Book chapter 55 views
It is me, but Not Me: Self-representation as an Avatar in VRChat
Leighton Evans 
,
Yueyao Hu
,
Yueyao Hu
Virtual Reality Gaming: Perspectives on Immersion, Embodiment and Presence, Pages: 75 - 87
Swansea University Author:
Leighton Evans
Abstract
VR games like VRChat offer players the opportunity to construct avatarsmirroring their real-world identity, encompassing various facets includingmakeup, fashion style, body proportions and skin tone. This chapter exploreshow the real-life identity of players and the persona crafted within VRChat are...
| Published in: | Virtual Reality Gaming: Perspectives on Immersion, Embodiment and Presence |
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| ISBN: | 9781835493779 |
| Published: |
Emerald
2025
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| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa69210 |
| Abstract: |
VR games like VRChat offer players the opportunity to construct avatarsmirroring their real-world identity, encompassing various facets includingmakeup, fashion style, body proportions and skin tone. This chapter exploreshow the real-life identity of players and the persona crafted within VRChat arerelated to one another and to what extent the avatar relates to self-perception.Avatar appearance can significantly affect how individuals interact with othersin virtual environments. Appearance can also affect the degree to which theplayer can use the digital space for self-expression. Expressing self-identitythrough avatar design is therefore critical in establishing embodiment andpresence in VR environments. Avatar design influences how individuals formsocial connections, build relationships and collaborate online, increasinglyimportant in VR games like VRChat. Utilising Goffman’s theory ofself-presentation, this chapter draws on interviewdata from20VRChat users tounderstand the motivations and influences affecting avatar design. Thesechoices are assessed in the context of creating an embodied actor in VR. Theinterview findings emphasise the role of avatar customisation in manifestingusers’ ideas of their authentic selves in the virtual realm. Supported by surveydata, the insights highlight users’ motivations based on personality traits,interests, social and personal identities, and cultural aesthetics derived fromreal-life experiences. This chapter underscores the complex interplay betweenreal and virtual identities, highlighting the significant influence of cultural andsocial foundations on identity manifestation within VR environments. |
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| College: |
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Start Page: |
75 |
| End Page: |
87 |