Symbols of status in parasocial relationship, evidence from Second-life games

Student: Puzyreva Alexandra

Educational Programme: Sociology of Public Sphere and Social Communications (Master)

Year of Graduation: 2016

The study concerns the creation of the concept of para-social public sphere of the second-life games. The main goal is to analyze the features of the construction the world of second-life, compare it with the functioning of the real society and analyze how the behavior in the real life can be influenced by the communications in the «second life». Today, computer technologies have reached a level of software which can make very realistic game with excellent graphics and sound design. They are becoming the translation and broadcasting of the modern information culture. Second-life games became a multidimensional phenomenon, encompasses a variety of behaviors. On the one hand, the gamer can change the game story "under him" and it will have a direct impact on the game. But on the other hand, the computer game affects the players by imposing certain limits and conditions of the game, thus influencing and shaping user’s models of behavior.

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