Second Life: A World of Virtual Communication
By: Angela Becerra-Chvilicek, Lindsey Luckow, Erica Michels, & Steve Sampson
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Second Life: A World of Virtual Communication
Task 4: Twenty years ago, no one could have ever imagined that face-to-face communication would be reduced because of new technological advances. Well, the time has come and soon face-to-face communication will be the old-fashioned form of communication. The new computer-mediated forms of communication are known as Web 2.0 technologies. One of the growing trends in these technological advances is virtual worlds. Virtual worlds are communities in which participants can create identities known as avatars to explore different areas (worlds) and communicate with others. One common virtual world in today’s society is Second Life. Second Life is just one of the many advances in the new age of communication. This virtual world contains many media characteristics that make it a proven successful form of communication. The implementation of Second Life and other virtual worlds have improved communication among not only family and friends but also in many organizations. Second Life has improved the quality of not only communication but also work environments.
There are many media characteristics of Second Life that make it both popular and successful. One type of characteristic that is portrayed in this virtual world is Social Presence. Social Presence is best described as the quality of a medium itself (Short, Williams & Christie, 1976). Second Life, in terms of personal use can adhere to a high degree of Social Presence depending on the purpose fore each individual user. The interaction can only be as personal as the user allows it to be. Short et al (1976) described that a media with a high degree of Social Presence containing characteristics of warmth, sensitivity, sociability, and intimacy. Second Life has the potential to perform at this degree of Social Presence if the participants allow for an open, friendly form of communication. However, in businesses, the Social Presence may be at a lower degree. No matter what level of degree is present, Social Presence is still a defining media characteristic of Second Life.
Another media characteristic of Second Life is it is an example of hyperpersonal communication which is a very modern type of media characteristic. As face-to-face communication has become less of a necessity in personal and business interactions, people have turned to an alternative type of communication, which is hyperpersonal communication. Hyperpersonal communication can be described as a form of communication that takes place in computer-mediated technologies that is more desirable than face-to-face communication because of its social aspect (Walther, 1996). This modern media phenomenon allows participants to feel more comfortable to express their ideas with out the pressure of having “all eyes on you.” Second Life eases social pressures by allowing participants to create an alternative identity. This eliminates the pressure of issues like social appearance that are found in face-to-face communication and opens the door for individuals to focus on the aspect of the conversation or the task at hand.
One final media characteristic of Second Life is that it reduces the amount nonverbal cues. Many people would think that this is a negative characteristic, but they are mistaken. Nonverbal cues may be helpful in face-to-face communication, but they can delay outcomes in virtual communication tasks. Short et al (1976) suggests that in order for a media, such as Second Life to be successful, removing nonverbal cues is necessary for a more efficient outcome. For instance, if Second Life is being used for business purposes, people focusing on things like physical appearance, voice tone, and facial cues can be a distraction and cause a delay in completing a task. If nonverbal cues are reduced, just as they are in Second Life, more time can be devoted on just the particular task, and in return it produces a more efficient outcome.
Each form of computer-mediated technology has its own characteristics. Some of these characteristics are similar to one another and some are very different. A common form of Web 2.0 technologies that is similar to Second Life is Instant Messaging (IM). These mediated forms of technology are related in to each other in many ways. In this section, we will compare the media characteristics of Instant Messaging and Second Life.
In order to compare these two types of technology, it is important to first give a description of both of them. First, let us begin with Instant Messaging (IM). Instant Messaging is a form of chat technologies over a network. It is usually between two or more people. One of the characteristics that make IM so unique is that the communication between others is instantaneous. Basically, it allows immediate communication between two or more individuals, usually online (Miller, 2006). Although conversations are usually erased once participants logoff, it is still possible to save any discussions for further use. Second Life on the other hand, as stated before, is a type of virtual world. Just like all virtual worlds, Second Life allows its participants to create an avatar to represent their identity. Second Life, like to IM is also conducted online.
Instant Messaging and Second Life have many similar media characteristics. First, both types of technologies can vary in Social Presence. Social Presence varies depending on the way participants interact (Short, Williams, & Christie, 1976). Both types of medias can have a high level of Social Presence or a low level of Social Presence. In the case of IM for example, if it is used in friend-to-friend networks, and they have a high regard for this method of communication, then most likely they will exchange detailed information about their lives. On the other hand for business, the interaction may be limited to only business related topics; therefore there is a low degree of Social Presence. The same can be applied to Second Life. If the virtual world is a site that based on friend relationships, there will be a high Social Presence. If it is based on a business or an anonymous type of communication, there will be a lower degree of Social Presence.
Another similarity for IM and Second Life is that they both use hyperpersonal communication. For example, although the communication takes place over a computer, people feel more comfortable to talk to each other and be open because there is the elimination of social pressure that many people experience when they communicate face-to-face (Walther, 1996). For instance, you may speak your mind a little more over IM or in Second Life, because you do not fear the confrontation. Also, in Second Life you have the advantage of disguising your identity with your avatar, which can make people feel more comfortable with expressing comments or emotions.
Finally, these two medias are similar because you can “chat” with people instantly in both forms of communications. The communication between friends or groups is an instant process that takes place between networks. Both types of technology allow friend-to-friend networks or group access that entitles this type of communication. Rather than waiting for someone to respond to an e-mail or return a phone call hours later, both of these tools allows for a more rapid form of communication between participants which can be a time saver in the future.
After comparing Second Life to Instant Messaging, we have found that there are many advantages of a virtual world that IM lacks. First, virtual worlds like Second Life allow you to communicate with more of a diverse group of individuals that you may not experience in Instant Messaging. Most of the time you only IM someone you know. In Second Life, however, you can visit many places or talk to strangers on any topic of discussion. Typically, these people are not your relatives, friends, or colleagues, but other individuals that are enjoying the same type of activity. Another advantage of Second Life is it is more entertaining than IM. It is almost like a game, where you can take on a whole new identity and explore unlimited possibilities. Unlike, IM virtual worlds contain more than just words. Virtual worlds allow for people to use their imaginations and creativity. It is hard to be creative when you are just sending messages back and forth to others. Second Life helps people to escape the normal routines of communication and explore other options.
Although there are many advantages to Second Life compared to Instant Messaging, there are also some disadvantages. One of the disadvantages of Second Life is that it can only be carried out through the Internet. Instant Messaging, on the other hand, can be carried out on programs that actually predate the Internet (Miller, 2006). This can allow for a more intimate communication among selected participants. Another disadvantage of Second Life is that it does not always allow for a quick response. Instant messaging is an instantaneous tool in which all members are participating at the same time. In Second Life on the other hand, if the person you want to talk to is not in the same world, or logged on, it makes it impossible to retrieve an instant response. Finally, IM is a more business friendly form of communication. It is the more popular tool rather than creating a disguise to associate with your business partners. Although Second Life is used for some organizations, many of them still prefer a tool like Instant Messaging to conduct business meetings.
Task 5: On the contrary, however, there are many organizations around the country implementing Second Life as a way to communicate, collaborate, and stay in touch with business partners as well as friends. As organizations continue to move away from the once popular “brick and mortar” establishments we will see virtual worlds like Second Life continue to grow in popularity. In today’s organizational world there is no doubt that virtual work is on the rise, in 2001, 19 million workers were engaged in virtual work and that number is only expected to grow (Miller, 2006). The reasons organizations are moving away from the traditional ways of doing business has to do with reduced real estate expenses, access to global markets, and environmental benefits, as well as the possibility of increased productivity, improved customer service, and enhanced profits (Miller, 2006). Organizations like IBM, Manpower and educational institutions are implementing Second Life in an effort to become more efficient.
IBM has decided to implement Second Life as a way for their employees and users to stay in touch. IBM feels that Second Life will allow employees and users a better opportunity to collaborate as a team allowing them to share ideas more efficiently. IBM enjoys the fact that Second Life users have a sense of “being there” when actually physical presence isn’t practical and/or desirable. Looking at all the positive aspects Second Life brings IBM it is easy to see why it is an implementation they are proud to have put into place.
Manpower is another organization that has incorporated Second Life into its organizational structure. Manpower uses Second Life as a way of bringing people and jobs together. Since Second Life has many organizations and employees of its own it needs an organization such as Manpower to help recruit and staff the open positions. Manpower recognizes that the demand for people to work in virtual jobs will continue to rise as the percentage of available talent within the workforce continues to decrease. Workers participating in the virtual world have increased flexibility allowing them to work in more than one virtual facility at a time (Miller, 2006). Manpower is taking advantage of this increased flexibility by placing workers in available positions in Second Life. Manpower is placing virtual employees in all types of positions through out Second Life. Manpower and other recruiting firms are continuously looking for land and structure developers, clothes and tattoo designers, and mangers to run nightclubs and supermarkets. As Second Life continues to grow so will the need for qualified employees, which is sure to give Manpower the upper hand in the virtual world.
Companies like IBM and Manpower aren’t the only organizations implementing Second Life. Educational institutions are also incorporating virtual worlds such as Second Life. Since traditional lectures do little for today’s generation virtual educational worlds are quickly growing in popularity. Today’s generation enjoy learning in Second Life, because it provides a unique setting that is completely different to the classroom. Second Life allows instructors to hold online lectures and discussion sections. Since Second Life is so interactive students are still able to ask questions and participate in group discussions just like they would do in a traditional classroom setting. Virtual learning can take students inside the human body one day for an anatomy lesson and then inside a computer the next for a technology lesson, this allows instructors to give students a wide range of exposure without the cost of actually taking the student there. Second Life even allows instructors to implement PowerPoint slides into lecture giving the students a feeling like they are in a real “brick and mortar” classroom.
Many people continue to discover that it is not necessary for people that work or learn together to be in the same location. In the near future, virtual worlds will be used by many organizations across the world. Virtual worlds are bringing many advantages to organizations. Therefore, it is only a matter of time before all organizations implement a virtual world such as Second Life to become more successful.
There are many tools that are taking the place of face-to-face communication. Virtual worlds, such as Second Life have proven to be efficient forms of communication. The characteristics that help Second Life become a popular form of communication are its various levels of Social Presence, its alternative hyperpersonal qualities, and the fact that it reduces unnecessary nonverbal cues. Because Second Life varies from other Web 2.0 technologies, individuals and organizations have the option of choosing this virtual world because it fits into their needs of a competent form of communication. Every form of communication has weaknesses and every form of communication also has its strengths. As the world continues to change, we have found that computer-mediated technological advances make life easier when it comes to communicating with others. Therefore, Second Life is among the many tools that will grow to establish a better form of communication in our personal lives and in organizations all around the world.
References
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http://www.manpower.com/. April 23, 2008.
http://www.youtube.com/. April 23, 2008.
