The effect of the realism degree of avatars in social virtual worlds: The perspective of self-presentation

Abstract

Avatars, serving as a medium for users’ self-presentation, play a significant role in bridging the real and virtual worlds. Limited research has considered users’ desire to present their “hoped-for possible selves” when examining the effect of avatar design. This study addresses this gap by conducting four empirical investigations of the impact of avatar appearance design, particularly realism, on users’ continuing intention to use virtual products. It was found that low-realism avatars, as opposed to high-realism ones, increased users’ continuing use intention. Wishful identification and immersive experience serially mediated the avatar realism effect. The moderating role of users’ familiarity with other avatars was also examined, suggesting that when users were familiar with other avatars, the impact of avatar realism diminished. These findings provide significant contributions to the existing literature and offer actionable guidance for the design of avatars within social virtual environments.