Self-Presence Standardized:

1
Self-Presence Standardized Introducing the
Self-Presence Questionnaire (SPQ)  Rabindra
Ayyan Ratan, University of Southern
California Béatrice Hasler, University of Zurich 
2
Overview

• Why Self-Presence?
• Holistic Self
• Self-Presence, Defined
• Self-Presence Questionnaire (SPQ)
• Reliability and Validity Tests
• The Future (i.e., plea for your use)

3
Self Representation and the Self
4
The Holistic Self
5
Self-Presence, broadly defined
the extent to which the holistic self is relevant
during media use.
6
Specific definitions

• Proto self-presence is defined as the extent to
  which a mediated self-representation is
  integrated into body schema.
• Core self-presence is defined as the extent to
  which mediated interactions between a
  self-representation and mediated objects cause
  emotional responses.  
• Extended self-presence is defined as the extent
  to which some aspect of a self-representation is
  related to some aspect of personal identity.

7
Self-Presence Questionnaire

• Example Proto self-presence Questions
• When using your avatar, to what extent do you
  feel like your arm is elongated into the
  game/virtual environment?
• When playing the game/using the virtual
  environment, how much do you feel your avatar is
  a part of your body?
•  Proto self-presence is defined as the extent to
  which a mediated self-representation is
  integrated into body schema.

8
Self-Presence Questionnaire

• Example Core self-presence Questions
• When happy events happen to your avatar, to what
  extent do you feel happy?
• When scary events happen to your avatar, to what
  extent do you feel scared?
• Core self-presence is defined as the extent to
  which mediated interactions between a
  self-representation and mediated objects cause
  emotional responses.  

9
Self-Presence Questionnaire

• Example Extended self-presence Questions (note -
  changed from pilot study to full study)
• To what extent is your avatars appearance
  related to some aspect of your identity?
• To what extent is your avatars race related to
  some aspect of your personal identity?
• Extended self-presence is defined as the extent
  to which some aspect of a self-representation is
  related to some aspect of personal identity.

10
Reliability Test

• Pilot study (N 31) student groups in a
  virtual world
• Full Study (N 360) email survey to online
  gamers
• Factor Analysis (both studies)
• 3 distinct factors aligned with 3 levels in the
  theory
• Correlation Analysis (both studies)
• Each factor significantly correlated (.4) with
  the other two, as the holistic nature of self
  suggests.

11
Validity Tests

• (pilot study) Extended self-presence correlated
  with
• avatar design time
• Consistent with the theory
• Note measure changed from pilot to full study
• Proto and Core self-presence correlated with
• (pilot) Appreciation of virtual world experience
• Positive finding, not strong validity check
  though
• (pilot and full study) Social presence
• Explained by individual diffs in media richness
  experience
• Validates theory.

12
Validity Tests

• (full study) MMO players compared to FPS players
• Higher extended self-presence
• More social, identity-relevant validates theory
• Higher core self-presence
• Wider range of activities and thus emotions
  validates theory
• Lower proto self-presence
• Slower-paced, less reliance on reaction time
  validates theory

13
Future Validity Tests

• Proto self-presence
• Natural vs symbolic interfaces
• Core self-presence
• Emotional (physio) response vs avatar relevancy
• Extended self-presence
• Character identification
• Avatar design effort ( of words/button clicks)

14
Future Application

• Any study with a mediated self-representation
• Proteus Effect (Yee, et al., 2009)
• Health-related behaviors (Fox, et al., 2009)
• Racial bias (Groom, et al., 2009)
• Gender-related activities in MMOs (Yee, et al.,
  2007)
• Feelings of interactivity (Jin, 2009)
• Multitasking performance (Ratan, et al., 2007)
• And of course, PRESENCE!! (Weibel, Wissmath,
  Habegger, Steiner, Groner, 2008)
• Please consider applying self-presence to your
  work
• Check www.self-presence.com for the most recent
  SPQ

15
Future Self

• Increasing use, blurring the line between
  physical and mediated self

Thank you!