Self Representation

Dear Mr. Bailenson,

Your article was long but easy to read. The title of the article itself was self explanatory which I appreciate so I can understand what you are talking about. The main focus was talking about ways people can interact with one another not face-to-face but still get most out of the experience. What I found to be true were the dimensions of Transformed Social Interaction (TSI). Out of the three dimensions, I found the third dimension, to be accurate. Self representation is what most people have trouble with when making an avatar because they don’t know whether or not to make themselves realistic to their avatar or exaggerate a little…or maybe a whole lot. In the real life movie called Life 2.0, it highlights certain people who deals with unhealthy usage of Second Life (well I believe it is unhealthy). One lady admits to waking up at 6pm and going on Second Life for 15-20 hours a day. What is she thinking!? Her avatar is also the complete opposite of her in real life it makes me laugh. But anyways, self representation is shown in the couple shown in the film. Both of them made their avatar close to what they look like in real life and both of them even fell in love. The one lady made the basement in her Second Life home the replicate of her basement at home. They made themselves as realistic as they can be in the virtual world just to make up the lack of face-to-face interaction.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Hau