Anyone who has played Second Life would admit they are in love with and in awe of their virtual representations. Reason being, the avatar is more than perfect; slim, confident, athletic, fit, energetic. It has all the qualities you would like to have in real life. Does it affect our psyche in any manner? Do you feel like joining the gym to actually look like your virtual self?
Somebody had to find out. So, researchers at RTI International undertook a study to find out the motivation among people to pursue real time physical activities, their virtual avatars are pursuing in virtual world. The research published in Journal of Virtual Worlds Research found evidence that people are more likely to indulge in real life physical activities to emulate their virtual avatars. The research concluded that spending time with your virtual self would help you get involved in real time activities conducive to your health.
Elizabeth Dean, research survey methodologists at RTI said
Based on these preliminary results, it seems likely that virtual reality users may adjust their identity to be consistent with that of their avatars.
Her team interviewed 29 subjects using Second Life. One half was interviewed by a thin avatar and prompted the subjects to report their avatars to be slender. Fewer subjects of he other half interviewed by an obese avatar reported slender avatars, probably because of peer pressure. One important finding of this whole research was that the way a person manipulates the size and shape of his/her virtual avatar would throw a light on the social factors influencing obesity, body image and physical fitness.
There could be both positive and negative effects of virtual avatars. It could either change the real life behavior of people or nudge them into adopting healthier lifestyle. Or it could encourage the user to ignore their actual bodies not being able to meet the high standards of their virtual selves. This would only make the individual; go deeper and deeper into the false assumption of their fitness and could led to devastating results. Infact, it would only cause people to find solace in the unreal world and escape reality.
Via : Examiner
