CLASS 13: Identity in the Context of Virtual Worlds

           When examining identities in the real and virtual world, people often think that a person’s virtual world identity is closer to that person’s actual self than the image they portray in real life. Professionals like photographer Robbie Cooper are curious to discover if people's virtual selves are a mirror or not of their true selves. Anonymity of the online world gives people the freedom to be whoever and whatever they wish they were in their own real life. They can live out their fantasies and make up for what they lack in qualities in the real world and be taller, prettier, more muscular, whatever they wish they could change in their own real selves. I, for example, make my characters with smaller noses than my own big one.

Another professional, Nick Yee, who studies immersive virtual reality at Stanford University, see trends in character development. His study showed that introverts usually describe their avatars as someone with the qualities they themselves wished they had. Yee also observed that men gender bend more often than women do. One rationale is as simple as men rather look at a woman for a length of time than a man. Photographer Robbie Cooper found that creators become less self conscious and embarrassed about their characters not being representative of themselves. An example is the Korean professor who assumed the identity of a little girl and volunteered to show his two identities in Cooper’s book. The character becomes a bigger part of your life the longer you work with it. You become so familiarized with the character that you become desensitized about the appropriateness of the character itself.

Even though creators tend to exaggerate or embellish their characters, the creators tend to be true to themselves by carrying over the norms they follow in the real world into their virtual worlds. For example, one knows it is rude to just sign off without a proper goodbye. Another norm that I carry over into my virtual world is to be friendly when I meet a new classmate. I ask them questions about themselves to get to know them. I have done that with members of our class by asking questions like where are they from. I tried to become familiar with my classmates even though I have not personally met them.

           Second Life is developed to break down preconceived ideas about identity including race and gender. This program is needed to educate students on the racial stereotyping language that exists. People judge others from learned norms that often are not true. For example, my father and his brother are Chinese. People always ask them if they are doctors. Neither of them are doctors nor do they work in the medical field. I do believe virtual classroom assignments in Second Live can over time change these identity barriers. Years ago people would ask my grandfather what restaurant he worked in. He was actually a Vice President of Bank of Boston. So people have changed their view of Chinese on the social scale. I do not think most of these offenders realize they are stereotyping when they ask the question about occupation. A first step to erase these labels is to help students recognize these socially constructed barriers that exist.

I learned extensively about immersive education. I did not realize how comprehensive it is. I also now realize that there are numerous virtual worlds for 3D. The class was harder than I thought it would be when I read about it in the catalog. It was difficult getting used to my first on line class. I am the type that likes to talk to professors after class in person. I had to adjust to a new way of interacting with classmates and the professor.

           

 My Four Favorite Screenshots from class:
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