New consumers in virtual worlds: Identity building and consuming experience in Second Life

Sylvie Rolland () and Guy Parmentier ()
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Sylvie Rolland: DRM - Dauphine Recherches en Management - Université Paris Dauphine-PSL - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Guy Parmentier: GAEL - Laboratoire d'Economie Appliquée = Grenoble Applied Economics Laboratory - UPMF - Université Pierre Mendès France - Grenoble 2 - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, France Télécom

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Abstract: Using virtual worlds, this paper examines the link that exists between individuals and their avatars in terms of identity. Our aim is to offer an initial framework in order to understand how new consumers in virtual worlds build their identity and more precisely whether total or partial identity transfers from the real to the virtual. An exploratory qualitative technique was employed, using instant messaging with 35 immersive interviews in the Second Life virtual world. The outcomes of the study suggest that virtual worlds and the social and business interactions they offer are tools to build consumer identity.

Keywords: Consumer behaviour; identity; identity formation; virtual world; avatar (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009-10-02
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Published in Recherche et Applications en Marketing (French Edition), 2009, Vol. 24 (N°3), pp.20

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-00497223

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