Our Avatars have a lot to do with how we interact with each other

originally posted by: amazing
Our Avatars have a lot to do with how we interact with each other.

I don't have concrete examples and if this isn't board business and questions, please delete this.

I thought this would be a good discussion.

When I'm replying to someone and they "are" or have the avatar of someone say sarcastic, or a drill instructor or a very peaceful pretty angel, I think subconsciously, it effects how I reply to them, post a question to them or whatever. It has to, right? If their avatar is angry or agitated I think I/we take their posts out of context sometimes. We know these types of visual stimuli have effects on us but how much and could it effect our conversations here, on ATS?

Great thread my friend! I perceived the same thing and that's exactly why I put my own picture up now. I want people to see who they are talking to, it's more heart to heart that way and leaves nothing to hide in a sense.

originally posted by: sk0rpi0n
Youre right. Avatar pictures give away the nature of the person behind the avatar picture.

And in your case ... you are a devout Muslim with a 'CHAOS' avatar.
You said it gives away the nature of the person behind the avatar.
So what does that say about your nature? Tell us ....

When I first joined there was a member who had an avatar with a agitated looking guy, and every time I read his posts I felt like he was yelling at people.

I remember a woman on this site had an avatar of a fairy with a wand, but she seemed to be very bitter with extremely right-wing views. She never had much good to say about anyone, but when talking about herself she seemed to think the sun shone out of her rear end. She was active on the site when I signed up, but appears to have been banned. I can't remember her username, and never give he any thought, excerpt when I stumble across an old thread with her postings.

This is one case where the avatar did not match the personality in any shape or form at all.

This may sound strange, but I actually imagine people looking like whatever their avatar is haha. Like Beezzer, I always imagine there's a crying rabbit somewhere who happens to have access to the internet.
I don't think it changes the way I feel about whatever they said, though.

I haven't gotten around to getting myself an avatar yet, though. I'm more of a lurker who happens to have an account so I can make the occasional comment, so I never felt the need to have one, but I'm thinking of adding one.

a reply to: amazing
It is interesting the persona we create in our heads when reading posts. I chuckle sometimes on how an avatar affects my perception. As I read other's posts, sometimes I get this voice or tone and wonder where the heck it came from. My own mind of course but it is still amusing. Granted a person's post history affects this perception too, but otherwise the avatar seems to have an influence, superficial as it may be. I guess it does say something about a poster's personality, but our 'fill in the blank' perception is strange indeed. Glad I'm not the only one.

My avatar is a nature shot in my home state, which I am proud of and nature is just a great source of awe for me so I want my avatar to represent what is important to me, rather than a character. I like characters too but prefer a little more ambiguity I suppose.

If I don't have and avatar and I don't want one does that mean I don't exist?
Is an avatar is a projection of our inner self?
If so what does it mean when men use a picture of a half dressed sexy woman as their avatar?

originally posted by: amazing
Our Avatars have a lot to do with how we interact with each other.

I don't have concrete examples and if this isn't board business and questions, please delete this.

I thought this would be a good discussion.

When I'm replying to someone and they "are" or have the avatar of someone say sarcastic, or a drill instructor or a very peaceful pretty angel, I think subconsciously, it effects how I reply to them, post a question to them or whatever. It has to, right? If their avatar is angry or agitated I think I/we take their posts out of context sometimes. We know these types of visual stimuli have effects on us but how much and could it effect our conversations here, on ATS?

To me, it's just artwork. I really like some of them, others I'm neither here nor there on.

Just curious though - what does mine convey to you? There is no wrong answer, just curious.

I think you're reading into an image too much, personally.

a reply to: BlackboxInquiry

Your avatar looks like what you would see if you got run over by a black Mercedes Benz, at nighttime, while doing a handstand.

Other than that, it says nothing to me other than the fact that you have an eye for a good colour scheme!

originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: BlackboxInquiry

Your avatar looks like what you would see if you got run over by a black Mercedes Benz, at nighttime, while doing a handstand.

Other than that, it says nothing to me other than the fact that you have an eye for a good colour scheme!

LOL!! Love it! Thanks man!

I'm so curious. What do you ladies and gentlemen think about my avatar?
Come on, don't be shy.... creating avatars is only a hobby of many of mine.

a reply to: Rainbowresidue

Mornin'.

Off the top of my (pre-coffee) head?
I'd say you are a fan of fantasy literature but your first love is art.
You also have a love for things which comes across as mystical.
(Nice job by the way)
How'd I do?

-Peace-

Mines an ape scrubbing a cat clean enough said really

a reply to: Rainbowresidue

Reminds me of my 2nd wife...so I hate it

I dont think the avatars people have make me treat them any different, they definitely say "something" about a person, but does that effect how people might react to them or treat posts? I dont think so for most.

Perhaps if a person was scared of lets say snakes, and another poster had a big nasty mean looking snake on their avatar i could imagine that the scared poster might avoid threads or treat posts by the snake avatar person differently. Maybe.

a reply to: Eryiedes

You are dead on.
I am very artistic, and most of my hobbies involve art.
And thanks for replying.

Have a nice Sunday.

a reply to: boymonkey74

Oh, well,sorry I guess.
Don't worry,I change my avatars regularly, I'm currently working on a couple of new ones for summer.

a reply to: boymonkey74

Dude,

Please don't take this in a bad way but I'd really like to meet your ex-wife if that's what she looks like...

-Peace-