5.1.3I: Virtual Worlds
-
- Last updated
- Save as PDF
- Anonymous
- LibreTexts
Learning Objectives
- Explain how virtual worlds are changing the face of societal interactions, such as through the development of new language and like-minded communities
A virtual world is an online community that takes the form of a computer-based simulated environment through which users can interact with one another. Individuals create online representations of themselves called avatars that can interact on the internet under direction of the avatar’s creator. Such modeled worlds and their rules may draw from reality or fantasy worlds. Example rules are gravity, topography, locomotion, real-time actions and communication.
Social interaction between users can range from communication via text, graphical icons, visual gesture, sound, touch, voice command, and balance senses. Many MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role-playing games) have real-time actions and communication. Players create a character who travels between buildings, towns and worlds to carry out business or leisure activities. Communication is usually textual, but real-time voice communication is also possible.
Many studies of virtual worlds have questioned the virtual world’s ability to convey nuanced emotional messages as people do in face-to-face interactions. Certainly, users have developed techniques in the virtual world to communicate emotion. Beyond writing messages, users can communicate using emoticons, or simple “smilies” that visually depict simple emotions. While emoticons obviously do not convey the same range of mixed emotions as a human face, it is clear that participants in virtual worlds are innovating with language and images to develop new forms of communication.
Another aspect of social interaction in virtual worlds is variation of interactions between participants. While interaction with other participants in virtual worlds can often be done in real-time, time consistency is not always maintained in online virtual worlds.
Although the social interactions of participants in virtual worlds are often viewed in the context of online games, other forms of interaction are common. These include forums, wikis, chat rooms and video-conferences. Communities are born which have their own rules, topics, jokes and even language. Members of such communities can find like-minded people to interact with, whether this be through a shared passion, the wish to share information, or a desire to meet new people and experience new things.
Virtual Worlds : This video provides an overview of three different virtual worlds (There.com, Second Life, and World of Warcraft) and shows how different individuals and companies use the websites.
Key Points
- Such modeled worlds and their rules may draw from reality or fantasy worlds. Social interaction between users can range from communication via text, graphical icons, visual gesture, touch, voice command, and balance senses.
- Researchers have questioned the virtual world ‘s ability to convey nuanced emotional messages in face-to-face interactions. That said, participants in virtual worlds are innovating with language and images to develop new forms of communication like emoticons.
- Another aspect of social interaction in virtual worlds is variation in interactions between participants. While the interaction with other participants in virtual worlds can often be done in real-time, time consistency is not always maintained in online virtual worlds.
Key Terms
- emoticon : A graphical representation, either in the form of an image or made up of ASCII characters, of a particular emotion of the writer.
- Virtual World : It is an online community that takes the form of a computer-based simulated environment through which users can interact with one another.
- avatar : The physical embodiment of an idea or concept; a personification.
LICENSES AND ATTRIBUTIONS
CC LICENSED CONTENT, SHARED PREVIOUSLY
- Curation and Revision. Provided by : Boundless.com. License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
CC LICENSED CONTENT, SPECIFIC ATTRIBUTION
- hierarchy. Provided by : Wiktionary. Located at : en.wiktionary.org/wiki/hierarchy . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Social status. Provided by : Wikipedia. Located at : en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_status . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Boundless. Provided by : Boundless Learning. Located at : www.boundless.com//sociology/definition/pierre-bourdieu . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- prestige. Provided by : Wiktionary. Located at : http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/prestige . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Max Weber 1894. Provided by : Wikimedia. Located at : commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...Weber_1894.jpg . License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright
- All sizes | Pierre Bourdieu | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : www.flickr.com/photos/7088003...n/photostream/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
- Introduction to Sociology/Aging. Provided by : Wikibooks. Located at : en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Introduction_to_Sociology/Aging%23Treatment_of_the_Elderly . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Old age. Provided by : Wikipedia. Located at : en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_age . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- abuse. Provided by : Wiktionary. Located at : en.wiktionary.org/wiki/abuse . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Boundless. Provided by : Boundless Learning. Located at : www.boundless.com//sociology/definition/self-neglect . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Max Weber 1894. Provided by : Wikimedia. Located at : commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...Weber_1894.jpg . License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright
- All sizes | Pierre Bourdieu | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/7088003...n/photostream/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
- Old Women Gathering in Plaza Corredera, Cordoba | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : www.flickr.com/photos/mcohenc...te/2722876780/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
- Role conflict. Provided by : Wikipedia. Located at : en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Role_conflict . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Boundless. Provided by : Boundless Learning. Located at : www.boundless.com//sociology/definition/work-family-conflict . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- role conflict. Provided by : Wiktionary. Located at : en.wiktionary.org/wiki/role_conflict . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Max Weber 1894. Provided by : Wikimedia. Located at : commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Max_Weber_1894.jpg . License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright
- All sizes | Pierre Bourdieu | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/7088003...n/photostream/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
- Old Women Gathering in Plaza Corredera, Cordoba | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcohenc...te/2722876780/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
- Mother and Children, Pentecost Island | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagicity/431152406/ . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Introduction to Sociology/Culture. Provided by : Wikibooks. Located at : en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Introduction_to_Sociology/Culture . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- acculturation. Provided by : Wiktionary. Located at : en.wiktionary.org/wiki/acculturation . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- nature versus nurture debate. Provided by : Wikipedia. Located at : en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/nature%20versus%20nurture%20debate . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Max Weber 1894. Provided by : Wikimedia. Located at : commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Max_Weber_1894.jpg . License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright
- All sizes | Pierre Bourdieu | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/7088003...n/photostream/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
- Old Women Gathering in Plaza Corredera, Cordoba | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcohenc...te/2722876780/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
- Mother and Children, Pentecost Island | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagicity/431152406/ . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Jeziorolabedzie. Provided by : Wikimedia. Located at : commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...rolabedzie.JPG . License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright
- Introduction to Sociology/Stratification. Provided by : Wikibooks. Located at : en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Introduction_to_Sociology/Stratification%23Introduction . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Social class. Provided by : Wikipedia. Located at : en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_class . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Three-Class Model. Provided by : Wikipedia. Located at : en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-Class%20Model . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- socioeconomics. Provided by : Wiktionary. Located at : en.wiktionary.org/wiki/socioeconomics . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- White Collar Workers. Provided by : Wikipedia. Located at : en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/White%20Collar%20Workers . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Social facts. Provided by : Wikipedia. Located at : en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_facts . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Max Weber 1894. Provided by : Wikimedia. Located at : commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Max_Weber_1894.jpg . License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright
- All sizes | Pierre Bourdieu | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/7088003...n/photostream/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
- Old Women Gathering in Plaza Corredera, Cordoba | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcohenc...te/2722876780/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
- Mother and Children, Pentecost Island | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagicity/431152406/ . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Jeziorolabedzie. Provided by : Wikimedia. Located at : commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...rolabedzie.JPG . License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright
- Introduction to Sociology/Stratification. Provided by : Wikibooks. Located at : en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Introdu...Stratification . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Introduction to Sociology/Groups. Provided by : Wikibooks. Located at : en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Introduction_to_Sociology/Groups . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- heuristic. Provided by : Wikipedia. Located at : en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/heuristic . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- stereotype. Provided by : Wiktionary. Located at : en.wiktionary.org/wiki/stereotype . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Boundless. Provided by : Boundless Learning. Located at : www.boundless.com//sociology/definition/legitimate-heuristic . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Max Weber 1894. Provided by : Wikimedia. Located at : commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Max_Weber_1894.jpg . License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright
- All sizes | Pierre Bourdieu | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/7088003...n/photostream/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
- Old Women Gathering in Plaza Corredera, Cordoba | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcohenc...te/2722876780/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
- Mother and Children, Pentecost Island | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagicity/431152406/ . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Jeziorolabedzie. Provided by : Wikimedia. Located at : commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jeziorolabedzie.JPG . License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright
- Introduction to Sociology/Stratification. Provided by : Wikibooks. Located at : en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Introdu...Stratification . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Elizabeth Warren by David Shankbone 2010 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/shankbone/4596338617/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
- Social institution. Provided by : Wikipedia. Located at : en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_institution . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Boundless. Provided by : Boundless Learning. Located at : www.boundless.com//sociology/definition/formal-institutions . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Boundless. Provided by : Boundless Learning. Located at : www.boundless.com//sociology/...l-institutions . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Max Weber 1894. Provided by : Wikimedia. Located at : commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Max_Weber_1894.jpg . License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright
- All sizes | Pierre Bourdieu | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/7088003...n/photostream/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
- Old Women Gathering in Plaza Corredera, Cordoba | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcohenc...te/2722876780/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
- Mother and Children, Pentecost Island | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagicity/431152406/ . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Jeziorolabedzie. Provided by : Wikimedia. Located at : commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jeziorolabedzie.JPG . License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright
- Introduction to Sociology/Stratification. Provided by : Wikibooks. Located at : en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Introduction_to_Sociology/Stratification . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Elizabeth Warren by David Shankbone 2010 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/shankbone/4596338617/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
- US Capitol, DC | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : www.flickr.com/photos/thatmak...ee/4704325570/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
- Boundless. Provided by : Boundless Learning. Located at : www.boundless.com//physics/definition/node . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Introduction to Sociology/Groups. Provided by : Wikibooks. Located at : en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Introdu...ups%23Networks . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Boundless. Provided by : Boundless Learning. Located at : www.boundless.com//sociology/definition/ties . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Boundless. Provided by : Boundless Learning. Located at : www.boundless.com//sociology/...twork-analysis . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Max Weber 1894. Provided by : Wikimedia. Located at : commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Max_Weber_1894.jpg . License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright
- All sizes | Pierre Bourdieu | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/7088003...n/photostream/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
- Old Women Gathering in Plaza Corredera, Cordoba | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcohenc...te/2722876780/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
- Mother and Children, Pentecost Island | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagicity/431152406/ . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Jeziorolabedzie. Provided by : Wikimedia. Located at : commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jeziorolabedzie.JPG . License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright
- Introduction to Sociology/Stratification. Provided by : Wikibooks. Located at : en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Introduction_to_Sociology/Stratification . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Elizabeth Warren by David Shankbone 2010 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/shankbone/4596338617/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
- US Capitol, DC | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : www.flickr.com/photos/thatmak...ee/4704325570/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
- Facebook as a Social Network. Located at : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTbboNQ31Ig . License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright . License Terms : Standard YouTube license
- Provided by : Wikimedia. Located at : Wikimedia . License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright
- Virtual world. Provided by : Wikipedia. Located at : en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_world . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- avatar. Provided by : Wiktionary. Located at : en.wiktionary.org/wiki/avatar . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- emoticon. Provided by : Wiktionary. Located at : en.wiktionary.org/wiki/emoticon . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Boundless. Provided by : Boundless Learning. Located at : www.boundless.com//sociology/.../virtual-world . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Max Weber 1894. Provided by : Wikimedia. Located at : commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Max_Weber_1894.jpg . License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright
- All sizes | Pierre Bourdieu | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/7088003...n/photostream/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
- Old Women Gathering in Plaza Corredera, Cordoba | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcohenc...te/2722876780/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
- Mother and Children, Pentecost Island | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagicity/431152406/ . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Jeziorolabedzie. Provided by : Wikimedia. Located at : commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jeziorolabedzie.JPG . License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright
- Introduction to Sociology/Stratification. Provided by : Wikibooks. Located at : en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Introduction_to_Sociology/Stratification . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
- Elizabeth Warren by David Shankbone 2010 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/shankbone/4596338617/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
- US Capitol, DC | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/thatmak...ee/4704325570/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
- Facebook as a Social Network. Located at : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTbboNQ31Ig . License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright . License Terms : Standard YouTube license
- Provided by : Wikimedia. Located at : Wikimedia . License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright
- Virtual Worlds. Located at : www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7C6LAEQUGs . License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright . License Terms : Standard YouTube license
- World of Warcraft | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Provided by : Flickr. Located at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/thms/385971585/ . License : CC BY: Attribution