Influence of Avatars and Images: are you affected?

A friend made me up some new ones, playing around. He gave me several to chose from, so I could switch around with a similar theme, so it does have a message, theme. I love dolphins so I had to select this one over the others.

I choose mine for 2 reasons - first of all its a photo I took of a baby, I like to use my own stuff as I do a lot of photography and enhancements. I choose this one because I think of it as the child watching the adults in wonder.

Sorry for double post

reply to post by LadySkadi


Actually your scene reminds me of me looking over the

balcony in a Hotel room in Paris.

reply to post by KIZZZY


Ah, well that is cool. Hope it's a good memory.

What are your thoughts with regards to the premise of the thread?

Theme: Avatars and Images influence how others view the otherwise anonymous writer behind the screen. Trust/Mistrust, Intelligence, Reputation and other aspects are attributed to the writer via the image that is chosen to represent him/her. In the reverse, the image chosen by the writer also conveys a message to the viewers, something that can be both conscious or subconscious.

Do you notice that there are avatars/images that influence your perception of the writer? Do you seem to place more or less weight to their word because of it? Is there something about the representation of the image that you consciously or subconsciously attach to the writer behind the computer and does it have positive/negative/neutral affect on you? Have you ever though about it?

ETA: Link to the full study: The Influence of the Avatar on Online Perceptions of Anthropomorphism, Androgyny, Credibility, Homophily, and Attraction

Originally posted by LadySkadi
reply to post by KIZZZY

 

Ah, well that is cool. Hope it's a good memory.

What are your thoughts with regards to the premise of the thread?

Theme: Avatars and Images influence how others view the otherwise anonymous writer behind the screen. Trust/Mistrust, Intelligence, Reputation and other aspects are attributed to the writer via the image that is chosen to represent him/her. In the reverse, the image chosen by the writer also conveys a message to the viewers, something that can be both conscious or subconscious.

Do you notice that there are avatars/images that influence your perception of the writer? Do you seem to place more or less weight to their word because of it? Is there something about the representation of the image that you consciously or subconsciously attach to the writer behind the computer and does it have positive/negative/neutral affect on you? Have you ever though about it?

ETA: Link to the full study: The Influence of the Avatar on Online Perceptions of Anthropomorphism, Androgyny, Credibility, Homophily, and Attraction

ah Paris...yes indeed ...good thoughts!

For the most part I do think people put Avatars up to reflect "self" judging from some of the highly symbolized
Avatars. Then sometimes a picture can be deceptive so I find myself invariably reading their words. Do they
influence my perception of them? Maybe sometimes. I think some people try to project something they are
not as well. Ex: A male perhaps who has a more fem appearance may want to project a more rugged look
and so puts up a photo of a rugged actor to perhaps create an illusion of something he may not be.
I confess I do enjoy creative people and loved to be amused by their Avatars. It is hard to attach oneself
to a person who keeps changing their Avatars lol. I am guilty as charged. As for myself...no symbology
here.....just fun!

I chose mine because she has my name, Dawn, and looks alot like me and type of person she is in the
comic matches my personality as well...and she looks mischevious in this pic..

Mine is a an HDR (High Dynamic Range) photograph that I took of the Bangkok skyline.

I chose it because I feel it shows my creative disposition. I also think the colors are beautiful.

On a more philosophical level, it represents the surreality of life, in that the colors in the image are not those of reality, but were created through the process of combining multiple photographic exposures into one image and manipulating the results.

Also, the city of Bangkok is a veritable web of contradictions. It is new technology contrasted with old, giant glittering shopping malls next to centuries-old Buddhist temples, Lamborghinis juxtaposed with Tuk-Tuks. The city is the poster-child for the duality of existence, as well as the shockingly common theme of self-contradiction.

Well, I'd love to have a working avatar. Seems that the ? in my name is throwing off the link for me to be able to set one up. ATS has offered to change my name so I can use the media features of my account, but I like the name too much right now.

Maybe I'll take them up on the change in a couple of years

CU

My original avatar was banned by a mod. I haven't come up with a good idea on what to change it to. So it's censored for now.

reply to post by JohnnyTHSeed
To quote myself:

Theme: Avatars and Images influence how others view the otherwise anonymous writer behind the screen. Trust/Mistrust, Intelligence, Reputation and other aspects are attributed to the writer via the image that is chosen to represent him/her. In the reverse, the image chosen by the writer also conveys a message to the viewers, something that can be both conscious or subconscious.

Do you notice that there are avatars/images that influence your perception of the writer? Do you seem to place more or less weight to their word because of it? Is there something about the representation of the image that you consciously or subconsciously attach to the writer behind the computer and does it have positive/negative/neutral affect on you? Have you ever though about it?

In addition to the theme of this thread, above, what was it about your original avatar that you were trying to convey? What was it that you wanted people to attribute to you, because of it?

reply to post by LadySkadi


These were the source images I "borrowed" and reworked to make my avatar.




I am infatuated with hemp. People have found a vast amount of clever ways to utilize the plant. This was represented by a hemp leaf containing the words - Fuel - Paper - Housing - Inspiration - Textiles - Food - Oil. I eat hemp near daily because it is very nutritious.

This lead me to come up with "JohnnyTHSeed", a sort of parody of Johnny Appleseed, because I would love if hemp was more widely grown. The image showed Johnny walking barefoot with a bag of hemp seeds casually tossing them about.

It is, however, illegal to grow hemp in the United States and against forum rules to "promote illicit activities". I assume the ATS servers must be located in the US, hence the draconian regulations. Maybe if I make it quite obvious that Johnny is hiking around Canada....

edit: I was a lurker for quite awhile before I created an account, so I had grown familiar with some posters over the course of a year before I ever saw their avatars. It was pretty funny to me how much their avatar seemed to fit with their characters.

Your avatar, along with the phrase "where two roads diverge", is just soaking in mystery. But to me, all women carry an air of mystery.

reply to post by LadySkadi


Thanks i'll have to take you up on that sometime.

Ace of Spades. Death card, 1 and 11 in poker. Strong military connotations, as a psychological weapon in the Vietnam War. Placed on dead Viet Cong and NVA troops. Occasionally pinned or painted on a soldier's helmet. Skull. Another death symbol. More military meanings, mainly as a tool of intimidation. Used on various patches and badges, including the German Totenkopf (made famous by the SS), various Hussar regiments, often known as the Death Hussars, the USMC Recon Battalions, an Estonian Partisan regiment, the USMC Raiders, and the Queen's Royal Lancers. Very simply, militaristic, dark and death-focused.

reply to post by LadySkadi


My avatar represents I am humble and ready for war.

My fight is against those that would take advantage and muck over the old, the young, the homeless and animals...........those that have no real say so in our society..............the weak.

I guess like a female batman.

Jackie O once said to John F Kennedy Jr................" Those with power have responsibity."

Service to Others vs Service to Self.

reply to post by LadySkadi



What are you intentionally or unintentionally conveying with your image?

I consider myself a campinon for those that have no voice currently within our society.

Children
Homeless
Elderly
Mentally challenged
Traumatised

Service to Self or Service to Others.....................Hero or villan?

reply to post by ofhumandescent
Your message is needed and thank you for sharing it.

mines is wolverine because he is awesome

and its also a depiction of the wars we live in in the background

Mine is a map of the path through the Tree of Life representing my name on here. Which is ANSPHAR or AiN SoPH AuR or the Limitless Light in Quabala. Illumination. Full spectrum. On all levels.

Thought I would throw in my 2 cents.


What makes this avatar so special? Because it's a photograph of the residue of a supernatural encounter. Let's just say they don't get weirder than this. Except for the story behind it.

If you can click on the picture and look at the hidden part of it.