This is my body: the uses and effects of the avatar in the virtual world

Abstract

The study focuses on the relationship users of virtual worlds, such as Second Life, may or may not develop toward the avatar they use. A questionnaire was developed to collect both qualitative and quantitative data from students engaged in a university assignment that required them to use an avatar in Second Life. The findings are contextualized and discussed: The distinctions between software, hardware and self are blurred.