Innovation pathways in Cyberspace: How information spreads through the communities of Second Life Aleks Krotoski University of Surrey ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008

ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace How this seminar will work: Session 1: The nature of online community Session 2: Measuring diffusion Session 3: Researching the virtual world

ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace How does information spread? Aye Kilda Mynci Gorky Social Psychology (Persuasion) Social Network Analysis (Diffusion)

ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace: The nature of online community Things are different online Anonymity Non-verbal social cues Transient relationships

Anonymity

Non-verbal social cues

Transient relationships

ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace: The nature of online community And relationships are all about one thing: Trust

ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace: The nature of online community How does trust develop online?

ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace: The nature of online community Things are the same online Pseudonymity Emotes Relationship development

Pseudonymity

Emotes

Relationship development

ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace: The nature of online community Human-centred relationships Mutual experience Openness and honesty Consensual hallucination

Mutual experience

Openness and honesty

Consensual hallucination

ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace End of Part 1

ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace: Measuring diffusion Part 2: Measuring diffusion

ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace How does information spread? Aye Kilda Mynci Gorky Social Psychology (Persuasion) Social Network Analysis (Diffusion)

ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace: Measuring diffusion Sociometry: Asking difficult questions: Who are your friends? Who do you trust? What do you trust them about? Aye Kilda Mynci Gorky

Sociometry: Asking difficult questions:

Who are your friends?

Who do you trust?

What do you trust them about?

Aye Kilda Mynci Gorky ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace: Measuring diffusion

ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace: Measuring diffusion A few notes about online social networks Can define links automatically (meaningless?) Pseudonymity is essential Faster turnover of key players (weak ties) Fewer than 6 degrees of separation The existence of social capital (when adapted) Exposure plays a bigger role in diffusion

Can define links automatically (meaningless?)

Pseudonymity is essential

Faster turnover of key players (weak ties)

Fewer than 6 degrees of separation

The existence of social capital (when adapted)

Exposure plays a bigger role in diffusion

ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace: Measuring diffusion Diffusion in Second Life Measuring relationships Measuring attitudes Measuring behaviours

Measuring relationships

Measuring attitudes

Measuring behaviours

As sexually active Less likely to have experienced a breach of personal privacy As likely to have been scammed Network N = 6767 N = 750 Average between reachable friends = 5.81 Average number of friends = 7

ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace End of Part 2

ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace: Researching the virtual world Part 3: Researching the virtual world

Qualitative Analysis Design Doing the deed Takes longer than you think Getting the results Text-based Voice-based ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace: Researching the virtual world

Design

Doing the deed

Takes longer than you think

Getting the results

Text-based

Voice-based

Quantitative Analysis Design Doing the deed Data capture Getting the results Largesse multiplied by largesse ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace: Researching the virtual world

Design

Doing the deed

Data capture

Getting the results

Largesse multiplied by largesse

Representativeness Men 80% in Fantasy titles 20-28 years old Students or techy-types Women 20% of Fantasy-based games 60% of The Sims Online 30-45 years old In a Relationship 70% play with partner ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace: Researching the virtual world

Social Virtual Worlds Forty-sixty gender split Older on average (Unless you’re into Disney) ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace: Researching the virtual world

Forty-sixty gender split

Older on average

(Unless you’re into Disney)

The Unbearable Lightness of Pseudonymity Knowing me, knowing my avatar Curiosity killed the community ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace: Researching the virtual world

Knowing me, knowing my avatar

Curiosity killed the community

Interdisciplinarity Internet users are vulnerable: What risks are associated with publishing or promoting an online work? ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace: Researching the virtual world

Internet users are vulnerable:

What risks are associated with publishing or promoting an online work?

It’s a big big big world out there

Public or Private? When public goes private The Way Back Machine (Web) Logging ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace: Researching the virtual world

When public goes private

The Way Back Machine

(Web) Logging

Community Drive-by researchers (biting the hands that feed you) Public humiliation Deception ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace: Researching the virtual world

Drive-by researchers (biting the hands that feed you)

Public humiliation

Deception

Good Practice & Guidelines Informed Consent Researcher Participation AoIR ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace: Researching the virtual world

Informed Consent

Researcher Participation

AoIR

Aleks Krotoski [email_address] http://socialsim.wordpress.com