Chapter 3 Reflection
In Chapter 3 the author discussed his methods for conducting research in Second Life. This includes the examples of research our class has been participating in. My research method is auto-ethnography. He conducted research by interviewing Second Life users, observing the actions of others, observing his own actions and symbiotics. He mentioned how he didn’t want to know Second Life users ‘real life’ identities because Second Life users don’t have this information when they are interacting with each other. I understand that this method is used because their ‘real life’ identities are unknown to others thus people interacting with them can’t be affected by the others ‘real life’ identities. Since people in Second Life’s ‘real life’ identities are anonymous to each other this also changes how they act. Certain things they would never do in ‘real life’ they may carry out because no one else knows who they really are. However to understand the Second Life user and why they do what they do I don’t think their ‘real life’ identity can be overlooked. Certainly, Second LIfe users learn alot by seeing what everyone else does there and that is a big influence on them but their ‘real life’ experience also factors into this.