People Who Change Personalities Online and in Real Life
So recently, me and my brother were talking about how people change personalities and behaviors online and in real life.
My brother is a psychology major, so he gets these articles that he has to read here and there, and one of them happened to be about this particular change that has been witnessed in many people.
Just to paraphrase, the article basically said that people try to channel idealized versions of themselves into their characters - the people who most resemble their characters/avatars in real life are the most secure, while those who rapidly and drastically change in personality, attitude, style and even looks are the least secure with who they are in real life. For example, a kid who's viewed as "stupid" in real life may come online or in game and act as an all-high-and-mighty intellect. This can also apply for someone who may be adequately smart, but wishes to be smarter. The same principle applies to people who want to be more cool or popular online. Another kid who's more shy and reserved in real life can turn out to be a generic hene-hoe or something like that. Flamboyant and obnoxious with lots of friends, etc.
The same thing can even be applied sexually - emasculated men and people who reject their homosexuality can often try to appear "tougher" and cooler in game than in real life. Same thing goes for women who feel too manly and even women who don't feel pretty enough: they can attempt to create more beautiful characters (sounds kinda obvious, but I guess not too many people aim for "ugly" in game characters.)
There's even a little tid-bit on g.i.r.l's, but it wasn't too exciting. There were multiple reasons for that, including men who secretly wish to be women, gold-diggers (the supposed most probable reason), and some other small things.
[b]For those too lazy to read:[/b] people basically channel their alter-egos and hidden personality/character desires into their in-game characters and behaviors.
So basically, I agree with this article in most of its claims. I also don't think I change much between real life and in-game based off what this article says. So what do you think? Do you guys agree/disagree/how could this relate to you?
27 Comments • Newest first
Huh, my game characters reflect me. Silent and dislikes social interactions (helpful and hindrance).
I can see that being true. I don't change too much though.
The major difference is that I curse a lot less and I talk about myself a lot more while online.
i think this is true... when im playing an online video game, its like im a whole new person. when i play call of duty zombies, i act like the #1 zombie slayer (which i do cause most of the time i play with noobs) saying weird stuff
while IRL, im just a smartass correcting ppl and stuff.
I act pretty much the same way I do online as in real life, probably a degree meaner and harsher online though.
moar calm
i relax
do whatever
offline, almost the same
just add the extra off me
being an ass, also swearing
at times
I feel like everyone has different sides. When they're alone , with friends, or with family. Everyone acts a bit different depending on who they're around. I suppose how they act online is just another side. But what's really important is which side of them self is the real one. You can't automatically assume just because they act a certain way online and irl that they're "fake".
I agree to most of those things.
I personally find it easier to talk to people online than irl. And I have to say, my personality online is .. the same as irl.
.. which probably makes me a very annoying person to know.
Heh.
Yup. I think it's true, but there are some limitations. I'd say it's more evident in middle schoolers - high school sophomores, but people tone it down as they mature.
...Just from observations.
Mostly it is true. There are other factors involved. For instance, I am nicer in game than I am in real life.
I think the people who do change behind a computer screen are usually shy people. I don't really too much differently in game and in real life and I'm not shy.
*One more thing before I go - if I can't find the article which more people seem to be requesting, I'd be happy to answer any questions. If it gets that enough people want it, I can probably ask my brother for it and scan in, etc. Sorry.
I have to go right now but hopefully, when I get back, this thread is still alive lol.
I'm still looking for that article online D:
I'm blunt in rl and online! Well somewhat in rl, sometimes I know when to not say blunt things since it can be insensitive.
^ Lol, yeah, that definitely has to do with the less insecurities online for most people. I like that adapted version of YOLO xD
[quote=uiluj4]This is interesting! I wonder if this theory can go so far as explain the phenomenon of suicide resulting from cyberbullying. Perhaps being insecure in real life and have their idealized alter-ego attacked on the Internet is the easiest way to get someone to kill himself/herself.[/quote]
Oh wow, that's a really interesting proposal! :o But I'm not sure how well it would work with the context of the experiments they used. This was more geared towards online game personality changes where you don't fully know the people you're interacting with. I'm not sure how applicable these kinds of things would be on social media websites like Facebook, etc., though they did mention changes they saw on those kind of websites as well.
Edit: what I mean is that, I believe, cyber-bullying would be more caused on sites where the criticism comes for people you know, etc. But I still thing you may have a point
I knew it. I'm such a gossip ho.
[quote=Holysam112]Can you give me a link? I'll be taking Psychology soon. It would be interesting to read.[/quote]
Sure! I'm glad people are showing an interest. It was a really cool article, especially for someone who's played online games for so long. I didn't read the article online to begin with, so I'll have to look for it first. Hopefully it's there lol.
Wow college level psychology is so sophisticated.
^ that's good According to the article, you're content with who you are!
[quote=ImWada]So what you're saying is that people who are comfortable talking online most likely have no social life?
I find that somewhat hard to believe[/quote]
No, no, not like that! There's an obvious facility with talking to others online because of the clearing of insecurity and social fears. So plenty, if not all people, will find it easier to talk online (unless they have an abnormal fear, I suppose.) So someone without a social life and someone with it can both find it easier to talk online. I was saying that someone becoming more talkative online wasn't always an reason to believe that someone has a secret desire to be more popular :o
Just to be clear, when they said people became more talkative online, that subject had more reasons than just secretly wishing to be more popular. The difference needs to be monitored, but it's more like the people who have more random and not-too-close friends online secretly wished to be popular. People who just found it easier to talk to others online but maintained good friendships with those who they talked to is mostly due to the loss of social barriers that are presented more frequently irl.
To a certain degree I can agree. Noone knows how you look, act, and you do feel more secure..Things is after awhile people tend to open up and become more acquainted to other people online, they tend to be themselves than who they tried to aspire to be. So yeah they try to be who they want to be as a front, but they inevitably revert after awhile especially in a very friendly environment
I enjoy my alter ego then.
The article is online somewhere. It's like 20-something pages so I don't imagine too many people would be interested in seeing it.
I guess I'm a super nice guy irl and a super a-hole online then huh.
I guess since you guys mentioned it above, sexual oppression was another topic. The more vulgar and sexually promiscuous people tended to lack sexual activities in real life and therefore seeked relationships in game. That was the extent they went into "online dating" though (in-game.)
i think i used to care enough that i tried to seem better online, but at this point i just don't. i'm even so hard on myself/overly open that i probably come across as more pathetic than i am irl.
@above: apparently i can out-sex you
Well the skies the limit when you're behind a computer screen.
No fear, no judgment, and you don't have to take crap from no one.
I enjoy my promiscuous alter-ego.