The IRMA Community
Newsletters
Research IRM
Click a keyword to search titles using our InfoSci-OnDemand powered search:
|
Trendy Avatars and Their Hair: Studying a Symbolic Cultural Artifact with Multiple Qualitative Methods
Abstract
This case study uses multiple qualitative methods to examine cultural meanings of virtual goods in a virtual world or Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG) with consumer marketing promotions. Through participant observation, avatar hair emerged as a key virtual good. Symbolic displays in social interaction showed different meanings and uses for types of hair available to users, including high-status rare hair, and versions aligned with marketing promotions and real-world brands. Study of online artifacts examined user-generated content, such as user forums and machinima. The long interview method subsequently was employed to gather insight from users. Findings demonstrate how different data from these online methods provide rich meanings for avatar hair related to symbolic interactionism and self-presentation. Methods explore co-production among users, platform, and marketing efforts. Cultural meanings, user self-displays, and corporate influences related to avatar hair are presented. Avatar hair emerged as a status artifact that often revealed levels of social skills or wealth in this virtual culture, at times connected with marketing promotions relevant outside of the virtual world. Methodological implications are explored for avatar-based participation, artifacts from social networking and other technologies, and ethical approaches.
Related Content
|
Nitesh Behare, Rashmi D. Mahajan, Meenakshi Singh, Vishwanathan Iyer, Ushmita Gupta, Pritesh P. Somani.
© 2024.
36 pages.
|
|
Shikha Mittal.
© 2024.
21 pages.
|
|
Albérico Travassos Rosário.
© 2024.
31 pages.
|
|
Carla Sofia Ribeiro Murteira, Ana Cristina Antunes.
© 2024.
23 pages.
|
|
Mario Sierra Martin, Alvaro Díaz Casquero, Marina Sánchez Pérez, Bárbara Rando Rodríguez.
© 2024.
17 pages.
|
|
Poornima Nair, Sunita Kumar.
© 2024.
18 pages.
|
|
Neli Maria Mengalli, Antonio Aparecido Carvalho.
© 2024.
16 pages.
|
|
|