Self-Presence Standardized: Introducing the Self-Presence Questionnaire (SPQ)

The concept of self-presence describes how the self is extended into mediated environments through virtual self representations. Until now, there has been no standard measurement of self-presence because the previous definitions of this concept have not utilized a holistic definition of the self. Addressing this need, the present paper proposes a standardized Self-Presence Questionnaire (SPQ) based on a three-level definition of the self. Data from a pilot study (N=31) provide a preliminary test of the SPQ’s validity as well as an exploration of relationships with other relevant variables, such as avatar design time and social presence. Although these results must be treated cautiously because of the low number of participants, the SPQ appears to be a promising standard measurement of selfpresence, but should be examined and developed further in subsequent research. Keywords--Self-Presence, Presence, Avatars, Identity, Computer-Mediated Communication 1. Introducing Self-Presence The notion of self-presence, which initially appeared as a tangent to the concept presence, broadly describes the extent to which the self is present (relevant) in media use. Avatar #1 is anthropomorphic, looks like its user and is controlled by a mouse and keyboard. Avatar #2, simply an arm on a screen, is controlled by a pointer with 6 degrees of freedom. Avatar #3, an alien figure, is controlled by an array of electrodes in the user’s cap. Do the users connect with their avatars differently? How? Why are such differences important to the users’ experience with the media? The concept of self-presence could provide insights into these questions and thus the ways that people use media, but until recently has not received much attention nor been given a standard definition. The term “self-presence” was introduced by Biocca [1] to represent users' mental model of themselves inside the virtual world as it relates to the perception of their body, physiological states, emotional states, perceived traits, and identity. Lee [2] extended the definition to mean a psychological state in which virtual selves are experienced as the actual self (identity and/or body) in sensory and non-sensory ways. Based on these definitions, this concept of self-presence has been examined by various researchers [e.g., 3-5], but the operationalizations have differed dramatically. For example, Ratan, Santa Cruz and Vorderer [3] treated self-presence as the connection between an individual’s and an avatar’s identity, whereas Jin and Park [4] treated self-presence as the connection between an individual’s and an avatar’s physical location and movements. Both studies examined how the self is relevant in media use, but considered different aspects of the self and therefore used the same term to describe separate (though related) concepts. This indicates that a standard measurement of self-presence, based on a multifaceted and holistic definition of the self, would be useful to researchers who utilize this concept. Extending Biocca’s [1] and Lee’s [2] definitions in this regard, Ratan [6] has developed a theoretical framework of self-presence which draws from the fields of neuroscience [710], psychology [11-17], embodied cognition [18-19], and communication [20-29]. Fundamentally, this framework is based on Damasio’s [8] three-levels of self. The first level, the proto-self, is the sense of physical being, which is based on a neural map of body schema. Next, the core self is an emotional state (at the fundamental physiological level), generated through encounters between the proto-self and objects in the environment. And last, the autobiographical (extended) self is the idea of self, or identity, that is dependent on memories of past experiences. These three levels constitute the holistic explication of self necessary for a multifaceted definition of selfpresence. Thus, Ratan [6] defines self-presence broadly as “the extent to which some aspect of a person’s media use is relevant to the user’s proto (body-schema) self, core (emotion-driven) self, and/or extended (identity-relevant) self” (p. 10). It should be noted that self-presence is theorized to occur only during mediated, though not necessarily virtual, experiences. Further, it is a psychological state, though it may be affected by various individual traits. Each level of self-presence is also defined more specifically and independently of the others. Proto self-presence is defined as the extent to which a media tool (interface) and corresponding virtual self-representation are integrated into body schema. Core self-presence is defined as the extent to which mediated interactions between a virtual self-representation and virtual objects cause emotional responses in individuals. Extended self-presence is defined as the extent to which some mediated identity is important to the individual. Providing an in-depth analysis of these definitions is beyond the scope of the current paper, but a summary of this theoretical framework can be found in Table 1. Based on Ratan’s [6] framework, the present paper suggests a standard measurement of self-presence that addresses each level of Damasio’s [8] holistic self. Table 1. Summary of the Self-Presence Framework Proto Self-Presence Core Self-Presence Extended Self-Presence Definition The extent to which a media tool and corresponding virtual selfrepresentation are integrated into body schema The extent to which mediated interactions between a virtual selfrepresentation and virtual objects cause emotional responses. The extent to which some mediated identity is important to the individual. High SelfPresence Implies Media tool feels and is treated like an extension of body. Strong emotional responses when interacting with virtual objects. Mediated identity holds great personal significance. Relevant Aspect of Self Body schema. Emotional responses. Identity. Possible Correlates Time spent using virtual environments; level of technology expertise; game genre (FPS) Mood Extraversion; time spent developing mediated identity; game genre (MMOG) Possible Causes Extent of natural movements and natural (haptic) feedback afforded by media tool. Extent to which virtual selfrepresentations appear and are oriented like real body parts. Number and significance of potential connections with others. Sample Questionnaire Questions “When using the virtual environment, to what extent do you feel like your hand is inside of the virtual environment?” “To what extent do you feel happy when your video game character kills a monster?” “To what extent does your avatar’s appearance represent some aspect of your identity?” 2. Measuring Self-Presence The Self-Presence Questionnaire (SPQ) proposed here addresses each level of self-presence and is based on the expectations set forth by Ratan’s [6] description of the theory. Questions gauge the extent to which media use is relevant to an individual’s proto self, core self, and extended self. A full list of questions can be found in the Appendix, though because this project is in its early stages, these questions are subject to change. Updates on the SPQ can be found at http://self-presence.com. In order to measure proto self-presence, questions should address the integration of a media tool and virtual self-representation as part of the body schema. Subjective ratings of the integration of false body parts into body schema were found to be positively related to neural activity in the premotor cortex [10], where body schema is processed, and so a subjective questionnaire of proto self-presence is likely to be valid. Using research on this topic as a guide [15], questions should be asked that gauge the extent to which a media tool is considered to be an extension of the individual’s body. An example of such a question is, “When using the virtual environment, how much do you feel like your avatar is an extension of your body within the virtual environment?” For core self-presence, questions should address how mediated interactions between virtual selfrepresentations and virtual objects induce emotional responses. Because emotional responses to media occur even when there is no self-representation within the medium [23], these questions should imply that there is an interaction between the virtual self and virtual objects, not just passive media consumption. An example of a core self-presence question is, “To what extent do you feel happy when your video game character kills a monster?” In order to measure extended self-presence, questions should address the extent to which identity expressed in a virtual context is important to the individual. An example of this is, “How important is it for your profile to portray a specific identity for your avatar?” These questions should take into account that people present various aspects of their identity depending on the context [16, 30-31] and that an individual’s identity can be expressed quite differently online and offline [17, 27-29]. Therefore, the questionnaire should explicitly note that when responding to questions about identity, individuals can, but do not have to, consider an identity that is different from their offline identity.