Avatar diversity perception scale (ADPS): a new multidimensional measure for perceived human avatar diversity

Area of Science:

• Digital Human Representation
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Social Psychology

Background:

• Avatars are increasingly used as digital representations of human diversity.
• Perception of avatar diversity faces conceptual challenges.
• There is a need for a standardized measure of perceived avatar diversity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a measure of perceived avatar diversity.
• To establish the dimensional structure of perceived avatar diversity.
• To lay the groundwork for future research on avatar diversity antecedents and mechanisms.

Main Methods:

• Study 1 involved preliminary qualitative interviews and a survey to establish dimensions.
• Study 2 utilized confirmatory factor analysis for initial validation.
• A 23-item, three-dimensional structure was supported after analyses and model adjustments.

Main Results:

• The developed scale consists of 23 items across three dimensions.
• The dimensions identified are perceived heterogeneity, diversity concerns, and context-dependent diversity.
• The findings support a robust three-dimensional structure for perceived avatar diversity.

Conclusions:

• The validated scale provides a foundation for future research on perceived avatar diversity.
• Findings offer practical guidance for industry practitioners in creating effective avatar diversity representations.
• The research contributes to understanding the complexities of digital representation and diversity perception.