Avatar capital: The relationships between player orientation and their avatar’s social, symbolic, economic and cultural capital

Abstract

<p>Our everyday lives are increasingly digitized, virtualized and gamified. People increasingly live and act through a collection of various digital personas and avatars. However, the question of how peoples’ psychological traits may predict the traits and features of their virtual avatars is still relatively unexplored. In this study investigates the relationship between the traits related to gaming preferences and forms of capital (economic, cultural, social and symbolic) their avatar commands. The data was gathered through an online survey (n=905) amidst the players of a MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV. The results indicate that avatar’s cultural capital is associated player’s orientation towards achievement-mechanics, immersion and social aspects of games. Economic capital is associated with player’s orientation towards achievement and relationship sides of games. Social capital is associated with players’ orientation towards immersion and social parts of games, and in-game interests of the player. Symbolic capital is associated with player’s orientation towards achievement and social orientations and one’s tenure in the game.</p>