This study introduces a Virtual Assisted Self-Interview (VASI) method to compare real and virtual quality of life data, utilizing a virtual environment funded by the German government. The research, which gathered data from 2,094 participants, found that individuals' satisfaction levels were positively associated with time spent in virtual worlds, particularly highlighting differences in demographics and satisfaction metrics between real-life and virtual settings. The conclusions suggest that VASI is a valid tool for measuring quality of life in virtual environments, offering insights into the relationship between computer usage and satisfaction levels.

1. Comparing Real and Virtual Quality of Life Data Using a Virtual Assisted Self-Interview Method June 10, 2009 Mark W. Bell, Edward Castronova, & Gert G. Wagner

2. This study was conducted in a virtual environment created with funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Grant No. 01UW0706 - PT-DLR. ICA 2009 Comparing Real and Virtual Quality of Life Data Using a Virtual Assisted Self-Interview Method

3. Overview New Tool Introduction to Study Methods Results Conclusions ICA 2009 Comparing Real and Virtual Quality of Life Data Using a Virtual Assisted Self-Interview Method

4. Surveying Virtual Worlds (VW) Previous surveys were Web-based Break immersive elements of VWs Griffiths, Davies, & Chappell (2003), Seay, Jerome, Sang Lee, & Kraut (2004), Yee (2006a), Yee (2006b), Yellowlees & Cook (2006), Williams (2006c), and Kemp & Livingstone (2006) Susceptible to social presence problems Collected data or respondents through separate media spaces (Forums) Limited attempt at random sampling ICA 2009 Comparing Real and Virtual Quality of Life Data Using a Virtual Assisted Self-Interview Method

5. Virtual Assisted Self-Interview (VASI) An expansion of the Computer Assisted Self-Interview CASI Example - Web surveys A CASI like survey in a virtual world: VASI ICA 2009 Comparing Real and Virtual Quality of Life Data Using a Virtual Assisted Self-Interview Method

6. Virtual Data Collection Interface (VDCI) Not only a new methodology but a new data collection interface: VDCI Heads Up Display (HUD) in SL Full immersion retained More info – (Bell, Castronova, & Wagner, 2008) ICA 2009 Comparing Real and Virtual Quality of Life Data Using a Virtual Assisted Self-Interview Method

7. Research Questions of Our Study Demographics Quality of Life Wagner, Frick & Schupp (2007) Castronova (2004, 2008) Especially: Does engaging in a mediated environment, such as a virtual world, have any effect on the quality of an individual's life? June 10, 2009 Customize footer: View menu/Header and Footer

8. Methods Sampling methods Convenience Sample - Email & Classified Ad Quasi-random survey protocol – random location protocol Questions Based on previous surveys (especially German SOEP) 36 questions ICA 2009 Comparing Real and Virtual Quality of Life Data Using a Virtual Assisted Self-Interview Method

9. Kiosks Like a newspaper box Handed out - Survey Heads Up Display (HUD) Consent Note card First question gave consent Clicked on another part of the kiosk to be paid (250L$ roughly .90 USD) ICA 2009 Comparing Real and Virtual Quality of Life Data Using a Virtual Assisted Self-Interview Method

10. ICA 2009 Comparing Real and Virtual Quality of Life Data Using a Virtual Assisted Self-Interview Method

11. ICA 2009 Comparing Real and Virtual Quality of Life Data Using a Virtual Assisted Self-Interview Method

12. Results N = 2094 Sample Method Email = 325 (15 %) Classified Ad = 1543 (74 %) Quasi – Random = 75 (4 %) No Valid Information = 151 (7 %) ICA 2009 Comparing Real and Virtual Quality of Life Data Using a Virtual Assisted Self-Interview Method

13. Demographics Users (RL) vs Avatar (SL) SL Gender – 40% Male vs. 52% Female N=1932 RL Gender - 51 % female vs. 43% male, N=1967 Country of residence – US roughly 20% - predominance of English countries RL Age - 18-25 (34%) 26-35 (31%) RL Yearly Income - $0-$10,000 (35%), 55% < 20K ICA 2009 Comparing Real and Virtual Quality of Life Data Using a Virtual Assisted Self-Interview Method

14. Quality of Life SL Satisfaction (0-10 scale) – Mean = 7.57 (SD = 1.917) RL Satisfaction (0-10 scale) – Mean = 7.26 (SD = 2.091) USA RL Satisfaction (0-10 scale) – Mean = 7.67 (SD = 1.49) * Germany RL Satisfaction (0-10 scale) – Mean = 6.99 (SD = 2) * RL Satisfaction 1 year (0-10 scale) – Mean = 7.51 (SD = 2.017) RL Satisfaction 1 year (0-10 scale) – Mean = 7.77 (SD = 2.087) Controlling for survey type, RL age, and RL income, both SL and RL satisfaction positively associated with hours on computer and hours in SL. * - 2006 World Database of Happiness Ruut Veenhoven, Erasmus University Rotterdam ICA 2009 Comparing Real and Virtual Quality of Life Data Using a Virtual Assisted Self-Interview Method

15. Conclusions VASI is a valid approach to surveying SL residence Useful for RW and VW measurements VW demographics are not the same for all virtual worlds RL satisfaction maybe associated with time on the computer and in a VW. ICA 2009 Comparing Real and Virtual Quality of Life Data Using a Virtual Assisted Self-Interview Method

16. Contact Info Mark Bell [email_address] SL: Typewriter Tackleberry Twitter: typewriter Facebook, LinkedIn ICA 2009 Comparing Real and Virtual Quality of Life Data Using a Virtual Assisted Self-Interview Method

17. REFERENCES Bell, Mark W., Castronova, Edward and Wagner, Gert G. (2008)., Virtual Assisted Self Interviewing (VASI): An Expansion of Survey Data Collection Methods to the Virtual Worlds by Means of VDCI, DIW Berlin Data Documentation No. 37. Berlin. Available at http://www.diw.de/documents/publikationen/73/88367/diw_datadoc_2008-037.pdf Castronova, E. (2004) Synthetic worlds. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. Castronova, E. (2008) Exodus to the Virtual World. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Griffiths, M. D., Davies, M. N., & Chappell, D. (2003). Breaking the Stereotype: The Case of Online Gaming. CyberPsychology & Behavior , 6 (1), 81-91. Kemp, J., & Livingstone, D. (2006). Putting a Second Life “Metaverse” skin on learning management systems. Proceedings of the Second Life Education Workshop at the Second Life Community Convention (pp. 13-18). San Francisco: The University Of Paisley. Lang, Annie, Shin, Mija & Lee, Seungwhan (2005). Sensation Seeking, Motivation, and Substance Use: A Dual System Approach. Media Psychology, 7 (1), 1-29. Retrieved May 19, 2009, from http://www.informaworld.com/10.1207/S1532785XMEP0701_1 Seay, A. F., Jerome, W. J., Sang Lee, K., & Kraut, R. E. (2004). Project Massive: A study of online gaming communities. CHI '04 extended abstracts on Human factors in computing systems (pp. 1421 - 1424). Vienna, Austria : ACM. Wagner, Gert G., Joachim R. Frick and Juergen Schupp (2007), The German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP) – Scope, Evolution and Enhancements, Schmollers Jahrbuch 127(1), 139-169 Williams, D. (2006). On and Off the 'Net: Scales for Social Capital in an Online Era. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication , 11 . Yee, N. (2006a). The Demographics, Motivations and Derived Experiences of Users of Massively-Multiuser Online Graphical Environments. PRESENCE: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments , 15, 309-329. Yee, N. (2006b). Motivations for Play in Online Games. CyberPsychology & Behavior , 9 (6), 772-775. Yellowlees, P. M., & Cook, J. N. (2006). Education About Hallucinations Using an Internet Virtual Reality System: A Qualitative Survey. Academic Psychiatry (30), 534-539. ICA 2009 Comparing Real and Virtual Quality of Life Data Using a Virtual Assisted Self-Interview Method