Psychology Commons^™

The Virtual Self: Avatar And Individual Determinants Of Mood, Ivana Wang, Steven Rouse Dr., Elizabeth Krumrei-Mancuso Dr.

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

We explored the potential of avatar-based games as a method of influencing mood. Factors such as avatar customization, participants’ perception of accurate avatar-self representation, self-esteem, and personality were assessed in relation to changes in affect following avatar game play.

With technology dominating the culture of the current day, it’s no surprise that people are becoming increasingly more concerned with their online persona. Most often, this impression is managed via an avatar, which through customization can become an accurate translation of the individual who created it (actual-self) or instead portray the self that he or she wants to be (ideal-self). The …