Social Networks in virtual worlds Aleks Krotoski University of Surrey

Overview The Social Life of Virtual Worlds What does it mean to be “ close ”? Informal learning in virtual worlds Who teaches who what? Important Ethical Concerns In research and in general practice

The Social Life of Virtual Worlds

What does it mean to be “ close ”?

Informal learning in virtual worlds

Who teaches who what?

Important Ethical Concerns

In research and in general practice

But before we get ahead of ourselves… The differences between online and offline : Anonymity Physical appearance Physical proximity Greater transience (more weak ties) Absence of social cues

The differences between online and offline :

Anonymity

Physical appearance

Physical proximity

Greater transience (more weak ties)

Absence of social cues

So how can the interactions in cyberspace be meaningful ? In traditional definitions of “community”, there’d be no such thing in cyberspace How can you develop meaningful relationships with people you’ve never met ?

In traditional definitions of “community”, there’d be no such thing in cyberspace

How can you develop meaningful relationships with people you’ve never met ?

It’s been happening for years These virtual worlds are the places which the online communities are tied to

These virtual worlds are the places which the online communities are tied to

Places of ritual London Memorial in Second Life Between 12-1pm on 7 July 2005, over 150 Second Life residents visited. It was open for 7 days and racked up thousands of visitors Fewer than 10% claimed any British ties Maker’s motivations were altruistic and purely community-driven

London Memorial in Second Life

Between 12-1pm on 7 July 2005, over 150 Second Life residents visited. It was open for 7 days and racked up thousands of visitors

Fewer than 10% claimed any British ties

Maker’s motivations were altruistic and purely community-driven

Places of collaboration Neualtenburg: an experiment in collective democracy

Neualtenburg: an experiment in collective democracy

Places of friendship

So how does it happen ? The same reasons offline community does: Make friends , offer support , meet like-minded others What we know about online relationships: Proximity and frequency of contact Similarity Self-presentation Reciprocity & self-disclosure Consistency

The same reasons offline community does:

Make friends , offer support , meet like-minded others

What we know about online relationships:

Proximity and frequency of contact

Similarity

Self-presentation

Reciprocity & self-disclosure

Consistency

Virtual worlds are designed for sociability – people must rely upon one another to survive and advance Anonymity becomes Pseudonymity Whatever role trust plays in offline communities, it plays in online communities because these interactions are human-bound

Virtual worlds are designed for sociability – people must rely upon one another to survive and advance

Anonymity becomes Pseudonymity

Whatever role trust plays in offline communities, it plays in online communities because these interactions are human-bound

Social Learning Theory We learn from those around us We learn from similar others We adapt these learnings for our own goals Social norms dictate acceptability

We learn from those around us

We learn from similar others

We adapt these learnings for our own goals

Social norms dictate acceptability

Social Capital We learn from those we trust We learn who to trust through reputation

We learn from those we trust

We learn who to trust through reputation

Building reputations Trust is based upon… past experience … … which is either based upon functional goals or pre-existing social relationships… … or some kind of disinterested third party (e.g., Craig’s List or MySpace) You Must Comply : A non-official policing force in a space where an official police is absent The emphasis is on friendship and dedication to the group Rejection is cruel

Trust is based upon…

past experience …

… which is either based upon functional goals or pre-existing social relationships…

… or some kind of disinterested third party (e.g., Craig’s List or MySpace)

You Must Comply :

A non-official policing force in a space where an official police is absent

The emphasis is on friendship and dedication to the group

Rejection is cruel

How the heck do you measure this? Social Network Analysis … studies social relationships as a series of interconnected webs. … focuses on inter-relationships rather than individuals’ attributes

SNA offers… A measure of the social context , as defined by the actors within that context, rather than the researcher Identification of key people for use as independent variables in social influence assessment A map of the direction information will spread, including rate and possible barriers

A measure of the social context , as defined by the actors within that context, rather than the researcher

Identification of key people for use as independent variables in social influence assessment

A map of the direction information will spread, including rate and possible barriers

SNA and friendship Who’s connected with whom? How closely ? How many people are they connected with? Who else is connected to this many people?

Who’s connected with whom?

How closely ?

How many people are they connected with?

Who else is connected to this many people?

Asking personal questions Surveys Who do you know ? Who do you communicate with? Who do you trust? Define your relationship: Who’s trustworthy ? (Poortinga & Pidgeon, 2003; Cvetkovich (1999); Renn & Levine, 1991) Who’s credible ? (Renn & Levine, 1991) Who do you compare yourself with? (Lennox & Wolfe, 1984) Who’s the most prototypical ?

Surveys

Who do you know ?

Who do you communicate with?

Who do you trust?

Define your relationship:

Who’s trustworthy ? (Poortinga & Pidgeon, 2003; Cvetkovich (1999); Renn & Levine, 1991)

Who’s credible ? (Renn & Levine, 1991)

Who do you compare yourself with? (Lennox & Wolfe, 1984)

Who’s the most prototypical ?

N=675

This N=75 But what does it mean if someone’s considered “close” or “distant”?

This N=75

But what does it mean if someone’s considered “close” or “distant”?

The micro-network: influence Density Position Role Direction

Density

Position

Role

Direction

Results: Single explanatory variable (General Communication) The greatest prediction comes from general trust followed by credibility, which is not surprising, as this is proposed in Sherif’s (1981) contact hypothesis. *N=538; **N=539; σ 2 e : variance accounted for between avatars; T p<0.000, df=2 0.408 (0.027) 0.408 (0.027) 0.531 (0.035) 0.543 (0.035) σ 2 e 1114.31 T (1345.777) 0.645 (0.064) -0.135 (0.098) General Trust 987.966 T (1132.416) 0.399 (0.064) -0.098 (0.118) Social Comparison 1272.354 T (1404.954) 0.519 (0.071) -0.093 (0.102) Credibility 1292.354 T (1335.299) 0.305 (0.066) 0.026 (0.101) Prototypicality Loglikelihood (fixed model LL) β (Std. Error) β 0 (Std. Error) y

The greatest prediction comes from general trust followed by credibility, which is not surprising, as this is proposed in Sherif’s (1981) contact hypothesis.

Single explanatory variable: General Trust & SNC categories Effect of interpersonal closeness on mode of communication (e.g., Garton et al , 1997) Offline communication contributes the most to the estimate of General Trust. Online public communication contributes the least. N=539; σ 2 e : variance accounted for between avatars; T p<0.000, df=2 0.427 (0.028) 0.407 (0.027) 0.476 (0.031) σ 2 e 1159.681 T (1345.777) 0.459 (0.047) 0.070 (0.090) Offline Communication 1115.396 T (1345.777) 0.442 (0.062) 0.070 (0.094) Online Private Communication 1124.182 T (1345.777) 0.370 (0.052) 0.085 (0.093) Online Public Communication Loglikelihood (fixed model LL) β (Std. Error) β 0 (Std. Error) Explanatory Variable

Effect of interpersonal closeness on mode of communication (e.g., Garton et al , 1997)

Offline communication contributes the most to the estimate of General Trust. Online public communication contributes the least.

Spare a thought for ethics Be transparent Give something back Talk to anyone who asks Follow ethics guidelines (AoIR, UNESCO and others)

Be transparent

Give something back

Talk to anyone who asks

Follow ethics guidelines (AoIR, UNESCO and others)

In Sum Closeness has implications for social learning, even in the virtual environment Virtual communities operate in very similar ways to other communities – both on and offline They bring together distributed individuals based on common experience, motivations and reputation This is particularly true for virtual world participants because of the explicit social design of the software Trust varies according to communication medium Trust is paramount Don’t jeopardise that trust.

Closeness has implications for social learning, even in the virtual environment

Virtual communities operate in very similar ways to other communities – both on and offline

They bring together distributed individuals based on common experience, motivations and reputation

This is particularly true for virtual world participants because of the explicit social design of the software

Trust varies according to communication medium

Trust is paramount

Don’t jeopardise that trust.

Thank you! E: [email_address] W: http://www.toaskid.com SL: Social Simulation Research Lab, Hyperborea

Thank you!

E: [email_address]

W: http://www.toaskid.com

SL: Social Simulation Research Lab, Hyperborea