings of self-presence, which positively affects self-disclosure. Homophily also has the effect of heightening perceptions of identifiability, which decreases self-disclosure. Implications and applications are discussed.

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cover image Computers in Human Behavior

Computers in Human Behavior Volume 39, Issue C

October, 2014

422 pages

ISSN:0747-5632

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Copyright © Elsevier Ltd.

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Elsevier Science Publishers B. V.

Netherlands

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Published: 01 September 2014

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Cited By

Guo SChoi MKao DMousas C(2024)Collaborating with my DoppelgängerProceedings of the ACM on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques10.1145/36512887:1(1-23)Online publication date: 13-May-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3651288
Jang YKim TKwon HPark HKim K(2024)Your Avatar Seems Hesitant to Share About Yourself: How People Perceive Others' Avatars in the Transparent SystemProceedings of the 2024 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3613904.3642568(1-14)Online publication date: 11-May-2024
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Kim TJin HHwang JKim NIm JJeon YSung Y(2024)Being excluded in the metaverseInternational Journal of Information Management: The Journal for Information Professionals10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2024.10280878:COnline publication date: 1-Oct-2024
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Litvinova YRilke RGuenther C(2024)Me, myself, and IComputers in Human Behavior10.1016/j.chb.2023.107950149:COnline publication date: 10-Jan-2024
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Alves da Silva CHilpert BBhuvaneshwara CGebhard PNunnari FTsovaltzi DLugrin BLatoschik Mvon Mammen SKopp SPécune FPelachaud C(2023)Visual Similarity for Socially Interactive Agents that Support Self-AwarenessProceedings of the 23rd ACM International Conference on Intelligent Virtual Agents10.1145/3570945.3607329(1-3)Online publication date: 19-Sep-2023
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Kim HPark JLee I(2023)“To be or Not to be Me?”: Exploration of Self-Similar Effects of Avatars on Social Virtual Reality ExperiencesIEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics10.1109/TVCG.2023.332024029:11(4794-4804)Online publication date: 1-Nov-2023
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