Virtual intimacy: Propensity for physical contact between avatars in an online virtual environment

作者:

Highlights:

• Engagement in physical contact between avatars was studied in virtual chat rooms.

• One third of poses within chat rooms enabled intimate avatar interactions.

• One in ten avatars used intimate poses, most often when dancing and sitting.

• The propensity for physical contact was similar between male and female avatars.

• Intimate avatar dyads were primarily heterosexual in composition.

摘要

•Engagement in physical contact between avatars was studied in virtual chat rooms.•One third of poses within chat rooms enabled intimate avatar interactions.•One in ten avatars used intimate poses, most often when dancing and sitting.•The propensity for physical contact was similar between male and female avatars.•Intimate avatar dyads were primarily heterosexual in composition.

论文关键词:Avatars,IMVU,Online social interactions,Online intimacy,Virtual chat rooms,Virtual touch

论文评审过程:Received 12 May 2017, Revised 4 September 2017, Accepted 9 September 2017, Available online 10 September 2017, Version of Record 21 September 2017.

论文官网地址:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.09.011