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Construction of Physical and Social Presence in Virtual Environments

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Construction of Physical and Social Presence in Virtual Environments Rochester Institute of Technology RIT Scholar Works Theses 2-15-2013 Examination of interactive experience: Construction of physical and social presence in virtual environments Malwina Buldys Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.rit.edu/theses Recommended Citation Buldys, Malwina, "Examination of interactive experience: Construction of physical and social presence in virtual environments" (2013). Thesis. Rochester Institute of Technology. Accessed from This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by RIT Scholar Works. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses by an authorized administrator of RIT Scholar Works. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Running head: EXAMINATION OF INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE 1 The Rochester Institute of Technology Department of Communication College of Liberal Arts Examination of Interactive Experience: Construction of Physical and Social Presence in Virtual Environments by Malwina A. Buldys A Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the Master of Science degree in Communication & Media Technologies Degree Awarded: February 15, 2013 Copyright © 2013 Malwina A. Buldys All Rights Reserved EXAMINATION OF INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE 2 The members of the Committee approve the thesis of Malwina A. Buldys presented on February 15, 2013. _________________________________________ Ki-Young Lee, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Communication Thesis Adviser _________________________________________ Brian O'Keefe, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Information Sciences and Technologies Thesis Adviser _________________________________________ Rudy Pugliese, Ph.D. Professor of Communication Director, Communication & Media Technologies Graduate Degree Program Department of Communication _________________________________________ Patrick Scanlon, Ph.D. Professor of Communication and Chairman Department of Communication EXAMINATION OF INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE 3 Dedication I would like to dedicate this master’s thesis to my soulmate, Maciej, and my mother, Anna—with tremendous love and appreciation. There is no doubt in my mind that without their continued support and counsel, I could not have completed this process or discovered the following genuine maxim: “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” —Harriet Tubman (1820–1913) EXAMINATION OF INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE 4 Acknowledgments The pages of this thesis hold far more than the culmination of months of systematic study. Each page serves as a collective mirror reflecting the contributions of many inspiring, creative, and motivational individuals who devoted their valuable time to assisting me in the preparation and completion of my thesis. I deeply cherish and admire each individual who helped me become who I am today: a graduate, a colleague, and a better person. First and foremost, my utmost gratitude belongs to Dr. Ki-Young Lee for his unfailing support as my thesis adviser and his kind advice to never lose “momentum” in completing my studies. To Dr. Brian O’Keefe, an altruistic mentor and thesis co-adviser who taught me that to be creative, I should always challenge my own assumptions, look at things from a clear point of view, break free of conventional thinking, and take off the blinders formed by my past experiences. To Dr. Rudy Pugliese, whose unstinting support inspired me to exercise the responsibility and courage necessary to use academic resources and accentuate my own reason and intellect—I will never forget. I would like to express my gratitude to the senior staff assistant, Ms. Helen Adamson, who was abundantly helpful and offered support and guidance in editing, formatting, and preparing my final thesis draft. Finally, I would also like to express my thanks to the Department of Communication; the senior associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts, M. Ann Howard, J. D.; and the lab manager of the Liberal Arts Mac Lab, Mr. Jason Intini, for providing the facilities and technical support I needed to carry out my experiments. EXAMINATION OF INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE 5 Table of Contents Abstract ...........................................................................................................................................8 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................9 Justification and Rationale for the Current Study ...................................................................13 Literature Review ........................................................................................................................14 Living with Technology ..........................................................................................................14 The User Experience ..............................................................................................................15 Media Convergence ................................................................................................................16 Cyberspace ..........................................................................................................................17 Computer Mediated Communication ..................................................................................19 Technology of Virtual Reality .................................................................................................24 The Age of Techne: Experience of Virtual Environment ......................................................27 Multiuser Virtual Environments (MUVEs)...........................................................................30 Catalysts for the Development of MUVE Technology .........................................................30 Military ...............................................................................................................................30 Computer Games ................................................................................................................31 Evolution of VR Technology ...............................................................................................35 Classification of MUVEs ......................................................................................................38 The Components of User’s Experience in MUVEs ..............................................................41 Place ...................................................................................................................................42 Task......................................................................................................................................43 Interpersonal Interaction and Communication ..................................................................46 Changes Over Time.............................................................................................................49 MUVE: Second Life .............................................................................................................49 Overview .............................................................................................................................49 Communication and Technology .........................................................................................51 Interactivity ............................................................................................................................53 General Overview .................................................................................................................53 Taxonomy of Terminology...................................................................................................55 Theoretical Frameworks on Interactivity .............................................................................57 Interactivity as Invariable Medium Characteristic............................................................61 Interactivity as a Process Related Variable.......................................................................66 Interactivity as a Perception Related Variable ..................................................................67 Summary ..............................................................................................................................71 Human Communication and Interactivity ..........................................................................75 Linear Models of Communication.......................................................................................75 Interactive Models of Communication ................................................................................78 Transactional Model of Communication .............................................................................80 Presence ..................................................................................................................................82 Definition .............................................................................................................................82 Inner Presence ...................................................................................................................84 EXAMINATION OF INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE 6 Media Presence .................................................................................................................85 Immersion and Presence ......................................................................................................86
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