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Avatar Creation: The Social Construction of "Beauty" in Second Life

Mills, Hailey L.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1352436009

Abstract Details

2012, Master of Arts, University of Akron, Communication.
Rooted in the Theory of Social Construction of Reality and informed by media and gender portrayal and virtual communities research, this study examines how beauty is socially constructed in Second Life. Specifically, a content analysis of 360 still images of female avatars was conducted to understand how people construct beauty in a virtual community. Findings suggest that people chose gender stereotypical images even when they have the free choice to create any avatar they desire. Trendy and sex kitten/sensual beauty types were the most-portrayed beauty types. Almost all the female avatars had a perfect body size. And more than 80% of the avatars coded in this study had light skin. In addition, this study found a significant difference in beauty type among avatars with different amounts of body coverage and a significant difference in beauty type among different types of products. However, no significant difference was found in beauty type between avatars with different skin color nor was there a significant difference in beauty type among avatars with different body sizes. Overall, this study provides valuable insights in understanding how beauty is socially constructed in the virtual world and advances the theory of social construction of reality in today’s dynamic environment.
Tang Tang, Dr. (Advisor)
Kathleen Clark, Dr. (Committee Member)
Yang Lin, Dr. (Committee Member)
62 p.
Communication; Gender; Gender Studies; Mass Communications; Mass Media; Womens Studies
Theory of Social Construction of Reality; media and gender portrayal; Second Life; virtual worlds; female beauty

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Mills, H. L. (2012). Avatar Creation: The Social Construction of "Beauty" in Second Life [Master's thesis, University of Akron]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1352436009

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Mills, Hailey. Avatar Creation: The Social Construction of "Beauty" in Second Life. 2012. University of Akron, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1352436009.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Mills, Hailey. "Avatar Creation: The Social Construction of "Beauty" in Second Life." Master's thesis, University of Akron, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1352436009

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

akron1352436009
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© 2012, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Akron and OhioLINK.