No Cover Image

E-Thesis 460 views

Exploring the motivations behind crafting identities in virtual reality interactions / YUEYAO HU

Swansea University Author: YUEYAO HU

  • E-Thesis – open access under embargo until: 22nd January 2026

DOI (Published version): 10.23889/SUthesis.68918

Abstract

Virtual social interaction platforms like VRChat offer users personalised immersive experiences, making it an important space for investigative virtual identity perception. Avatars, as representations of users on virtual social platforms, showcase their personalities, interests, and styles, enabling...

Full description

Published: Swansea, Wales, UK 2025
Institution: Swansea University
Degree level: Doctoral
Degree name: Ph.D
Supervisor: Evans, Leighton
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa68918
first_indexed 2025-02-18T12:49:44Z
last_indexed 2025-03-08T05:54:58Z
id cronfa68918
recordtype RisThesis
fullrecord <?xml version="1.0"?><rfc1807><datestamp>2025-03-07T11:31:23.1846214</datestamp><bib-version>v2</bib-version><id>68918</id><entry>2025-02-18</entry><title>Exploring the motivations behind crafting identities in virtual reality interactions</title><swanseaauthors><author><sid>c9fe237b1824b4cf904a1b977be8dd9d</sid><firstname>YUEYAO</firstname><surname>HU</surname><name>YUEYAO HU</name><active>true</active><ethesisStudent>false</ethesisStudent></author></swanseaauthors><date>2025-02-18</date><abstract>Virtual social interaction platforms like VRChat offer users personalised immersive experiences, making it an important space for investigative virtual identity perception. Avatars, as representations of users on virtual social platforms, showcase their personalities, interests, and styles, enabling users to better express their identity. The primary research question is: What motivates users to design avatars in virtual reality (VR)? Many studies are dedicated to explaining the construction and expression of users' online identities. However, the rapid development of emerging technologies presents challenges in keeping research findings relevant to current societal contexts. These efforts encounter a shared challenge, which is capturing the subtle differences and fluidity of identity. To address this challenge, the aim of the research is to explore the relationship between users' motivations for choosing virtual avatars and their self-presentation. The research objectives include analysing users' inspirations, exploring the factors that drive users' avatar modifications, investigating the strategies employed by users for impression management in VR, and examining how virtual cultural environments impact users' personal impression management. Erving Goffman's impression management theory was used as a theoretical lens to understand how individuals construct and manage their identities in digital environments, providing a valuable theoretical framework for understanding online identity research and virtual social interaction. The research methodology used a mixed-methods approach, with a focus on qualitative research. The methods include the use of surveys and interviews, with data analysis conducted through discourse analysis. The methodological framework is primarily rooted in interpretive phenomenology, supplemented by autoethnography as an additional approach. The planned sample size for the surveys was 70 individuals, but the actual number of valid survey responses collected was 77. Additionally, interviews were conducted with a total of 21 participants. The research findings indicate a significant relationship between users' motivations, past experiences, and social situation. Moreover, users exhibit a strong motivation to create, shape, and modify avatars in immersive environments where identity selection is freely available, thus exploring dynamic virtual identities. As virtual interaction progresses, users tend to develop and redefine their identities within a context of belonging, security, and inclusive social environments. In such circumstances, the research evidence suggests a fusion and mutually influential relationship between users' virtual and real-life identities. Overall, the data and analysis of this study support the view that the virtual platforms provide opportunities for the development of and shaping of personal identities. Additionally, it extends the applicability of Erving Goffman's theory to the VR identity field, offering valuable insights into how individuals engage in social interaction in virtual environments.</abstract><type>E-Thesis</type><journal/><volume/><journalNumber/><paginationStart/><paginationEnd/><publisher/><placeOfPublication>Swansea, Wales, UK</placeOfPublication><isbnPrint/><isbnElectronic/><issnPrint/><issnElectronic/><keywords>Avatar, Virtual realit, Impression management, immersive, Affordance</keywords><publishedDay>22</publishedDay><publishedMonth>1</publishedMonth><publishedYear>2025</publishedYear><publishedDate>2025-01-22</publishedDate><doi>10.23889/SUthesis.68918</doi><url/><notes/><college>COLLEGE NANME</college><CollegeCode>COLLEGE CODE</CollegeCode><institution>Swansea University</institution><supervisor>Evans, Leighton</supervisor><degreelevel>Doctoral</degreelevel><degreename>Ph.D</degreename><apcterm/><funders/><projectreference/><lastEdited>2025-03-07T11:31:23.1846214</lastEdited><Created>2025-02-18T12:46:03.2072928</Created><path><level id="1">Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences</level><level id="2">School of Culture and Communication - Media, Communications, Journalism and PR</level></path><authors><author><firstname>YUEYAO</firstname><surname>HU</surname><order>1</order></author></authors><documents><document><filename>Under embargo</filename><originalFilename>Under embargo</originalFilename><uploaded>2025-02-18T12:55:11.6554378</uploaded><type>Output</type><contentLength>7599739</contentLength><contentType>application/pdf</contentType><version>E-Thesis &#x2013; open access</version><cronfaStatus>true</cronfaStatus><embargoDate>2026-01-22T00:00:00.0000000</embargoDate><documentNotes>Copyright: The Author, Yueyao Hu, 2025. Licensed under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike (CC-BY-NC-SA) license. Third party content is excluded for use under the license terms.</documentNotes><copyrightCorrect>true</copyrightCorrect><language>eng</language><licence>https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en</licence></document></documents><OutputDurs/></rfc1807>
spelling 2025-03-07T11:31:23.1846214 v2 68918 2025-02-18 Exploring the motivations behind crafting identities in virtual reality interactions c9fe237b1824b4cf904a1b977be8dd9d YUEYAO HU YUEYAO HU true false 2025-02-18 Virtual social interaction platforms like VRChat offer users personalised immersive experiences, making it an important space for investigative virtual identity perception. Avatars, as representations of users on virtual social platforms, showcase their personalities, interests, and styles, enabling users to better express their identity. The primary research question is: What motivates users to design avatars in virtual reality (VR)? Many studies are dedicated to explaining the construction and expression of users' online identities. However, the rapid development of emerging technologies presents challenges in keeping research findings relevant to current societal contexts. These efforts encounter a shared challenge, which is capturing the subtle differences and fluidity of identity. To address this challenge, the aim of the research is to explore the relationship between users' motivations for choosing virtual avatars and their self-presentation. The research objectives include analysing users' inspirations, exploring the factors that drive users' avatar modifications, investigating the strategies employed by users for impression management in VR, and examining how virtual cultural environments impact users' personal impression management. Erving Goffman's impression management theory was used as a theoretical lens to understand how individuals construct and manage their identities in digital environments, providing a valuable theoretical framework for understanding online identity research and virtual social interaction. The research methodology used a mixed-methods approach, with a focus on qualitative research. The methods include the use of surveys and interviews, with data analysis conducted through discourse analysis. The methodological framework is primarily rooted in interpretive phenomenology, supplemented by autoethnography as an additional approach. The planned sample size for the surveys was 70 individuals, but the actual number of valid survey responses collected was 77. Additionally, interviews were conducted with a total of 21 participants. The research findings indicate a significant relationship between users' motivations, past experiences, and social situation. Moreover, users exhibit a strong motivation to create, shape, and modify avatars in immersive environments where identity selection is freely available, thus exploring dynamic virtual identities. As virtual interaction progresses, users tend to develop and redefine their identities within a context of belonging, security, and inclusive social environments. In such circumstances, the research evidence suggests a fusion and mutually influential relationship between users' virtual and real-life identities. Overall, the data and analysis of this study support the view that the virtual platforms provide opportunities for the development of and shaping of personal identities. Additionally, it extends the applicability of Erving Goffman's theory to the VR identity field, offering valuable insights into how individuals engage in social interaction in virtual environments. E-Thesis Swansea, Wales, UK Avatar, Virtual realit, Impression management, immersive, Affordance 22 1 2025 2025-01-22 10.23889/SUthesis.68918 COLLEGE NANME COLLEGE CODE Swansea University Evans, Leighton Doctoral Ph.D 2025-03-07T11:31:23.1846214 2025-02-18T12:46:03.2072928 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences School of Culture and Communication - Media, Communications, Journalism and PR YUEYAO HU 1 Under embargo Under embargo 2025-02-18T12:55:11.6554378 Output 7599739 application/pdf E-Thesis – open access true 2026-01-22T00:00:00.0000000 Copyright: The Author, Yueyao Hu, 2025. Licensed under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike (CC-BY-NC-SA) license. Third party content is excluded for use under the license terms. true eng https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en
title Exploring the motivations behind crafting identities in virtual reality interactions
spellingShingle Exploring the motivations behind crafting identities in virtual reality interactions
YUEYAO HU
title_short Exploring the motivations behind crafting identities in virtual reality interactions
title_full Exploring the motivations behind crafting identities in virtual reality interactions
title_fullStr Exploring the motivations behind crafting identities in virtual reality interactions
title_full_unstemmed Exploring the motivations behind crafting identities in virtual reality interactions
title_sort Exploring the motivations behind crafting identities in virtual reality interactions
author_id_str_mv c9fe237b1824b4cf904a1b977be8dd9d
author_id_fullname_str_mv c9fe237b1824b4cf904a1b977be8dd9d_***_YUEYAO HU
author YUEYAO HU
author2 YUEYAO HU
format E-Thesis
publishDate 2025
institution Swansea University
doi_str_mv 10.23889/SUthesis.68918
college_str Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
department_str School of Culture and Communication - Media, Communications, Journalism and PR{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Culture and Communication - Media, Communications, Journalism and PR
document_store_str 0
active_str 0
description Virtual social interaction platforms like VRChat offer users personalised immersive experiences, making it an important space for investigative virtual identity perception. Avatars, as representations of users on virtual social platforms, showcase their personalities, interests, and styles, enabling users to better express their identity. The primary research question is: What motivates users to design avatars in virtual reality (VR)? Many studies are dedicated to explaining the construction and expression of users' online identities. However, the rapid development of emerging technologies presents challenges in keeping research findings relevant to current societal contexts. These efforts encounter a shared challenge, which is capturing the subtle differences and fluidity of identity. To address this challenge, the aim of the research is to explore the relationship between users' motivations for choosing virtual avatars and their self-presentation. The research objectives include analysing users' inspirations, exploring the factors that drive users' avatar modifications, investigating the strategies employed by users for impression management in VR, and examining how virtual cultural environments impact users' personal impression management. Erving Goffman's impression management theory was used as a theoretical lens to understand how individuals construct and manage their identities in digital environments, providing a valuable theoretical framework for understanding online identity research and virtual social interaction. The research methodology used a mixed-methods approach, with a focus on qualitative research. The methods include the use of surveys and interviews, with data analysis conducted through discourse analysis. The methodological framework is primarily rooted in interpretive phenomenology, supplemented by autoethnography as an additional approach. The planned sample size for the surveys was 70 individuals, but the actual number of valid survey responses collected was 77. Additionally, interviews were conducted with a total of 21 participants. The research findings indicate a significant relationship between users' motivations, past experiences, and social situation. Moreover, users exhibit a strong motivation to create, shape, and modify avatars in immersive environments where identity selection is freely available, thus exploring dynamic virtual identities. As virtual interaction progresses, users tend to develop and redefine their identities within a context of belonging, security, and inclusive social environments. In such circumstances, the research evidence suggests a fusion and mutually influential relationship between users' virtual and real-life identities. Overall, the data and analysis of this study support the view that the virtual platforms provide opportunities for the development of and shaping of personal identities. Additionally, it extends the applicability of Erving Goffman's theory to the VR identity field, offering valuable insights into how individuals engage in social interaction in virtual environments.
published_date 2025-01-22T05:22:33Z
_version_ 1851641093294129152
score 11.089905

Similar Items