![]() Studies in SL suggest that the way people interact online closely mirrors real-world social behaviour. Moreover, it was the older players and the female players who tended to play for longer hours. For example, Dmitri Williams and colleagues published a study last year showing that 7000 players of Everquest 2 were aged 31 years on average, and while the majority were male, 19 per cent were female. Early psychological research in this field has focused on establishing who these users are – no mean feat given privacy issues – and whether their online behaviour follows the social psychological laws uncovered in the real world.ĭitch any stereotypes – the evidence to date suggests these are not worlds populated solely by teenage, male video-gamers. Other online worlds, such as World of Warcraft or Everquest, allow similar freedom to explore and socialise, but unlike SL, they also have game objectives. SL now has over 16 million registered users. With this avatar they can then navigate the 3D digital world and meet and chat with other avatars online in real time, either using text or speech. Second Life (SL: and other similar online virtual worlds are accessed by desktop computer and involve users assuming the role of a digital version of themselves known as an avatar. The researchers and clinicians in this field all make the same argument – this is no passing fad, but rather the most exciting opportunity facing the profession for a generation. Others are moving into digital realms to teach and work with clients. ![]() Psychologists are studying these worlds, to find out how people behave there, and to uncover whether a person’s online escapades affect their real-world selves. ![]() ![]() Millions of people also exist online in virtual worlds, where they can fly, teleport, socialise and spend time inside a digital body of their own design. ![]()
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