Incommensurate Wor(l)ds: Epistemic Rhetoric and Faceted Classification of Communication Mechanics in Virtual Worlds by Sarah Smith-Robbins A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate School in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation Advisor: Dr. Rai Peterson Ball State University Muncie, IN March 28, 2011 Table of Contents Table of Contents ..................................................................................................................................... ii List of Tables ........................................................................................................................................... vi List of Figures ......................................................................................................................................... vii Abstract .................................................................................................................................................. ix Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................. xi Chapter 1: Incommensurate Terms, Incommensurate Practices ............................................................... 1 Purpose of the Study ................................................................................................................................... 3 Significance of the Study ............................................................................................................................. 5 Study Variables and Predicted Relationships .............................................................................................. 6 Conceptual Framework ............................................................................................................................... 7 Constructivist Pedagogy ......................................................................................................................... 7 Constructionist Learning Theory ............................................................................................................ 8 Epistemic Rhetoric and Virtual Worlds ................................................................................................. 12 Research Method ...................................................................................................................................... 14 Limitations and Bias .................................................................................................................................. 15 Chapter 2: Background and Current State of Virtual World Technology ................................................. 16 Current State of Virtual Worlds ................................................................................................................. 16 Virtual Worlds as a Revolution ............................................................................................................. 18 Virtual Worlds as a Reality .................................................................................................................... 19 The Eight Realities ................................................................................................................................ 19 Media Reality Lacks Interactivity .......................................................................................................... 21 The Role and Impact of Interactivity on Media Reality ........................................................................ 22 Why Virtual Worlds are Different from Other Interactive Media ........................................................ 24 The Truths of Virtual Worlds ..................................................................................................................... 26 Truth 1: Virtual Worlds Allow Users to Leave and Return to the Reality ............................................. 26 Truth 2: Virtual World Users Contribute to the Reality by Constructing Their Avatars’ Stories ........... 26 Truth 3: Virtual World Users Form Shifting Parasocial Relationships with Their Avatars .................... 27 Truth 4: Virtual Worlds Create Finite Spaces of Normative Technological Determinism ..................... 27 Kuhn’s Cycle of Scientific Revolution ......................................................................................................... 28 The Development of Terminology ............................................................................................................. 30 Challenges in Researching Virtual Worlds ................................................................................................ 32 ii Growth of Virtual Worlds .......................................................................................................................... 34 Operational Definition of Virtual Worlds .................................................................................................. 38 Communication within Virtual Worlds ...................................................................................................... 41 Communicative Action Theory .................................................................................................................. 42 Activity Theory .......................................................................................................................................... 43 Other Methodological Toolkits.................................................................................................................. 44 Chapter 3: Classification of Virtual Worlds ............................................................................................. 46 Faceted Classification ................................................................................................................................ 46 Facet Identification ................................................................................................................................... 48 Facet 1: Dominant Form of Content ..................................................................................................... 51 Facet 2: Dominant Form of User-to-User Communication ................................................................... 52 Facet 3: Level of Stigmergy ................................................................................................................... 53 Facet 4: Level of Object Ownership ...................................................................................................... 54 Facet 5: Level of User Identity Formation ............................................................................................ 55 Facet 6: Level of Environmental Access ................................................................................................ 57 Facet 7: Nature of User Relationship With Other Users ....................................................................... 58 Facet 8: Nature of User Relationship With the Environment ............................................................... 59 Facet 9: Level of Access to Groups ....................................................................................................... 60 Facet 10: Number of Groups That Can Be Joined Simultaneously ....................................................... 60 Development of a Notational System ....................................................................................................... 61 Bivariate Comparison of Virtual Worlds.................................................................................................... 63 Level of Stigmergy vs. Level of Object Ownership ................................................................................ 64 Level of Stigmergy vs. Level of Identity Formation ............................................................................... 67 Level of Object Ownership vs. Nature of User-to-User Relationship ................................................... 71 Nature of User-to-User Relationship vs. Nature of User-to-Environment Relationship ...................... 74 Nature of User-to-User Relationship vs. Number of Groups That Can Be Joined Simultaneously ....... 77 User-to-Environment Relationship vs. Group Number ........................................................................ 82 User-to-User Relationship vs. Identity Formation ................................................................................ 84 User-to-User Relationship vs. Stigmergy .............................................................................................. 89 Chapter 4 Using Activity Theory and Genre Ecology Models to Connect Facets with Motivations in Virtual World Education ......................................................................................................................... 92 Activity Theory: An Introduction ............................................................................................................... 93 Research Methods and Activity Theory ..................................................................................................... 99 Expectations in a Virtual World .............................................................................................................. 100 Subjects, Tools, and Objects in Virtual Worlds ........................................................................................ 101 Subject ...............................................................................................................................................