OSCC23 day1 5:00pm - Do You Know Who I Am? Avatars & Identities
Channel: AvaCon Inc
Date: 13/12/2023

Presented by Marie Vans / Amvans Lapis
with Bethany Winslow

Assumptions and biases towards the person behind the avatar may be based on the experience or lack of experience a person has with avatars in virtual spaces. While those of us who have been in virtual worlds for a long time tend to have fewer assumptions about avatars in general, a recent experience with university administration resulted in a total shutdown of a space dedicated to student mental wellness. This demonstrates that avatar bias has consequences in the physical world. We will present our plans for a research survey designed to elicit information about assumptions and biases based on experience with virtual worlds and games. This survey will be embedded in a Hubs VR room and plans to analyze that data in spring 2024 will be discussed. Finally, we will gage audience interest by handing out the URL for the Hubs VR room and asking for participation.