This document summarizes a research study investigating non-verbal communication between children in two virtual worlds, Pixie Hollow and Club Penguin. The researchers are examining how factors like gender, social status, and avatar form influence interactions. They have identified constraints on communication like typing ability. The researchers plan to analyze communication patterns and conduct focus groups with children using simulated scenarios to understand how children interpret interactions in these virtual worlds.

1. Sending Hearts and Throwing Snowballs:
Examining Children’s Non‐Verbal Communication in Virtual Worlds
Lindsey Krabbenhoft Julia McKnight Eric M. Meyers
lmkrabbenhoft@gmail.com julia.p.mcknight@gmail.com eric.meyers@ubc.ca
INTRODUCTION FACTORS WE ARE INVESTIGATING COMMUNICATION CONSTRAINTS
We are investigating two virtual worlds aimed at children ages 5-10: Pixie We have identified different human and technical limits on youth
Hollow and Club Penguin. Every day millions of children login to virtual worlds GENDER communication:
where they play, socialize, create, and explore a digital landscape as avatars, or Typing skill and speed varies depending on age and literacy
Pixie Hollow is an extremely gender regulated environment. Gender is the
“virtual characters.” These virtual worlds feature commercial and recreational of the user
first consideration when creating an avatar. Clothing and accessory options
destinations set within natural pixie and penguin habitats . As users, children’s Users with limited typing capability and low literacy are
reflect gender norms and are restricted so that users may only access
limited to use of emoticons
access to these accommodations varies according to membership status, with gender “appropriate” items. However, the uneven ratio of pixies to Users who are literate but have low typing capability can
paying members enjoying unlimited access. Our study seeks to understand the sparrowmen results in sparrowmen as objects of desire, a gender norm make use of pre-scripted phrases such as “How are you
different ways that children employ site features and communicative reversal which puts pixies in the position of pursuer. Male attention today?” or “Can I get a tour of your igloo?”
affordances of virtual worlds to engage with other users. In analyzing these seeking behavior consists of friend requests, flirty chatting and emoting, Highly literate users can overcome filtering by using
communication patterns, we hope to identify the emerging practices in these and competition among pixies for male attention. homonyms and phonetic spelling such as “Won dollar
spaces, and contrast these practices with other contexts of child development. Sparrowman Pixie Emoticons in Club Penguin please.”
In Club Penguin, users first select their avatar color which can be gendered Chat filtering and moderators who police chat
(i.e. hot pink) or gender neutral (i.e. orange). Paying members have access communication for identifying personal information such as
to clothing and accessories that further distinguish or blur their gender, typing digits or spelling out numbers that may lead to
RESEARCH QUESTIONS with no restrictions on what users can buy or wear. A common behavior in
Club Penguin is gender inquiry as users seek to know the gender of the
revealing one’s contact information, and using
inappropriate language
penguin they are interacting with. In Club Penguin users have the option of selecting servers
How do communicative affordances – emoticons and physical gestures – convey where only safechat is available.
Male Penguin Female Penguin In Pixie Hollow parents upon activating the account have
children's communicative intents in these virtual worlds?
How do variables such as gender, social status, and avatar form influence the option of approving speedchat plus or safechat.
Expression in Pixie Hollow
children’s interactions with each other in these virtual worlds?
How do children interpret these variables when shown simulations of
communication scenarios in the context of these virtual worlds? SOCIAL STATUS
OUR APPROACH
We began our research using participant observation, whereby we the researchers
WORLDS WE STUDY created avatars and spent time in the Virtual Worlds observing interactions and
communications between users. In this way we gained background knowledge of the
user experience. In the next phase of our research we seek to understand how the
child experiences and interprets these virtual worlds. We are in the process of
PIXIE HOLLOW created machinima scenarios, using Club Penguin and Pixie Hollow, in which we
A nature-themed world built around the Tinker simulate commonly occurring social interactions. These interactions include: flirting
Bell character from Peter Pan. Different areas of and friending, stalking and following, jealousy and competition, comforting, help
the world represent the four seasons. seeking and aiding. While we can provide clear labels for these scenarios it is unclear
how children interpret or understand them. Using focus groups of children we will
The Tea Room is a key location for Pixies and present our machinima scenarios and get feedback from the children using a set of
Pixie Hollow Paid Membership Activation Page Club Penguin Paid Membership Activation Page
Sparrowmen. Participants gather to interview questions.
socialize, eat, drink, and engage in role play
activities. Social status, contingent on paid membership, is marked by the amount of “swag” – fancy clothing, accessories, furniture, pets
– that a user can purchase. Additional benefits include an all access pass to all games at all levels and privileged places.
In many of these spaces, paid membership in the Membership opens a richer dimension of play and interaction through which users can organize social events like parties and
world permits special privileges. In the tea
room, for example, participants who are paying
fashion shows and buy gifts for friends. Where members achieve higher levels marked by enhanced interactive and
communicative affordances and increased access to swag, non-members experience a low level ceiling that limits their ability to
IMPLICATIONS OF OUR WORK
members can use the game tables, while non- interact and progress.
members cannot. As a gateway technology, virtual worlds for kids constitute a consciousness-forming
activity that will potentially affect the future conduct and communication of the child
user. With so many children in virtual worlds it is clear that this online space has a
significant impact on the lives of children. In a world of phatic communication—
CLUB PENGUIN tweets, pokes, and status updates—it is vital that we understand the role of
“Waddle around and make new friends” is the AVATAR FORM communicative intents in virtual spaces for children. This study will provide unique
theme of Club Penguin, a snow-covered penguin insights into the creative ways children make use of online communication features.
paradise, including an ice rink, ski mountain, and For many young children, these virtual worlds may be their first foray into
Club Penguin and Pixie Hollow differ in the avatar forms they offer. Club Penguin web‐mediated communication, thus the practices that emerge from these spaces
Japanese Dojo. Participants shop, socialize, and
avatars are anthropomorphic, while Pixie Hollow avatars are hominid in hold special significance in the development of online literacies.
care for pets called “puffles”.
appearance. We are interested in investigating how avatar form influences
interaction in terms of social behavioral norms, empathy, and self-representation.
The Club Penguin Town includes a coffee bar, gift
We suspect that a cartoonish, anthropomorphic avatar affords a more playful and
shop, and a night club where penguins dance and
relaxed virtual world experience than that of a hominid avatar with hyper
hang out. Paid membership in allows participants
idealized physicality. The romanticized hominid avatar form in Pixie Hollow
to buy elaborate outfits and custom furniture for
emphasizes a personal quest toward self improvement and distinction in beauty
their igloos.
and skill.
Anthropomorphic Avatar Hominid Avatar