23 Oct 2008 |
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Have you ever wondered what the top Digg users avatars reveal about themselves? We contacted a University lecture and prominent psychology blogger to analyse from a pyschological perspective what 20 digg avatars say about them. We also contacted a communications scholar to give insight into the avatars from a communication and reputation perspective. MrBabyMan
Psychological analysis: This is an anthropomorphic, mildly masculine avatar. It is not at all narcissistic. Symbolically, the "working" pose suggests that the user values work or views himself/herself as a hard worker. It is colorful and distinctive, but tells us little else about the person selecting this representation of the self. Communication analysis: This individual, like the marijuana avatar, is using a well-recognized logo as part of his or her own avatar. This is the logo for Obama and what he has been using of his Presidential campaign. However, in this one, they are using a symbol of someone picking up mud-which can be perceived as being how they view Obama politically. In terms of what this avatar represents, it clearly shows how they view Obama, and that they have a strong political view and interest in the current election, and are open in expressing their opinion in a visual and direct form. Characteristics: Open, politically active, vocal in opinions Msaleem
Psychological analysis: This is a totally non-anthropomorphic, androgynous avatar, which is not conducive to high credibility. We learn nothing about the person behind the avatar, other than the suggestion that the person is a gambler, or risk-taker, who prefers the "dark side." Communication analysis:It appears that this individual is into either playing cards or taking chances, which could be part of his or her personality characteristics, or that the user wants to show people that he or she likes to live life on the basis of fate. Why he or she chose a spade remains a question-seems to be that this individual wants to remain unknown and mysterious to those online. Characteristics: Mysterious, unknown, dark, believes in fate controls outcomes of life
Zaibatsu
Psychological analysis: This is an anthropomorphic, androgynous avatar. The colors chosen are metallic and cold, and the blank eyes are robotic. This one is actually a bit creepy to me. I would expect this person to be highly technical, analytical, systems-thinking, but not emotionally warm or empathic. Communication analysis: This avatar can be viewed in many different ways. This appears to be from a video game of some sort, so perhaps this person is into new technologies and social networking. This avatar could represent the person’s view of his/her reputation and brand being bold, strong (iron), but not approachable (spikes). The avatar focuses on how the individual is not really identifiable because you can’t see the eyes, and there really isn’t any emotion in the face. Characteristics: Cold, stern, not emotional, tough MakiMaki
Psychological analysis: This is a non-anthropomorphic avatar, which again would reduce credibility. The image is somewhat disturbing, as it looks like the sphere (eye?) that has been damaged. This is not a friendly image. Communication analysis: This avatar projects an overall impression that this person is dark, unapproachable, and a person who does not have a lot of “color” in his or her life. This avatar may be projecting a message to people that this person is not necessarily someone who likes to be in group settings, and may be more independent and isolated from others. Characteristics: individualistic, unapproachable, dark, life is black or white—nothing in between. Supernova17
Psychological analysis: Once again, this is a highly stylized, non-anthropomorphic avatar, which really tells us little about the person behind it. The green is vibrant, but that’s about all you can say. Communication analysis: This avatar could mean different things—for example, S could be for the person’s first name, or it could be for something else. Green could possibly be his/her favorite color, or it could represent him/her in terms of support for the green environmental movement. Digitalgopher
Psychological analysis: This is an anthropomorphic, masculine avatar. The “superhero” appearance suggests strength and force. However, the red eyes and gray face are not approachable. This is a guy you want on your side in a fight, but keep your distance. Communication analysis: This avatar shows that this individual may perceive himself/ herself as strong, heroic, and in control of his/her life. This is a cartoon representation, but it does show how the user want others to perceive him/her. The user may display these same qualities in real life, but maybe not—so this might be how the user ideally wants to be perceived by peers, family, and work colleagues. Characteristics: heroic, stern, tough, outgoing, leader Mklopez
Psychological analysis: This is an anthropomorphic and mildly masculine avatar. It’s geeky, with the glasses and the bad hair. However, its techie, scientific look promotes credibility and a sense of intelligence. It is not at all narcissistic. Think Dilbert here. Communication analysis: The first thing that struck me about this avatar is the fact that it is a little blurry, and seems to be a picture of a Muppet of some sorts with glasses, a tie, and a pocket protector. This is another way that this individual identifies his/her personal reputation and brand—instead of showing the user’s own picture, he/she wants to project how he/she sees the self in another way. This avatar shows that the user is most likely into obtaining knowledge with a sense of humor, but the telling thing is that he or she did not want use an actual photo, but rather chose another way to identify the self. Characteristics: intelligent, studious, technology oriented Bonlebon
Psychological analysis: Somebody has a sense of humor. This is a fun, anthropomorphic and mildly masculine avatar. The choice of the shocked facial expression suggests a childish sense of wonder at the goings on of the planet. I would read this blog. Communication analysis: This person seems to be known for not being too serious and for having a good time. Also, this person may want to be perceived as being someone who will always be “young at heart” and never take things too seriously in life. Overall, this person wants to be perceived as someone who is outgoing, happy, and never too old for fun. Characteristics: Outgoing, funny, expressive, feels “young at heart Aidenag
Psychological analysis: This is an obviously anthropomorphic, masculine avatar. It is also mildly narcissistic. The “tough guy” cigar and expression don’t seem to be very valid, so there is some humor here. Communication analysis: This avatar could represent being the “tough, cool” and no-nonsense kind of person. This avatar also projects a sense that this individual wants to be the “hero”—courageous, outgoing, and not afraid. This person wants to be perceived by others as being the guy or girl who is the one that takes leadership and that is “in.” However, it all depends if the user is like this in real life or not, or whether this is how he/she ideally wants to be perceived by those whom he/she respects and whose opinion is valued. Characteristics: tough, leader, takes actions when needed, aggressive, and appears to be “cool” Kevinrose
Psychological analysis: Anthropomorphic, masculine, and high on the narcissism scale are the ratings for this one. This guy wants us to believe he’s the life of the party. Unless you’re looking for keg ratings, this avatar isn’t very credible. Communication analysis: This person wants to appear cool and sophisticated, but that all depends on the audience that he is trying to attract. For example, this may not be the most credible and professional picture that this person may want to post online when applying for a job. This person also seems to be projecting an image of needing to be the center of attention, and he probably aspires to be known as a leader among his peers and be viewed as credible and trustworthy. Characteristics: Peer-oriented, aspires to be a viewed as a leader, feels a need to be the center of attention, having the reputation of being the “cool guy”. Suxmonkey
Psychological analysis: A lot depends on who is using this avatar. It would say very different things if it represents a man than if it represents a woman. It’s definitely anthropomorphic and feminine, but not very high on the credibility meter. It sort of reminds me of the cutouts of women on mud flaps of big trucks. Communication analysis: It appears that this person is projecting a certain view of how he or she views women. It is not the most credible avatar to have, and it shows how he or she may feel about women in terms of their role in society. Optimusprime01
Psychological analysis: Anthropomorphic and exaggerated masculinity are obvious here. This is one serious gamer and techie, I’m guessing. Similar to #6, but the inclusion of the whole body rather than just the face accentuates the emphasis on strength and power. Communication analysis: I would have to say that this individual wants to be perceived to be strong, serious, and very masculine. This avatar shows that this individual wants to be perceived as having the strength and confidence to approach any situation, and feel unstoppable. This person would also be into most likely the latest technologies and video games and may be art. Characteristics: Wants to be perceived as being heroic, strong, confident, masculine, and superior to others. MediaSight
Psychological analysis: This is anthropomorphic, but has a lot of androgynous qualities to it. It’s a studied look, chosen on purpose for its drama. Again, the use of the black and white and unusual view suggests artistic and creative qualities, probably with a hefty dose of narcissism, too. Communication analysis: I would have to say that this picture really doesn’t show that much of the individual person—but that in a way does show that this person may want to be anonymous online and not recognizable to others. Or they could just be into physical appearance (especially hair), making sure that he/she is up to the latest trends in fashion and style to fit and incorporate this into their personal brand. Characteristics: stylish, anonymous, appearance oriented Motang
Psychological analysis: I thought at first that this had no anthropomorphic qualities at all, but you could look at it as three people forming a circle, with heads and shoulders. It’s colorful and unique, suggests some warmth, but otherwise tells us little about the person using it. Communication analysis: This person appears to be cheerful and symbolic in their actions by choosing this avatar, but it still is hard to identify other characteristics of who this person is. Irfanmp
Psychological analysis: This is fun. Once again, somebody has a sense of humor. It’s anthropomorphic, mildly masculine, and a little crazed. This is a person who is probably really smart under all of this bravado. Sophisticated humor is usually a sign of high intelligence. Communication analysis: This person seems to have a sense of humor, but also could have a dark side since this is an avatar of the Joker (from the Batman cartoons). This person is outgoing, has a sense of humor, likes entertainment, and could possibly have two sides to his/her personality—one that is happy and with a sense of humor, and the other side is more serious. Characteristics: sense of humor, two sides of personality (serious versus humor), interested in art KevinFederline
Psychological analysis: This is an anthropomorphic, masculine, and highly narcissistic avatar. The user might be a fan, or view himself as sharing these qualities. Communication analysis: This person aspires to be successful, focused on financial success, and wants to be perceived as a leader or someone that is “cool.” This avatar is a picture of Sean “P.Diddy” Combs, who is known for his over-the-top parties, various product lines, and being successful. However, he also has a bit of an ego—so this person may feel like they can relate to him with these characteristics. Overall, this person wants the reputation of being successful in all activities, the center of attention, the person that everyone talks about, and is materialistic. This person wants to be successful and at the top of their game in every aspect of life—social, school, work, and personal life. CLIFFosakaJAPAN
Psychological analysis: We don’t get much information about the person behind this avatar, except for the possibility of their nationality, but not even that is for certain. It’s colorful, but impersonal. That may be the message—group affiliation rather than personal qualities. Communication analysis: This person may identify themselves with a particular nation brand—whether it is based on their family or culture, this is how they perceive themselves in terms of their personal identity and reputation. Pizzler
Psychological analysis: What can we say? This is probably about a zero in terms of credibility, unless you are under the age of 16 and spend all waking moments skateboarding or surfing. This is someone who is above the law, more important than everybody else, and proud of it. Communication analysis: Well, this is a universal symbol that stimulates a reaction in most people. This of course is the symbol for marijuana, and could be linked to the person using drugs, advocating drugs, or engaging in other illegal activities. This person could be viewed as problematic, bold, not rule-bound, and thinking day-to-day, and not necessarily a future-orienting thinker who considers consequences. This is a bold image to put up as an avatar, and it brings up a lot of meaning. Characteristics: goes against authority, vocal, not thinking about the consequences, self-centered, opinionated SirPopper
Psychological analysis: This is an anthropomorphic, masculine avatar that is mildly narcissistic, as it is very stylized, posed, and emphasizes intelligence and scholarly qualities. The use of a black and white photo is dramatic, and if I had to guess, I’d say this user was a journalist. Clearly the message is “take me seriously; I’m a deep thinker.” Most people would probably rate this as a credible person. Communication analysis: This individual seems to be very studious and knowledgeable, shown by choosing Sir Karl Popper as an avatar picture. Popper was a philosopher who was known for his work in falsification in the scientific method. This person appears to be highly educated, and interested in research and philosophy, advancing one’s own knowledge about the world around him / her, enjoying reading, and solving problems. Characteristics: Reader, philosopher, aspires to further personal knowledge, curious, scientific and research interests Badwithcomputer
Psychological analysis: This avatar comes across as authentic. It is not particularly narcissistic. The friendly expression, bright orange background, and Hawaiian shirt establish a casual tone. You might buy a surfboard from this guy using this avatar, but I doubt you’d take his medical advice. Communication analysis: This person appears to be into entertainment, especially comedy movies and shows like Saturday Night Life (picture is of actor Will Arnett). This person is carefree, loves to laugh and have a good time, and overall is a happy person. This person may want to be known as the “cool” person in a group setting, not taking life too seriously and knowing how to have a good time. Characteristics: carefree, has a sense of humor, loves to laugh, not too serious Psychological implications of internet avatarsAvatars have been found to influence the perception of people using them. We are a species that uses visible information to form first impressions. In contrast to our offline appearance, which is modifiable (clothing, hairstyle, piercings, etc.), online appearance through an avatar is more consciously chosen and unstable (Nowak & Rauh, 2008). Experienced online chatters are less influenced by avatars than people who rarely interact online. Narcissism, a personality trait reflecting an inflated self-concept, is detectable by strangers viewing profile photos used on social networking sites (Buffardi & Campbell, 2008). Narcissists are judged as more attractive than non-narcissists based on their photos, suggesting that they chose photos that were sexy, attractive, vain, and featured less clothing. Three variables that have been shown to influence the credibility of a person using the avatar are:
Communication and Reputation Implications"It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it." - Benjamin Franklin There are several communication and reputation management implications of these avatars. First, the avatars do show how these individuals want to be perceived by others. Whether or not they are like these avatars based on their personality or how they are in their group settings, it does tell us a lot about how they want to be known in terms of their personal brand. Second, there are two avatars that do make bold associations with their personal beliefs, attitudes, and personal brand: the Obama and marijuana avatars. Both have clear statements with these images about who they are, and are open to showing what they think about a particular issue. This can impact how others interact and perceive them in terms of their personal brand, but it also communicates a message to others who may have similar views. It also sends a clear message to those who do not have the same views as well. These avatars show bits and pieces of the individuals involved, but we don’t really know how they are in real life, or why they want to be identified this way in terms of their online reputation. A lot of these avatars are aimed at building a reputation as leaders among their core group of peers. They want to be the basically the “face” of the group and have a strong influence over others as well as establishing themselves in a credible leadership position among their peers (Giberson, Resick, & Dickson, 2005). For example, corporate identities are formed due to having “an understanding of the experience, beliefs, feelings about and knowledge of an organization” (Balmer, 1998, p.967). However, is this how they personally want to be perceived by others, or is this how others look at them—it is an interesting study and an idea for future research. These individuals want to show some aspects of who they are, but not give everyone the entire picture of who they are. By choosing these avatars, the users are clearly sending out a message about what attributes they want to associate with their online reputation, and how they wish to be perceived. This may be a way to communicate with others like themselves online, or it may be an outlet to identify themselves in another medium. About the authorsLaura Freberg
Laura Freberg is Professor of Psychology at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Her Facebook profile picture is intended to say mature professional. What you don’t see in this avatar is her love of college football, riding with her husband on his Harley Davidson Fat Boy, and playing Zelda on the Wii. Karen Freberg
Karen Freberg is pursuing a Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Her Facebook profile picture says public relations and fashion, scholarship and professionalism. What you don’t see in this avatar is that she is a 4-time All-American in track and field and holder of the women’s shot put record for the University of Southern California Trojans. She also makes a mean carrot cake. Additional thanks
Additional thanks to Danny Ashton from TheToyZone who helped David Towers of Good Web Practices in the realisation of this article and the development of the original idea. References
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well, Avatars, web sites and blogs are a number of ways folks can address their image challenges or magnify their strengths... in either case, viewing yourself honestly is the first big step and asking the simple question,"am I communicating the message I really want?" 
October 23, 2008
Votes: +1