Avatars

2013 ◽  
pp. 255-271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesse Fox ◽  
Sun Joo Ahn
Keyword(s):  
Social Networking ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Online Games ◽  
Environmental Behaviors ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Tourism Research ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Health Marketing ◽  
Identity Expression

Avatars are defined as virtual representations that are controlled by a human user. Commonly, we observe avatars in video and online games, social networking sites, and virtual worlds. This chapter explores the use of avatars in the expression, exploration, and evolution of users’ identities, both online and offline. Theoretical explanations for the creation, manipulation, use, and effects of avatars are offered, including identification, transformed social interaction, and the Proteus effect. The adoption of avatars for identity expression, exploration, and change is discussed, including Turkle’s notion of fragmented selves and Nakamura’s concept of identity tourism. Research that has investigated the effects of avatars on self-perceptions and identity in various domains (such as health, marketing, finance, and environmental behaviors) is addressed. Implications and future directions for research in this area are discussed.

Adoption of Social Networking Sites

2012 ◽  
pp. 600-607
Author(s):  
Y. P. Chang ◽  
D. H. Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Social Networking ◽  
Scientific Knowledge ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Historical Development ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
International Phenomenon

The adoption of social networking sites has become an international phenomenon. This encyclopedia entry synthesizes the literature concerning adoption of social networking sites. It offers a definition about adoption of social networking sites. It provides an overview on historical development by specifying the pioneering scholars of danah boyd and Nicole Ellison and current knowledge status of the adoption of social networking sites. It introduces the current scientific knowledge by specifying leading scholars’ researches from five representative areas, namely adopters’ characteristics, adopters’ motivation, antecedents of adoption, adopters’ behavior and consequences of adoption. It also concludes the entry and outlines future directions.

The Roles of Age, Gender, and Ethnicity in Cyberbullying

2016 ◽  
pp. 97-113
Author(s):  
Michelle F. Wright
Keyword(s):  
Social Networking ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Instant Messenger ◽  
Typical Part ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Electronic Technologies

Children and adolescents have become active users of electronic technologies, with many of them blogging, watching videos, and chatting via instant messenger and social networking sites. Many of these activities have become a typical part of their lives. Electronic technologies have brought many conveniences to the lives of children and adolescents. Along with the opportunities associated with these technologies, children and adolescents are also susceptible to risks, including cyberbullying. Therefore, many researchers have become concerned with identifying which factors might predict children's and adolescents' involvement in these behaviors. Some predictors that researchers have focused on include age, gender, and ethnicity, but the findings were mixed. This chapter draws on research to review studies on the relationship of age, gender, and ethnicity to children's and adolescents' cyberbullying involvement and concludes with solutions and recommendations as well as future directions for research focused on these predictors and cyberbullying.

Web 2.0, Virtual Worlds, and Real Ethical Issues

2010 ◽  
pp. 105-117
Author(s):  
Sue Conger
Keyword(s):  
Social Norms ◽  
Web 2.0 ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Role Playing ◽  
Industrial Espionage ◽  
Local Norms ◽  
Illegal Activities

Social networking sites, enabled by Web 2.0 technologies and embodied in role-playing virtual worlds, are gaining in popularity and use both for recreational and business purposes. Behavioral controls can be regulated through program code restrictions, rules of conduct, and local norms. Most vendor hosts of virtual worlds use code restrictions sparingly, restricting only overtly illegal activities. Otherwise, all worlds publish some form of rules of conduct and rely on the development of in-world local norms to regulate behavior. As a result, many unethical forms of behavior have arisen, including griefing, fragging, and industrial espionage. There is no sure method of solving the unethical forms of behavior unless strong social norms develop; therefore, users must take precautions when acting in virtual worlds to understand how to avoid or deflect virtual attacks of different types.

Teens and Social Networking Services

2009 ◽  
pp. 160-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryann Mori
Keyword(s):  
Social Networking ◽  
Online Social Networks ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Internet Access ◽  
Work Environments ◽  
Background Information ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Social Networking Services ◽  
Educational Benefits ◽  
Current Trends

This chapter provides an overview of the ways teens interact with social networking services. It acknowledges that teens are active users of social networking sites, and the implications of this usage affect and/or cross social, moral, educational and political lines. By reviewing current trends and statistics from various authors and sources, this chapter provides background information to understanding the growth and importance of online social networking among the Internet generation. Topics include demographics, ramifications on social behavior, adults’ concerns, policies designed to restrict teens’ Internet access, educational benefits and future directions of teens’ use of social networking services. Realizing the importance and influence of online social networks among teens should provide readers with a better understanding of how these sites can not only be used for educational and marketing purposes, but also be integrated within work environments.

scholarly journals Social Media Posts About Racism Leads to Evaluative Backlash for Black Job Applicants

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 205630512097836
Author(s):  
Simon Howard ◽  
Kalen Kennedy ◽  
Francisco Tejeda
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Selection Process ◽  
Black Americans ◽  
Employee Selection ◽  
Racial Group ◽  
Job Applicants ◽  
Cover Letter ◽  
Future Directions

Black Americans post about race and race-related issues on social media more than any other racial group. In this study, we investigated whether Black Americans who post about racism on social networking sites (i.e., Facebook) experience evaluative backlash during the employee selection process. Participants ( N = 154) were given a Black job candidate’s cover letter, resume, and a scanned printout of their social media. Depending on what condition they were randomly assigned to, the applicant’s social media contained posts about racism or posts that were race neutral. Results indicated that Black individuals whose posts were about racism were evaluated less favorably than Black individuals whose posts were race neutral. Specifically, they were perceived as being less likable. In addition, Black individuals whose social media posts were related to racism were less likely to be offered an interview for a job. Implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed.

scholarly journals A Typology of Virtual Worlds: Historical Overview and Future Directions

1970 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul R. Messinger ◽  
Eleni Stroulia ◽  
Kelly Lyons
Keyword(s):  
Social Networking ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Historical Overview ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Platform Design ◽  
Profit Model ◽  
Five Elements ◽  
Collaborative Play

Virtual worlds constitute a growing space for collaborative play, learning, work, and e-commerce. To promote study of this emerging realm of activity, we suggest a typology adapted from C. Porter’s (2004) typology of virtual communities. The five elements of the proposed typology include (1) purpose (content of interaction), (2) place (location of interaction), (3) platform (design of interaction), (4) population (participants in the interaction), and (5) profit model (return on interaction). We argue that this five-element typology facilitates identification of (a) the historic antecedents of virtual worlds in gaming and social networking, (b) future applications of virtual worlds for society, education, and business; and (c) topics for future research.

scholarly journals How Do Women Entrepreneurs Use the Virtual Network Facebook?

2011 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 257-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Constantinidis
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Women Entrepreneurs ◽  
Virtual Network ◽  
Female Entrepreneurs ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Women's Networks

This paper examines the views and attitudes of a sample of 228 female entrepreneurs in Belgium towards the virtual social network Facebook. It uses statistical analysis to evaluate the impact of their gendered sector of activity and of their self-perceptions on: how Facebook is perceived as responding to gender-related difficulties; how Facebook is used in terms of objectives and activities; how Facebook supports women's networks; and the outcomes of Facebook for women-owned businesses. The results highlight significant differences according to women's sectors of activity and self-perceptions with regard to how Facebook is perceived and used. They support the idea of an active posture of women entrepreneurs, allowing for action to be taken to deconstruct and counterbalance existing gender dynamics. The paper highlights certain implications for public and private initiatives and underlines the potential of this and other virtual social networking sites for women's entrepreneurship.

Social Computing

2011 ◽  
pp. 85-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chaka Chaka
Keyword(s):  
Social Networking ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Social Computing ◽  
Brand Image ◽  
Collective Intelligence ◽  
Future Trends ◽  
Thematic Synthesis ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Synthesis Approach

This chapter investigates instances of social computing and the affordances it offers enterprise social networking. Employing a thematic synthesis approach, it argues that social computing in the form of blogs, wikis, social networking sites, and virtual worlds serves as an ideal platform that enterprises can tap into for enterprise social networking purposes. In addition, the chapter explores the way in which social computing can help enterprises leverage the relationship economy inherent in enterprise social networking. Against this background, the chapter provides, first, an overview of social computing and enterprise social networking. Second, it characterises, using examples of real world applications obtained through thematic synthesis, how enterprises can exploit instances of social computing cited above to extract business benefits from them. Third, it outlines how enterprises can harness the relationship economy, Value 2.0 and Prosumerism 2.0 to enhance their brand image and boost their online presence. Fourth, it presents caveats regarding how terms such as enterprise social networking, wikinomics, collective intelligence, relationship economy, Prosumerism 2.0 and Value 2.0 may degenerate into mantras. Fifth and last, the chapter delineates future trends likely to characterise enterprise social computing.

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