Home // IARIA Congress 2024, The 2024 IARIA Annual Congress on Frontiers in Science, Technology, Services, and Applications // View article
Authors:
Myrto Dimitriou
Leonie Hallo
Keywords: Metaverse; avatars; self-expression; identity; well-being.
Abstract:
Rapid digitization, the impact of social media and now the continuous growth of the Metaverse have met both positive and negative responses. Along with the optimism about the possibilities and efficiencies created via Artificial Intelligence (AI), there have also been concerns. Many fields are now using the Metaverse in commercial applications, leading to new ways of increasing revenues and enhancing sustainability. Central to this concept are avatars, which serve as digital embodiments of users, facilitating interactions and the representation of self within this virtual environment. This paper emphasizes the critical implications of virtual identity combined with the psychological and sociocultural dimensions of avatar selection, highlighting the complex motivations behind avatar customization. The potential for avatars to influence user behavior, facilitate escapism, and impact psychological well-being is significant, and this emphasizes the need for ethical considerations and protective measures for users navigating these virtual spaces. There is also the possibility that cultural differences may exist within choices of avatars, adding to the complexity of the field. This paper explores the potentials and pitfalls regarding the use of avatars as digital representations of people, and the impact of such developments on an individual’s personal identity concept.
Pages: 88 to 94
Copyright: Copyright (c) IARIA, 2024
Publication date: June 30, 2024
Published in: conference
ISBN: 978-1-68558-180-0
Location: Porto, Portugal
Dates: from June 30, 2024 to July 4, 2024