Janea L. Triplett

An Examination of a Theory of Embodied Social Presence in Virtual Worlds

In this article, we discuss and empirically examine the importance of embodiment, context, and spatial proximity as they pertain to collaborative interaction and task completion in virtual environments. Specifically, we introduce the embodied social presence (ESP) theory as a framework to account for a higher level of perceptual engagement that users experience as they engage in activity-based social interaction in virtual environments. The ESP theory builds on the analysis of reflection data from Second Life users to explain the process by which perceptions of ESP are realized. We proceed to describe implications of ESP for collaboration and other organizational functions.

Embodied Social Presence Theory

We discuss and reflect on the importance of embodiment, context, and spatial proximity as they pertain to the sense of presence obtained by individuals in virtual environments. We propose Embodied Social Presence (ESP) Theory, a theoretical framework that focuses on the embodied virtual representation (i.e., the avatar) as the nexus of activity in social interaction within virtual worlds. We review the literature on place and space, presence and embodiment and draw on theories of embodiment, feminism, and Activity Theory to frame our model. We propose that a social actor in a virtual environment derives meaning during interactions with his or her environment through actions, context, and tools and that the virtual body is a tool for mediating communication.

The changing nature of user attitudes toward virtual world technology: A longitudinal study

Virtual world technologies have been utilized in gaming for a number of years but only recently have they been applied as a serious tool for business. Many business applications have been identified, including the use of virtual worlds for team collaboration, training, and education, but a question remains about whether users will accept the premise that virtual worlds represent useful environments for engaging in business functions. We address this question by examining user reactions to virtual worlds. The first study looks at attitudes of users of the virtual world Second Life during three time periods (i.e., before exposure to the environment, after an information session and discussion of Second Life, and after use of the environment). Two variables, user acceptance of virtual world technologies and user self-efficacy, were examined as the primary dependent measures. Results show that while self-efficacy increases over time, user acceptance decreases in a highly correlated pattern. A second study investigates the underlying causes of the observed pattern of user acceptance using a content analysis of written reflections of user experiences. Both studies paint a detailed picture of user intentions and some of the reasons these intentions developed after use. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of these results for business managers and researchers.