What Is an Avatar on Virtual Communication?
An avatar refers to a graphical representation of a user. This can range from a full 3D animated figure to a simple 2D image. It can also include usernames and even the overall personality created by the user as part of the avatar. In some cases, particularly when using social networks, users may choose to create an avatar that shows their actual faces or names. However, avatars more often keep a user anonymous online.
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Origin
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The word "avatar" comes from a Sanskrit word meaning "manifestation" or "incarnation." According to the Human Virtual Interaction Lab at Stanford University, the term avatar was first used as a reference to virtual reality personas by Neal Stephenson in his 1992 novel "Snow Crash." The term is now widely used online by a range of websites and applications for user profile pictures and graphics.
Common Uses
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Four of the most common uses for avatars online are in web forums, chat rooms, instant messaging and video gaming. The word avatar has also gained visibility in 2010 because of a popular movie of the same name. A man in the movie uses a host body to enable him to inhabit another world and gain new experiences.
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Web Forums and Instant Messaging
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Web forums often allow members to choose a username and image for their profile when registering. Instant messaging programs usually include a small icon or image to display alongside any messages. In both cases, users have the option to create an anonymous identity.
Chat Rooms and Gaming
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Online chat rooms were one of the first online environments to embrace the idea of avatars. Some modern chat rooms have evolved to contain very elaborate avatars that exist inside self-contained environments--as with the online virtual world, Second Life. Similarly, online multiplayer games have merged virtual reality chat rooms and instant messaging by allowing game players to create their own characters and then interact with other avatars. These are all forms of virtual communication that occur through the filter of an avatar.
Psychology of Avatars
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According to John Suler Ph.D. at the Department of Psychology in the Science and Technology Center at Rider University, avatars allow users to express themselves and experiment with their identity more freely. They also offer the opportunity to play out some fantasies in a virtual communication setting. This is in part because avatars allow a degree of anonymity--which in turn helps people relax and feel less inhibited.
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References
- Photo Credit robot image by Paul Moore from Fotolia.com
