Keywords
virtual behavior
psychosocial motivation
virtual consciousness
online user profile
online communication
psychosocial motivation
virtual consciousness
online user profile
online communication
How to Cite
Psychosocial Profiles of Users in Virtual Environments: Motivations, Behaviors, and Consequences. (2019). Universitas Psychologica, 18(3), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.11144/Javeriana.upsy18-3.ppue
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Abstract
This study aims at identifying the main profiles of habitual users in virtual environments based on motivational dimensions, behavioral characteristics, and consequences. Data were gathered through a questionnaire from 332 users of online platforms and processed using factorial analysis, ANOVAs, cluster analyses and multiple regressions. Results suggest five types of motivations in online interaction: Intellectual stimulation, power, instrumental motives, anonymity/freedom, affection, and evasion. Five significant user-profiles groups around these factors, named: The Logical, the Anonymous, the Interested, the Evasive, and the Powerful. The results suggest two main dimensions explaining virtual behavior: One concerning the positive search for intellectual stimulation, creativity and knowledge and a second dimension more centered on affective-emotional characteristics, more related to vulnerabilities and risks.
Aardema, F., O'Connor, K., Côté, S., & Taillon, A. (2010). Virtual reality induces dissociation and lowers sense of presence in objective reality. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and SocialNetworking, 13(4), 429-435. https://doi.org/ 10.1089/cyber 2009.0164
Álvarez-García, D., Barreiro-Colazo, A, & Núñez, J.-C. (2017). Ciberagresión entre adolescentes: prevalencia y diferencias de género. Comunicar, 25(50), 89-97. https://doi.org/10.3916/C50-2017-08
Ang, R. P. (2015). Adolescent cyberbullying: A review of characteristics, prevention andintervention strategies. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 25(A), 35-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2015.07.011
Aristeidou, M., Scanlon, E., & Sharples, M. (2017). Profiles of engagement in online communities of citizen science participation. Computers in Human Behavior, 74,246-256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.04.044
Barker, V. (2009). Older adolescents' motivations for social network site Use: The influence of gender, group identity, and collective self-esteem. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 12(2), 209-213. https://doi.org/10.1089/cpb.2008.0228
Beranuy, M., Carbonell, X., & Griffiths, M. D. (2013). A qualitative analysis of online gaming addicts in treatment. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 11(2), 149-161. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-012-9405-2
Caplan, S. E., Williams, D., & Yee, N. (2009). Problematic Internet use and psychosocial well-being among MMO players. Computers in Human Behavior, 25, 1312-1319. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2009.06.006.
Echeburúa, E., Amor, P.J., & Cenea, R. (1998). Adicción a Internet: Una nueva adicción psicológica. Monografías de Psiquiatría, 2, 38-44.
Festinger, L. (1981). Human nature and human competence. Social Research: An International Quarterly, 48(2), 306-321.
Gackenbach, J. I. (2006). Video game play and lucid dreams: Implications for the development of consciousness. Dreaming, 16(2), 96-110. https://doi.org/10.1037/1053‐ 0797.16.2.96
Garrett, R. K., Weeks, B. E., & Neo, R. L. (2016). Driving a wedge between evidence and beliefs: How online ideological news exposure promotes political misperceptions. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 21(5), 331-348. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcc4.12164
Guan, S. A., & Subrahmanyam, K. (2009). Youth Internet use: Risks and opportunities. Current Opinions in Psychiatry, 22(4), 351-356. https://doi.org/10.1097/YCO.0b013e32832bd7e0
Halberstam, Y., & Knight, B. (2016). Homophily, group size, and the diffusion of political information in social networks: Evidence from Twitter. Journal of Public Economics, 143, 73-88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpubeco.2016.08.011
Huang, H. C., Huang, L. S., Chou, Y. J., & Teng, C. I. (2017). Influence of temperament and character on line gamer loyalty: Perspectives from personality and flow theories. Computers in Human Behavior, 70, 398-406. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.01.009
Janis, I. L. (1987). Pensamiento grupal. Revista de Psicología Social, 2(1-2), 126-180. https://doi.org/10.1080/02134748.1987.10821566
Jenaro, C., Flores, N., Gómez-Vela, M., González-Gil, F., & Caballo, C. (2007). Problematic internet and cell-phone use: Psychological, behavioral, and health correlates. Addiction Research & Theory, 15(3), 309-320.
Johnson, G. M., & Kulpa, A. (2007). Dimensions of online behavior: Toward a user typology. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 10(6), 773-780. https://doi.org/10.1089/cpb.2007.0043
Keipi, T., Oksanen, A., & Räsänen, P. (2014). Who prefers anonymous self-expression online? A survey-based study of Finns aged 15–30 years. Information, Communication & Society 18(6), 717-732. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2014.991342
Lelkes, Y. (2016). Mass polarization: Manifestations and measurements. Public Opinion Quarterly, 80(S1), 392-410. https://doi.org/10.1093/poq/nfw005
Linares, K., Subrahmanyam, K., Cheng, R., & Guan, A.S. (2011). A Second Life within Second Life: Are virtual world users creating new selves and new lives? International Journal of CyberBehavior, Psychology and Learning 1(3), 50-71. https://doi.org/10.4018/ijcbpl.2011070104
Manzoni, G. M., Cesa, G. L., Bacchetta, M., Castelnuovo, G., Conti, S., Gaggioli, A.… Riva, G., (2016). Virtual reality-enhanced cognitive-behavioral therapy for morbid obesity: A randomized controlled study with 1 year follow-up. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networks, 19(2),134-40. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2015.0208
Marshall, T. C., Lefringhausen, K., & Ferenczi, N. (2015). The Big Five, self-esteem, and narcissism as predictors of the topics people write about in Facebook status updates. Personality and Individual Differences, 85, 35-40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2015.04.039
Montañés, M. (2009). La comunicación desde la perspectiva sociopráxica. Mediaciones Sociales, (4), 51-74. Recuperado de https://revistas.ucm.es/index.php/MESO/article/view/MESO0909120051A
Morahan-Martin, J. (2005). Internet Abuse: Addiction? Disorder? Symptom? Alternative Explanations? Social Science Computer Review, 23(1), 39-48. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894439304271533
Murray, C. D., Fox, J., & Pettifer, S. (2007). Absorption, dissociation, locus of control and presence in virtual reality. Computers in Human Behavior, 23(3), 1347-1354. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2004.12.010
Pawlak, C. (2002). Correlates of Internet use and addiction in adolescents. Dissertation Abstracts International Section A: Humanities & Social Sciences, 63(5-A), 17-27.
Pazukhina, S. V., & Filippova, S. A. (2014). Problem of comprehensive study of psychological risks to children on the Internet. European Journal of Natural History, (2), 42-44. Recuperado de https://world-science.ru/en/article/view?id=33277
Reich, S.M., Subrahmanyam, K., & Guadalupe, E. (2012). Friending, IMing, and Hanging Out Face-to-Face: Overlap in Adolescents’ Online and Offline Social Networks. Developmental Psychology, 48(2), 356-368. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0026980.
Rice, R. E., Sheperd, A., Dutton, W. H., & Katz, J. E. (2007). Social interaction and the Internet: A comparative analysis of surveys in the US and Britain. In A. N. Joinson, K.Y.A. McKenna, T. Postmes & U-D. Reips (Eds.), Oxford handbook of Internet psychology (pp. 7-30). Osford: Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199561803.013.0002
Romera, E. M., Cano, J. J., García-Fernández, C. M., & Ortega-Ruiz, R. (2016). Cyberbullying: competencia social, motivación y relaciones entre iguales. Comunicar, 24(48), 71-79. https://doi.org/10.3916/C48-2016-07
Schimitt, K, Dayanim, S, & Matthias, S. (2008). Personal homepage construction as an expression of social development. Developmental Psychology, 44(2), 496-506. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.44.2.496
Serrano-Puche, J. (2016). Internet and emotions: New trends in an emerging field of research. Comunicar, 24(46), 19-26. https://doi.org/10.3916/C46-2016-02
Sherman, W. R., & Craig, A. B. (2002). Understanding virtual reality: Interface, application, and design. San Francisco, CA: Morgan Kaufmann Publishers. Recuperado de https://www.elsevier.com/books/understanding-
virtual-reality/sherman/978-0-12-800965-9
Shore, J., Baek, J., & Dellarocas, C. (2016). Network structure and patterns of information diversity on Twitter. Boston University Questrom School of Business Research Paper No. 2813342, 1-67. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2813342
Subrahmanyam, K., Greenfield, P., Kraut, R., & Gross, E. (2001). The impact of computer use on children's and adolescent's development. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 22(1), 7-30. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0193-3973(00)00063-0
Suhay, E., Bello-Pardo, E., & Maurer, B. (2018). The polarizing effects of online partisan criticism: Evidence from two experiments. The International Journal of Press/Politics, 23(1), 95-115. https://doi.org/10.1177/1940161217740697
Suriá, R. (2015). Redes sociales online y perfiles resilientes en estudiantes universitarios con discapacidad. Anuario de Psicología, 45(3), 317-330. Recuperado de https://www.raco.cat/index.php/AnuarioPsicologia/article/view/303462
Tajfel, H. & Turner, J. C. (1986). The social identity theory of intergroup behavior. Psychology of intergroup relations, 5, 7-24.
Tewksbury, D., & Riles, J. M. (2015). Polarization as a function of citizen predispositions and exposure to news on the Internet. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 59(3), 381-398. https://doi.org/10.1080/08838151.2015.1054996
Tran, P., & Subrahmanyam, K. (2015). Evidence-based guidelines for the informal use computers by children to promote the development of academic, cognitive and social skills. Ergonomics, 56(9), 1349-1362. https://doi.org/10.1080/00140139.2013.820843
Tuzel, S., & Hobbs, R. (2017). The Use of Social Media and Popular Culture to Advance Cross-Cultural Understanding. Comunicar, 25(51), 63-72. https://doi.org/10.3916/C51-2017-06
Vidales-Bolaños, M. J., & Sádaba-Chalezquer, C. (2017). Adolescentes conectados: La medición del impacto del móvil en las relaciones sociales desde el capital social. Comunicar, 25(53), 19-28. https://doi.org/10.3916/C53-2017-02
Vivas, G. P. M., & Torres, F. C. (2011). Internet y pánico moral: revisión de la investigación sobre la interacción de niños y jóvenes con los nuevos medios. Universitas Psychologica, 10(3), 855. https://doi.org/10.11144/Javeriana.upsy10-3.ipmr
Willoughby, T. (2008). A short-term longitudinal study of Internet and computer game use by adolescent boys and girls: Prevalence, frequency of use, and psychosocial predictors. Developmental Psychology, 44(1), 195-204. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.44.1.195
Witmer, B. G., & Singer, M. J. (1998). Measuring Presence in Virtual Environments: A Presence Questionnaire. Presence, 7(3), 225-240. https://doi.org/10.1162/105474698565686
Woolley, A. W., Aggarwal, I., & Malone, T. W. (2015). Collective intelligence and group performance. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 24(6), 420-424. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721415599543
Ye, Y., & Lin, L. (2015). Examining relations between locus of control, loneliness, subjective well-being, and preference for online social interaction. Psychological Reports, 116(1),164-175. https://doi.org/10.2466/07.09.PR0.116k14w3
Young, K. S. (1998). Internet addiction: The emergence of a new clinical disorder. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 1(3), 237-244. https://doi.org/10.1089/cpb.1998.1.237
Álvarez-García, D., Barreiro-Colazo, A, & Núñez, J.-C. (2017). Ciberagresión entre adolescentes: prevalencia y diferencias de género. Comunicar, 25(50), 89-97. https://doi.org/10.3916/C50-2017-08
Ang, R. P. (2015). Adolescent cyberbullying: A review of characteristics, prevention andintervention strategies. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 25(A), 35-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2015.07.011
Aristeidou, M., Scanlon, E., & Sharples, M. (2017). Profiles of engagement in online communities of citizen science participation. Computers in Human Behavior, 74,246-256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.04.044
Barker, V. (2009). Older adolescents' motivations for social network site Use: The influence of gender, group identity, and collective self-esteem. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 12(2), 209-213. https://doi.org/10.1089/cpb.2008.0228
Beranuy, M., Carbonell, X., & Griffiths, M. D. (2013). A qualitative analysis of online gaming addicts in treatment. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 11(2), 149-161. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-012-9405-2
Caplan, S. E., Williams, D., & Yee, N. (2009). Problematic Internet use and psychosocial well-being among MMO players. Computers in Human Behavior, 25, 1312-1319. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2009.06.006.
Echeburúa, E., Amor, P.J., & Cenea, R. (1998). Adicción a Internet: Una nueva adicción psicológica. Monografías de Psiquiatría, 2, 38-44.
Festinger, L. (1981). Human nature and human competence. Social Research: An International Quarterly, 48(2), 306-321.
Gackenbach, J. I. (2006). Video game play and lucid dreams: Implications for the development of consciousness. Dreaming, 16(2), 96-110. https://doi.org/10.1037/1053‐ 0797.16.2.96
Garrett, R. K., Weeks, B. E., & Neo, R. L. (2016). Driving a wedge between evidence and beliefs: How online ideological news exposure promotes political misperceptions. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 21(5), 331-348. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcc4.12164
Guan, S. A., & Subrahmanyam, K. (2009). Youth Internet use: Risks and opportunities. Current Opinions in Psychiatry, 22(4), 351-356. https://doi.org/10.1097/YCO.0b013e32832bd7e0
Halberstam, Y., & Knight, B. (2016). Homophily, group size, and the diffusion of political information in social networks: Evidence from Twitter. Journal of Public Economics, 143, 73-88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpubeco.2016.08.011
Huang, H. C., Huang, L. S., Chou, Y. J., & Teng, C. I. (2017). Influence of temperament and character on line gamer loyalty: Perspectives from personality and flow theories. Computers in Human Behavior, 70, 398-406. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.01.009
Janis, I. L. (1987). Pensamiento grupal. Revista de Psicología Social, 2(1-2), 126-180. https://doi.org/10.1080/02134748.1987.10821566
Jenaro, C., Flores, N., Gómez-Vela, M., González-Gil, F., & Caballo, C. (2007). Problematic internet and cell-phone use: Psychological, behavioral, and health correlates. Addiction Research & Theory, 15(3), 309-320.
Johnson, G. M., & Kulpa, A. (2007). Dimensions of online behavior: Toward a user typology. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 10(6), 773-780. https://doi.org/10.1089/cpb.2007.0043
Keipi, T., Oksanen, A., & Räsänen, P. (2014). Who prefers anonymous self-expression online? A survey-based study of Finns aged 15–30 years. Information, Communication & Society 18(6), 717-732. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2014.991342
Lelkes, Y. (2016). Mass polarization: Manifestations and measurements. Public Opinion Quarterly, 80(S1), 392-410. https://doi.org/10.1093/poq/nfw005
Linares, K., Subrahmanyam, K., Cheng, R., & Guan, A.S. (2011). A Second Life within Second Life: Are virtual world users creating new selves and new lives? International Journal of CyberBehavior, Psychology and Learning 1(3), 50-71. https://doi.org/10.4018/ijcbpl.2011070104
Manzoni, G. M., Cesa, G. L., Bacchetta, M., Castelnuovo, G., Conti, S., Gaggioli, A.… Riva, G., (2016). Virtual reality-enhanced cognitive-behavioral therapy for morbid obesity: A randomized controlled study with 1 year follow-up. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networks, 19(2),134-40. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2015.0208
Marshall, T. C., Lefringhausen, K., & Ferenczi, N. (2015). The Big Five, self-esteem, and narcissism as predictors of the topics people write about in Facebook status updates. Personality and Individual Differences, 85, 35-40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2015.04.039
Montañés, M. (2009). La comunicación desde la perspectiva sociopráxica. Mediaciones Sociales, (4), 51-74. Recuperado de https://revistas.ucm.es/index.php/MESO/article/view/MESO0909120051A
Morahan-Martin, J. (2005). Internet Abuse: Addiction? Disorder? Symptom? Alternative Explanations? Social Science Computer Review, 23(1), 39-48. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894439304271533
Murray, C. D., Fox, J., & Pettifer, S. (2007). Absorption, dissociation, locus of control and presence in virtual reality. Computers in Human Behavior, 23(3), 1347-1354. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2004.12.010
Pawlak, C. (2002). Correlates of Internet use and addiction in adolescents. Dissertation Abstracts International Section A: Humanities & Social Sciences, 63(5-A), 17-27.
Pazukhina, S. V., & Filippova, S. A. (2014). Problem of comprehensive study of psychological risks to children on the Internet. European Journal of Natural History, (2), 42-44. Recuperado de https://world-science.ru/en/article/view?id=33277
Reich, S.M., Subrahmanyam, K., & Guadalupe, E. (2012). Friending, IMing, and Hanging Out Face-to-Face: Overlap in Adolescents’ Online and Offline Social Networks. Developmental Psychology, 48(2), 356-368. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0026980.
Rice, R. E., Sheperd, A., Dutton, W. H., & Katz, J. E. (2007). Social interaction and the Internet: A comparative analysis of surveys in the US and Britain. In A. N. Joinson, K.Y.A. McKenna, T. Postmes & U-D. Reips (Eds.), Oxford handbook of Internet psychology (pp. 7-30). Osford: Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199561803.013.0002
Romera, E. M., Cano, J. J., García-Fernández, C. M., & Ortega-Ruiz, R. (2016). Cyberbullying: competencia social, motivación y relaciones entre iguales. Comunicar, 24(48), 71-79. https://doi.org/10.3916/C48-2016-07
Schimitt, K, Dayanim, S, & Matthias, S. (2008). Personal homepage construction as an expression of social development. Developmental Psychology, 44(2), 496-506. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.44.2.496
Serrano-Puche, J. (2016). Internet and emotions: New trends in an emerging field of research. Comunicar, 24(46), 19-26. https://doi.org/10.3916/C46-2016-02
Sherman, W. R., & Craig, A. B. (2002). Understanding virtual reality: Interface, application, and design. San Francisco, CA: Morgan Kaufmann Publishers. Recuperado de https://www.elsevier.com/books/understanding-
virtual-reality/sherman/978-0-12-800965-9
Shore, J., Baek, J., & Dellarocas, C. (2016). Network structure and patterns of information diversity on Twitter. Boston University Questrom School of Business Research Paper No. 2813342, 1-67. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2813342
Subrahmanyam, K., Greenfield, P., Kraut, R., & Gross, E. (2001). The impact of computer use on children's and adolescent's development. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 22(1), 7-30. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0193-3973(00)00063-0
Suhay, E., Bello-Pardo, E., & Maurer, B. (2018). The polarizing effects of online partisan criticism: Evidence from two experiments. The International Journal of Press/Politics, 23(1), 95-115. https://doi.org/10.1177/1940161217740697
Suriá, R. (2015). Redes sociales online y perfiles resilientes en estudiantes universitarios con discapacidad. Anuario de Psicología, 45(3), 317-330. Recuperado de https://www.raco.cat/index.php/AnuarioPsicologia/article/view/303462
Tajfel, H. & Turner, J. C. (1986). The social identity theory of intergroup behavior. Psychology of intergroup relations, 5, 7-24.
Tewksbury, D., & Riles, J. M. (2015). Polarization as a function of citizen predispositions and exposure to news on the Internet. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 59(3), 381-398. https://doi.org/10.1080/08838151.2015.1054996
Tran, P., & Subrahmanyam, K. (2015). Evidence-based guidelines for the informal use computers by children to promote the development of academic, cognitive and social skills. Ergonomics, 56(9), 1349-1362. https://doi.org/10.1080/00140139.2013.820843
Tuzel, S., & Hobbs, R. (2017). The Use of Social Media and Popular Culture to Advance Cross-Cultural Understanding. Comunicar, 25(51), 63-72. https://doi.org/10.3916/C51-2017-06
Vidales-Bolaños, M. J., & Sádaba-Chalezquer, C. (2017). Adolescentes conectados: La medición del impacto del móvil en las relaciones sociales desde el capital social. Comunicar, 25(53), 19-28. https://doi.org/10.3916/C53-2017-02
Vivas, G. P. M., & Torres, F. C. (2011). Internet y pánico moral: revisión de la investigación sobre la interacción de niños y jóvenes con los nuevos medios. Universitas Psychologica, 10(3), 855. https://doi.org/10.11144/Javeriana.upsy10-3.ipmr
Willoughby, T. (2008). A short-term longitudinal study of Internet and computer game use by adolescent boys and girls: Prevalence, frequency of use, and psychosocial predictors. Developmental Psychology, 44(1), 195-204. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.44.1.195
Witmer, B. G., & Singer, M. J. (1998). Measuring Presence in Virtual Environments: A Presence Questionnaire. Presence, 7(3), 225-240. https://doi.org/10.1162/105474698565686
Woolley, A. W., Aggarwal, I., & Malone, T. W. (2015). Collective intelligence and group performance. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 24(6), 420-424. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721415599543
Ye, Y., & Lin, L. (2015). Examining relations between locus of control, loneliness, subjective well-being, and preference for online social interaction. Psychological Reports, 116(1),164-175. https://doi.org/10.2466/07.09.PR0.116k14w3
Young, K. S. (1998). Internet addiction: The emergence of a new clinical disorder. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 1(3), 237-244. https://doi.org/10.1089/cpb.1998.1.237
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