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: