Is ‘Second Life’ Taking Over ‘Real Life’? Sociability and Social Interaction within the ‘Second Life’ Environment: an Electronic Ethnographic Study

Abstract

Is it too early to make deductions about the impacts of Second Life (SL) (a virtual online environment) in Real Life (RL)? Should there be any concern of SL taking over RL or maybe not? In order to address these questions this study aims to examine ‘sociability’ within the SL virtual environment in order to determine the circumstances and the length that social interaction is encouraged within this virtual world; where ‘sociability’ should lie within the SL; and how the virtual residents facilitate the social interaction. Virtual Ethnography was employed over a period of 1.5 years in order to investigate social interaction of SL users. The findings of the research indicate people’s opinion differs since some perceive SL as an instrument that promotes sociability and others as a deterrent to social life. ‘In SL I have made such great friends, fell in love but have also been very badly hurt […]. People you love suddenly disappear’ said one of the respondents. Meaning that perceptions and experiences within the SL environment might resemble that of RL