Intro to question about self and identity in CMC and Virtual Environment research

I like this intro, now I have to write the essay...

Although the fields of Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) and Virtual Environment (VE) research examine many similar concepts, their theoretical foundations and methodological approaches are often quite disparate. Arguably, there is a need for convergence between these fields because the media of CMC increasingly resemble VEs. The current paper addresses one area in which such a convergence is possible, the study of the self within mediated experiences. Broadly, CMC research treats the “self” as a complex formulation of identity, be it accurate or imagined. Alternatively, most VE research treats the self primarily as a physical entity, focusing on its sensory and motor connections to the VE. Drawing from research in both fields, a theoretical framework of self-presence is offered that has the potential to facilitate a confluence of CMC and VE theory and methodology. Specifically, this framework incorporates the complexity of CMC’s approach to identity as well as the neurophysiologically-grounded approach to the experience of self. Within the scope of this framework, a discussion of potential effects of current changes in our media landscape leads to a series of research questions that could provide insight into such effects.

Your face: A new measure of video game effects

This article about the Immersion Project describes a research dataset (also art collection) that is comprised of images of children's faces as they play videogames of varying violence. The article describes the project better than I can, but the takeaway point for me is that this is a creative measure of video game effects. If such facial expressions can be reliably (and automatically) coded by Ekman's Facial Action Coding System (FACS), maybe I can include a similar measure in my explorations of self-presence. Of course, psychophysiology has been wise to facial EMG measures to determine emotional valence for quite some time. But perhaps the FACS provides for a greater range of interpretations (i.e., not just positive/negative valence, but specification of the emotion). This is something to think about when I dig in for the dissertation, but right now I need to return to thinking about my quals (starting on Friday!!).

Here's the vid from the Immersion Project website:

...that is the question

TO BE
to blog post
to twitter
to update facebook status
to post a youtube video
to put up a picasa album
to yelp a bizznass
to review this seller
to review that product
to C-list missed connections (or casual encounters ;)
to send spam
to extend information tendrils into your environment

or NOT TO BE
to watch tv
to listen to radio
to read the paper
to sit on the sidewalk and watch the world go by

Raratan's projects (still does not include crack)

I just decided to link to Mediaman Raratan from my wedding blog, so perhaps I should post something new here. The Mediaman Raratan blog is vaguely focused on things that are directly or indirectly related to my research interests. Taking a step back, I'd like to list all of the many projects that are currently piled-high upon my plate:

Everquest 2 Projects: various projects (I'm involved in at least 3) that draw from a large dataset on EQ2 and examine relevant theories (e.g., Flow, Social Capital, Economics). This is why I've been playing EQ2. I'm at level 27 now!!

SIDE effects of Being a Gaymer: Surveys of gay and straight gamers about their gaming habits, feelings of community (online and offline) and self-reported willingness to stand up against homophobia while gaming - analysis based on SIDE theory.

Male Bodies in Video Games Project: a comparison of body dimensions between male video game characters and a military sample of men from 1988.

Communication and Psychophysiology - Class project: Putting together a brief survey of Communication research that has utilized psychophysiological methods.

Taxonomy of Media Use: Analysis of 10 years of Communication journals to create a taxonomy of media use. This paper is 100+ pages and I've been struggling with it for quite awhile now. Too long to be a paper, too short for a book.

VHIL Second Life study: The VHIL lab at Stanford is conducting a ground-breaking research project on Second Life (among others). I can't describe it in detail here, but I helped them construct a Self-Presence scale for the study and I will be contributing to some of the data analysis.

Self-Presence and Racial Discrimination in Wii Avatars (Miis): My friends and colleagues at the University of Bern (Switzerland) are designing a study on the topics described in the title. I am helping with SP scale and will hopefully replicate the study in California.

Book Chapter on Classifying Serious Games - just finished, expecting publication within the year.

The Effect of Voice Agent Choice on Users’ Experiences in Business and Entertainment VUI Contexts: Presenting this paper at the International Communication Association conference in Montreal in May, 2008.

Quals: I'm planning to take my qualifying exams either at the end of 2008 or early 2009. Next task: assemble a 100+ item reading list.

Dissertation: Currently, I'm planning to do something related to Self-Presence in virtual worlds and online games. I would also like to find some way of relating this project to social network analysis and psychophysiology. Any ideas?

Website development: Turning my advisor's webpage into a research portal that would be accessible and informative for academics as well as *normal* people.

UpCode USA: This company is doing very cool things with 2D barcode technology. I'm helping out with a bit with their research and marketing. They're calling me their "Media Psychology and Research Specialist", or something like that.

Last and certainly not least (stressful): Wedding Planning!!

I told you my plate was piled high. ...I feel like a greedy (and probably rotund) kid at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Perhaps one day when I'm more accustomed to eating at nicer restaurants with large plates and small, artistically-arranged portions, I'll look back at this time and chuckle. Or perhaps I'll be twice as busy - squeezing two plates onto my little tray and piling them up like twin towers. Either way, if you have any ideas on how I can increase the rate at which I shove copious forkfuls into my face - or you would like me to slide a bit from my to your plate - please don't hesitate to holla.

Good thing I'm not studying crack

My most recent research project is focused on the MMORPG Everquest 2, hence I have begun playing the game. If I'm going analyze data from the game, I should know the game well. This seems to be a fairly standard practice for most scientific endeavors. However, I realized yesterday that if I really want to understand the players of the game, I need to experience it as real players do. Unfortunately, according to some research and popular press, many of these real players are addicted to playing. So, I have made a conscious decision become addicted to Everquest 2.

I told my fiancee about this decision and she understood my motivation, but seemed a little concerned about my ability to cut myself off at the end of the research project. She is certainly justified in her concern. As an undergrad, I would often come home from a night of partying and play Counterstrike until the sunrise. Scratch that. Sometimes I would skip a night of partying to stay home and play Counterstrike until the sunrise. Luckily, as an undergrad I could afford to sleep through half of my classes. I have a feeling that my professors these days would not be so forgiving. But perhaps they will understand that I am just very dedicated to my research. Fat chance.

The downward spiral has already begun. Last night after working on a paper I had planned to play EQ2 before I went to sleep. Unfortunately, after finishing my work I realized that EQ2 had 2 hours of updates to download. So, I hit the hay, woke up at 3am and played until 5am. Is that normal?