What factors affect psychological ownership when creating an avatar?: Focusing on customization and the ideal self

Abstract

Among the numerous ways to communicate anonymously in a virtual environment, many people prefer using an avatar as a tool to represent themselves. Use of an avatar allows people to reveal their psychological ownership (PO) as well as to create a visual presentation of themselves. Thus, avatars are a means to differentiate the self from others and to attract attention. This study determines if a person with an avatar that they designed to resemble themselves experiences PO. This study verified the direct effect through 2 (personalization vs. customization) x 2 (ideal self vs. actual self) analysis of variance. There was a direct effect on the PO of the avatar only when it was customized. In addition, among the four IVs, the PO of the avatar was highest in cases of customization x actual self (Group 3). Moreover, the serial multiple mediator model was verified through Hayes process macro model 6. A positive mediating effect was shown in the serial mediator model where IV affects the PO of the avatar via attachment, but there is no mediating effect via avatar identification. The results of this study suggest the use of PO to motivate users to continue to consume content.