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Avatars Between Virtuality and Reality - An Ethnographic Study on Human and Virtual Avatars in VRChat

Wu, Xu LU (2025) SANM05 20251
Social Anthropology
Abstract
What does it mean to have a virtual body and to use it in the virtual space? This thesis examines the daily activities of VRChat users in their virtual avatars, with a focus on the entanglement of the virtual nature of the avatars and the realities being brought into the avatars by the users. Based on my ethnography in VRChat, I have examined the mutual influence of virtuality and reality in terms of human-avatar relationship, human behavior in avatars, and interaction between users in avatars from a variety of topics including personal identity, virtual economy, Proteus effect, social distances and so on. In the end, the thesis argues that although the virtuality in avatars is indelible and habitually accepted by the users, the pursuit of... (More)
What does it mean to have a virtual body and to use it in the virtual space? This thesis examines the daily activities of VRChat users in their virtual avatars, with a focus on the entanglement of the virtual nature of the avatars and the realities being brought into the avatars by the users. Based on my ethnography in VRChat, I have examined the mutual influence of virtuality and reality in terms of human-avatar relationship, human behavior in avatars, and interaction between users in avatars from a variety of topics including personal identity, virtual economy, Proteus effect, social distances and so on. In the end, the thesis argues that although the virtuality in avatars is indelible and habitually accepted by the users, the pursuit of reality in the virtual world is an everlasting theme for them. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Wu, Xu LU
supervisor
organization
course
SANM05 20251
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
social anthropology, virtual avatar, virtual social platform, virtual community, virtual economy, human-avatar relationship, VRChat
language
English
id
9193923
date added to LUP
2025-06-11 14:26:03
date last changed
2025-06-11 14:26:03
@misc{9193923,
  abstract     = {{What does it mean to have a virtual body and to use it in the virtual space? This thesis examines the daily activities of VRChat users in their virtual avatars, with a focus on the entanglement of the virtual nature of the avatars and the realities being brought into the avatars by the users. Based on my ethnography in VRChat, I have examined the mutual influence of virtuality and reality in terms of human-avatar relationship, human behavior in avatars, and interaction between users in avatars from a variety of topics including personal identity, virtual economy, Proteus effect, social distances and so on. In the end, the thesis argues that although the virtuality in avatars is indelible and habitually accepted by the users, the pursuit of reality in the virtual world is an everlasting theme for them.}},
  author       = {{Wu, Xu}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Avatars Between Virtuality and Reality - An Ethnographic Study on Human and Virtual Avatars in VRChat}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}