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ACM News
Does This Avatar Make Me Look Fat?
![[article image]](/system/assets/0000/1232/080409_RTI_Elizabeth_Dean.large.jpg?1249394131&1249394127 "RTI Research Survey Methodologist Elizabeth Dean")
"It seems likely that virtual reality users may adjust their identity to be consistent with that of their avatars," says RTI's Elizabeth Dean, the study's lead author. "The public health urgency surrounding the issue of obesity means that any intervention that might possibly affect real-life health should be considered."
Credit: Jimmy Crawford / RTI International
Creating a Second Life avatar, or virtual representation of oneself, that is thin and physically fit may encourage individuals to become healthier and more physically fit in their real lives, according to a study by researchers at RTI International. The study, published as a research-in-brief note in the August issue of the Journal of Virtual Worlds Research, found support for the ide...
User Comments
(1)"People use statistics the way drunks use lamp posts, for support rather than illumination" Dr. Johan Westra
Statistical sampling is based on proven mathematical models. If you were to use only the number of unique users (985,306) who logged in to Second Life in the last 30 days (1), as the population you wanted to profile, it would require the following number of sample responses to achieve the corresponding levels of statistical accuracy (confidence), given a 4% error rate:
* Confidence = 425
* Confidence = 600
* Confidence = 1036
Obviously the 29 avatars surveyed for this "study" do not even equal the margin of error (4%) for the number of active SL users!
I believe that what we visualize ourselves to be have a positive influence on our motivation. The soccer goalie on my office wall with the caption "To be a winner... all you need to give, is all you have," is a constant reminder to try harder.. That being said, I believe the conclusions drawn by this deeply flawed and statistically inaccurate "study" are nothing more than anecdotal positive thinking at this point.
(1) Second Life Statistics http://secondlife.com/statistics/economy-data.php
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