The Presentation of Self and Identity Construction in Virtual World: A Case Study of Avakin Life

Abstract

Identity in the virtual world has become a point of interest for researchers. The virtual world has become a place where people go to interact and in turn create an identity for themselves.  This study sets out to investigate identity construction in a 3D Virtual world game using Avakin Life as a case study. Going with Goffman’s theory of self-presentation, this study aims to understand why identities are created in the virtual world and how this identity is created. The process to achieving this is carried out through a review of previous literature on virtual world identity construction and an ethnographic research carried out in Avakin Life using observation and semi-structured interviews as a method for data collection. The data is analysed thematically, and the findings show that participants use the virtual world to create an extension of themselves while they achieve this creation by duplicating a piece of themselves through the use of their Avatars. This study therefore helps to add to the existing knowledge on identity and identity construction in the virtual world.