Year-end Sale % OFF 
Abstract
Character customization is a prominent feature in digital games, affording users the ability to tailor one’s virtual self-representation (avatar) to match aspects of their actual or ideal self, influencing psychological well-being. The mental health implications of character customization can be partially explained by self-discrepancy theory, which argues that achieving congruence with one’s avatar reduces cognitive dissonance. However, the role of undesirable self-concepts such as mental health ailments have largely been overlooked in this context despite forming part of one’s identity. In theory, customization of an avatar representing undesirable self-concepts presents a self-regulatory paradox: individuals desire to reduce discrepancies with a self-representation, yet they also desire to enlarge discrepancies with a disliked-self. To reconcile this, two experiments explored the psychological implications of imbuing avatars with undesirable self-concepts. In Study 1 (N = 90), participants customized an avatar to represent anxiety within themselves (i.e., an anxiety avatar). Customization significantly reduced state anxiety compared to a control group, supporting the proposed discrepancy-reduction mechanism. Study 2 (N = 122) employed a 2 (customization: yes, no) × 2 (destruction: yes, no) between-subjects design, with participants either destroying or observing an anxiety avatar. Destruction of customized anxiety avatars resulted in the largest reduction in anxiety among all conditions, supporting the proposed discrepancy-enlargement mechanism. Theoretical and practical implications for the use of avatar-based e-mental health interventions are discussed.
Highlights
In 2016, United Kingdom-based illustrator Toby Allen’s “Real Monsters” series depicted mental health ailments as anthropomorphic, or humanlike, creatures
The present study focuses on the inclusion of anxiety into one’s self-concept (Schmukle and Egloff, 2006) and the affective implications associated with projecting this “anxious self ” onto an avatar
Contrary to the self-congruity hypothesis, which maintains that individuals seek congruence with idealized selfrepresentations (Grubb and Grathwohl, 1967), we propose that the benefits of discrepancy reduction may extend to undesirable self-concepts and their exemplars as well
Summary
In 2016, United Kingdom-based illustrator Toby Allen’s “Real Monsters” series depicted mental health ailments (e.g., anxiety) as anthropomorphic, or humanlike, creatures. The artwork received widespread publicity on various online communities for raising awareness of mental health issues. Despite being lauded by these communities, some commenters expressed desires to visually modify the creatures to better align with their unique conceptualization of each disorder (Reddit, 2017). This reaction can be explained via two important phenomena in mental health scholarship. Individuals actively seek self-congruence by reducing discrepancies between how they see themselves and how their self-concepts are portrayed (Gonnerman et al, 2000)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
