Summary of Second Life Findings
As I approach the end of my journey researching the nature of Second Life, I find myself reflecting on my findings. There is no doubt in my mind that the virtual world can serve as a medium for observing human behavior. I have however come to contemplate how accurate the data obtained using this method really is. There is an undeniable and un-inhibited connection between how users behave and react depending on the avatar. One user I questioned told me that all he wanted out of a virtual world as Second Life was an interactive medium that allowed him to create exactly what he wanted. That meeting someone within SL for him simply meant finding other users that enjoyed similar interests. This is a natural response and one that all people share we all flock to those who share our similar interest. We try to limit our social interactions in a typical day to people and friends we can relate to on numerous levels. That being said my overall conclusion is that Second Life as many other software-based games are limited to certain types of behavioral studies. There is also no guarantee that the information obtained within the world can accurately paint a complete picture of human behavior. As everyone within the world is free to do and act as they see fit. There is no real filter or control by which you can base your research off; elements of the real world tend not to apply in the same sense within SL. They are there but they are always there on more loosely terms. For the end goal of Second Life is still to provide a space were users could do anything and everything they want. With this comes differing opinions based on the individual user needs. Some as described above just want a place to hang out with like-minded individuals, while others want to completely change themselves to fit a different personality
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