Nia Week 1 - Literature Review

The Story of my (Second) Life: Virtual Worlds and Narrative Identity.

A virtual world such as Second Life provides users with an interactive social online environment with no real objection. Using this somewhat boundless platform then offers users differing motivators to join and furthermore free expression or pursuit of interests. For example some users choose avatars that closely resemble their real life selves and have interests in the same hobbies such as genre of music or art and some join for adult entertainment and satisfactory educational activities. This idea of personal expression then brings into light the idea of Second Life (SL) and how ‘real’ it can be to its users.

This study by Schechtman (2011) examines whether this idea can be true – using a narrative account of personal identity.  

The procedure in this study is divided into 4 sections.

1.     Formulate particular question.

2.      Outlines an account of personal identity.

3.     Applies account to SL.

4.     Sketch the basic contours in understanding of identity in SL and beyond.

The question as Schechtman (2011) formulates in terms of SL is what is really ‘real’ and how this idea can expose empirical discussion on the complexities blurred between what is virtual and what is reality. Schechtman further explains, “…for almost all of these (SL) users, ‘real’ does not so much indicate a state of authenticity or genuineness as it indicates both ‘that is experienced’ and demarcates ‘those experiences that occur offline…the word ‘real’ does not have any deep ontological implications in this context. Even the term virtual, doesn’t encapsulate online experience. For these participants every experience is as real as another.” This notion of reality within the context of SL can imply personal experience overall as no different from another real life experience whether online or offline. However there are boundaries to be accepted by the user in order to distinct real life occurrences from second life. This can be further discussed in the second section.

The second section conveys a narrative approach to personal identity and uses a ‘Father goes to Vegas’ narrative to explain a somewhat similar insight into what some Second Life users experience in terms of what can be felt as ‘real’ in a virtual world context. This approach also uses a Narrative Self-Constitution View (NSCV) that as Schechtman (2011) argues, “…Is a sameness of consciousness rather than sameness of substance that constitutes personal identity.” By using the approach of ‘Father goes to Vegas’ it implies that a father goes to Vegas for a experience with his friends at least once a year to express fundamentals of his personality that do not function in every day life. Instead it can be seen as an escape from reality insofar as no longer governing action and experiences in the same way as if he was at home, however still resembling correct and appropriate behaviors in Vegas that do not impede on his reality.

The familiarity in SL is that some users can express and experience parts or elements of personality online to the point of realness insofar as not hindering RL. Such as father goes to Vegas narrative it is expected that the father will not likely spend the mortgage on gambling. With this in mind, Schechtman (2011) concludes rather than distinguishing both user and avatar as separate narratives, it can be looked at more appropriately as one single broader person narrative. This idea is also relevant in Anstadt, Bradley, Burnette and Ashley (2013) study which concludes data results that indicate “…interests of the individual in SL may to some degree reflect the interests they enjoy or once enjoyed in RL, making SL an opportunity for them to re-experience interests or accomplishments. SL has the potential to provide role plays for clients to enhance their RL social groups, communities, activities, and experiences.”

To conclude a user can bring ones expressions and experiences and further pursue these in SL which can ultimately motivate and somewhat satisfy part of one’s personality or identity, of course not hindering RL but somewhat improving those less than imperative experiences.

This study is useful to gain an insight into what could motivate a user to continuously use Second Life and it does somewhat distinguish what is reality and what is virtual reality. As in what is defined as virtually real, it is real in the users time or presence and consequences. 

Reference 

Anstadt, S. P., Bradley, S., Burnette, A., & Medley, L. L. (2013). Virtual Worlds: Relationship between Real Life and Experience in Second Life. International Review Of Research In Open And Distance Learning, 14(4), 160-190.

Schechtman, M. (2011). The story of my second life: virtual worlds and narrative identity. University of Illinois. 

DOI 10.1007/s13347-012-0062-y