Innovation pathways in Cyberspace:

How information spreads through the communities of Second Life

Aleks KrotoskiUniversity 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 communitySession 2: Measuring diffusionSession 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

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

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

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

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

ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008

Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace: Measuring diffusion

Diffusion in Second Life

•Measuring relationships•Measuring attitudes•Measuring behaviours

Network N = 6767 N = 750

Average between reachable friends = 5.81

Average number of friends = 7

As sexually activeLess likely to have experienced a breach of personal privacyAs likely to have been scammed

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

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

Representativeness

Men80% in Fantasy

titles20-28 years oldStudents or techy-

types

Women20% of Fantasy-

based games60% of The Sims

Online

30-45 years oldIn 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

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

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

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

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

Good Practice & Guidelines

• Informed Consent• Researcher Participation• AoIR

ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008

Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace: Researching the virtual world

Aleks KrotoskiA.Krotoski@surrey.ac.uk

http://socialsim.wordpress.com