FROM TEXT TO GESTURE ONLINE: A microethnographic analysis of nonverbal communication in the Second Life virtual environment

Abstract

Abstract A transition from text-based computer-mediated communication (CMC) to online interaction that includes both textual and nonverbal discourse represents a new development in online communication and a significant challenge to prevailing models for the analysis of CMC. This paper presents results of a six-month-long ethnographic research of nonverbal communication (NVC) in the Second Life (SL) virtual environment. A set of 108 SL locations selected in a non-structured manner provided a wide range of communicative contexts for the analysis of naturally occurring user interaction. The study was focused on the analysis of proxemic and kinesic cues. The results have pointed to a significant difference between user-defined and predefined nonverbal cues, indicating that user-defined NVC has stronger potential to enhance online interaction. Keywords: Computer-mediated communicationvirtual environmentsnonverbal communicationSecond Lifemicroethnography Notes 1. A Second Life area is a piece of virtual land, which has a distinctive name and SL address. Most of the SL areas are user owned and created (see: http://secondlife.com/whatis/landpricing.php). Within an area that they possess, users can build and store virtual objects. 2. The University of Minnesota Internal Review Board approved the research. Also, the data were gathered and presented in accordance with the AoIR Ethics Code.