Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification03:00

Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification

5.8K
Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
5.8K
Facial Feedback Hypothesis01:24

Facial Feedback Hypothesis

713
Charles Darwin proposed that facial expressions are an evolutionary adaptation for communication. He argued that these expressions are not influenced by culture but are universal across species. For example, a snarling expression with exposed teeth signals a threat in many animals, including humans. Darwin also suggested that displaying an emotion can intensify the feeling. Smiling, for example, could enhance one's sense of happiness. This idea laid the foundation for understanding the role...
713
Social Identity01:29

Social Identity

381
Social identity constitutes a significant aspect of an individual’s self-concept, shaped by membership in various social groups, including gender, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and political affiliation. Individuals associate specific traits with particular social groups, leading to internalization of these traits. For example, musicians are often perceived as creative, while women are frequently associated with nurturing tendencies. Once individuals identify with a...
381
Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping02:05

Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping

44.9K
People can go to great lengths to protect their self-image and present themselves in ways that they want others to see them. Sociologist Erving Goffman presented the idea that a person is like an actor on a stage. Calling his theory dramaturgy, Goffman believed that we use “impression management” to present ourselves to others as we hope to be perceived. Each situation is a new scene, and individuals perform different roles depending on who is present (Goffman, 1959). Think about...
44.9K
Self-Evaluation Maintenance Model01:29

Self-Evaluation Maintenance Model

350
The Self-Evaluation Maintenance (SEM) model offers a psychological framework to understand how individuals’ self-esteem is influenced by the achievements of others, particularly those with whom they share close personal bonds. The SEM model operates when personal rather than social identity guides individuals. Central to this model is the notion that individuals have an inherent desire to preserve a favorable self-image, which is continuously shaped by interpersonal comparisons and...
350
The Sense of Self: Reflected Self-Appraisal and Social Comparison02:57

The Sense of Self: Reflected Self-Appraisal and Social Comparison

56.3K
According to Charles Cooley, we base our image on what we think other people see (Cooley 1902). We imagine how we must appear to others, then react to this speculation. We don certain clothes, prepare our hair in a particular manner, wear makeup, use cologne, and the like—all with the notion that our presentation of ourselves is going to affect how others perceive us. We expect a certain reaction, and, if lucky, we get the one we desire and feel good about it. But more than that, Cooley...
56.3K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Primary myotubes as an alternative to the calcium induced calcium release test in diagnosing malignant hyperthermia susceptibility.

Journal of anesthesia·2026
Same author

Knowledge Graphs Based on Meta-Analysis Papers Improve the Quality of Case Formulation: Mixed Methods Design.

JMIR formative research·2026
Same author

How the brain represents a romantic partner: Dissociable roles of the nucleus accumbens and anterior insula.

Cognitive, affective & behavioral neuroscience·2026
Same author

Diagnostic performance of package insert-based screening for potential drug-drug interactions in ICU patients receiving injectable medications: a retrospective diagnostic accuracy study using Lexi-Interact as the comparator in Japan.

Journal of intensive care·2026
Same author

Photon beam energy selection for scalp dose reduction in whole-brain radiotherapy: a benchmark phantom study.

Radiological physics and technology·2026
Same author

Cryopreservation of spermatogonia from Yesso scallop, Mizuhopecten yessoensis.

Cryobiology·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 28, 2026

Creating Virtual-hand and Virtual-face Illusions to Investigate Self-representation
06:53

Creating Virtual-hand and Virtual-face Illusions to Investigate Self-representation

Published on: March 1, 2017

13.9K

Avatar Customization Predicts Subsequent Online Social Support and User Satisfaction via Avatar Identification.

Masanori Takano1,2, Kenji Yokotani3, Takahiro Kato4

  • 1CyberAgent, Inc., Tokyo, Japan.

Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking
|February 26, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Avatar customization enhances avatar identification, which boosts online social support and user satisfaction in virtual worlds. This creates a positive feedback loop benefiting both users and platforms.

Keywords:
avatar customizationavatar identificationlongitudinal studyonline social supportuser satisfaction

More Related Videos

Perceptual and Category Processing of the Uncanny Valley Hypothesis' Dimension of Human Likeness: Some Methodological Issues
07:34

Perceptual and Category Processing of the Uncanny Valley Hypothesis' Dimension of Human Likeness: Some Methodological Issues

Published on: June 3, 2013

18.0K
Author Spotlight: Addressing Technical and Subjective Challenges in Measuring Classroom Attention
06:37

Author Spotlight: Addressing Technical and Subjective Challenges in Measuring Classroom Attention

Published on: December 15, 2023

5.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 28, 2026

Creating Virtual-hand and Virtual-face Illusions to Investigate Self-representation
06:53

Creating Virtual-hand and Virtual-face Illusions to Investigate Self-representation

Published on: March 1, 2017

13.9K
Perceptual and Category Processing of the Uncanny Valley Hypothesis' Dimension of Human Likeness: Some Methodological Issues
07:34

Perceptual and Category Processing of the Uncanny Valley Hypothesis' Dimension of Human Likeness: Some Methodological Issues

Published on: June 3, 2013

18.0K
Author Spotlight: Addressing Technical and Subjective Challenges in Measuring Classroom Attention
06:37

Author Spotlight: Addressing Technical and Subjective Challenges in Measuring Classroom Attention

Published on: December 15, 2023

5.5K

Area of Science:

  • Social Sciences
  • Human-Computer Interaction
  • Psychology

Background:

  • Virtual worlds provide spaces for social support, often facilitated by avatar customization.
  • Existing platforms prioritize entertainment over examining avatar customization's impact on social support.
  • The interplay between avatar customization, identification, and social support requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explain the interplay among avatar customization, avatar identification, and online social support.
  • To propose a practical approach for enhancing user well-being in virtual environments.
  • To analyze longitudinal relationships between these factors among Japanese virtual world users.

Main Methods:

  • A two-wave longitudinal survey with a 9-month interval was conducted.
  • Data were collected from Japanese users of Second Life, ZEPETO, and Pigg Party.
  • Cross-lagged panel analysis and mediation analyses were employed.

Main Results:

  • A positive feedback loop exists where avatar identification and online social support mutually reinforce each other.
  • Frequent avatar customization predicted higher avatar identification over time.
  • Avatar identification and social support positively influenced user satisfaction.

Conclusions:

  • Avatar customization acts as an initial driver for increased avatar identification and social support.
  • Encouraging avatar customization can foster a positive feedback loop, enhancing user well-being and platform success.
  • Findings offer a practical strategy for virtual world service providers to improve user satisfaction and well-being.