How do you script “Presence” in Second Life?

By Sabine Reljic/Willow Shenlin (SL)San Diego State University-University of

San Diego, CA

December 16, 2008. 14:00 SLT. Virtual Worlds Researchers Discussion Group Monash University 50/132/72

Definitions

• Mediated Social Presence:• property of people, not technology • moment-to-moment phenomenal state • facilitated by a technological representation of another

being• varies over the course of a mediated interaction• from a low level awareness that another being is co-

present to more intense sense of the accessibility of psychological modeling of the other’s intentional states

• (Biocca & Harms, 2004, p.11)

Definitions

• Co-presence:• deals with the detection and awareness of the co-

presence of other’s mediated body. (Biocca & Harms, 2004, p.13)

• Sensory awareness of the embodied other (physicality)• + mutual awareness (attention to the sensory

properties of the other)• + attentional awareness (observer’s awareness and

responsiveness to other’s activity, social and reciprocal)

Definitions

• Immediacy– Measure of the number, combination, and

intensity of immediacy behaviors in relevant and appropriate learning event contexts according to modern American presentation conventions.

– Frequency + Intensity + Appropriate use of behaviors

Communication Dynamics

5

Immediacy Behaviors• Paralanguage-voice quality-emotion & speaking style-prosodic features

• NonVerbal -proxemic behavior, body

language/posture-facial expression & eye contact-gestures

• Text-tone, style-spatial arrangement of

words-use of emoticons-use of symbols and

infographics

• Avatar-clothing, hairstyles-physique

Verbal Behaviors (Gorham, 1988)

• Uses personal examples or talks about experiences s/he has had outside of class.• Asks questions or encourages students to talk.• Gets into discussions based on something a student brings up even when this does not

seem to be part of his/her lecture plan.• Uses humor in class.• Addresses students by name and is addressed by his/her name by the students• Gets into conversations with individual students before, after or outside of class.• Refers to class as ‘out’ class or what ‘we’ are doing. • Provides feedback on individual student work through comments on papers, oral

discussions, etc.• Asks questions that solicit viewpoints or opinions. Only calls on students to answer

questions if they have indicated that they want to talk.• Invites students to telephone or meet with him/her outside of class if they have questions

or want to discuss something.• Praises students’ work, actions, or comments.• Will have discussions about things unrelated to class with individual students or with the

class as a whole.

RL-SL

• PROXEMIC-body orientation -arrow keys-arm position -hand-on hip, crossed

hanging, pointing…-direction of lean -standing, waiting -body openness -control of afk,

arm & body pos.,Note: most proxemics can be automated with animation overriders.

RL-SL

• Facial Expressions-eye contact -orientation of avatar-emotions -gesture folders, emo-

HUDs, shortcut keys,-head movement -automated, speech

gestures, a/o, gesture folder

-lip movement -lip synch, animation/gesture folders

RL-SL• Gestures

-emblems -gesture folders, shortcut keys (e.g., wave)

-illustrators -animation folder (e.g., counting)

-affect display -gesture folder, emo-HUDs-regulators -n/a (typing? Teleporting?

Arrow keys)-adaptor -automated (a/o) or n/a

Let’s talk

• Questions? Does it really matter? Do I need a checklist each time? Is exact representation important? Do the student/trainees care?...

• Discussion? Teaching/training as a scripted performance, Effects of immediacy on social

presence in 3D, simulation or representation, …

• Demo? Want to know how to use a a/o, create a short gesture scenario, create a shortcut key…