Interesting MediaPost article currently running that attempts to understand the behavior of users in online worlds. When we talked to eMarketer's Debra Aho Williamson, she pointed out with reference to kids' worlds that children are more likely to represent themselves as themselves. However, MediaPost speaks to Lina Zhou, associate professor, Department of Information Systems, University of Maryland Baltimore County, about how deceptive behavior patterns sometimes manifest themselves in online worlds for adults:

Behavioral Insider: There is some level of idealization that goes one with many avatars in Second Life, where people aren't actively deceiving one another so much as idealizing themselves. Is this any different really from putting on a good face and demeanor to the world?

Lina Zhou: Interpersonal deception is traditionally discussed in the context of a physical world, where there exist moral standards that have been developed over a long time to constrain individuals' behavior. For example, everyone is expected to tell the truth. In a virtual world, such a standard may not exist -- or the routine of practice could be different.

For example, in some online games, it is acceptable for a player to win or to gain advantages by deception, which does not violate our moral standards. Second Life is similar to traditional 3D multi-player role-playing games in many ways, but they also differ in two important aspects. First, Second Life allows residents to create their own social world collectively. Second, it encourages residents to trade their creations and skills for real-world money.

It's worth considering why it's important to understand deception in self-representation inside of online worlds. One reason is from a marketer's standpoint; it's helpful for them to be able to see how user behavior is -- or isn't -- indicative of real-life activities and behavior patterns. Another reason is safety, and another is fostering user engagement -- in both of those cases, it's definitely useful to understand where various users draw the line between a fantasy of themselves and the reality.

[Via MediaPost]