Performing the Digital Self

Abstract

Expressions of territoriality have been positioned as one of the main reasons users alter their behaviors and perceptions of spatiality and sociality while engaging with location-based social networks (LBSN). Despite the potential for this interplay to further our understanding of LBSN usage in the context of identity, very little work has actually been done toward this. Addressing this gap in the literature is one of the chief aims of the article. Drawing on an original 6-week study with 42 participants utilizing a bespoke LBSN entitled "GeoMoments," our research explores the following: (1) the way that territoriality is linked to self-identity; and (2) how this interplay affects the interactions between users as well as the environments they inhabit. Our findings suggest that participants affirmed their self-identity by selectively posting and claiming ownership of their neighborhood through the LBSN. Here, the locative decisions are made related to risk, hierarchies, and the users' relationship to the area. This practice then led participants to discover and interact with the digital information overlaying their physical environments in a playful manner. These interactions demonstrate the perceived power structures that are facilitated by identity claims over a virtual area. In the main, our results reaffirm that territoriality is a central concept in understanding LBSN use, while also drawing attention to the temporality involved in user-to-user and user-to-place interactions pertaining to physical place mediated by LBSN. CCS Concepts: • Human-centered computing → User studies; Field studies;

Developing a novel psychographic-behavioral qualitative mapping method for exergames

“…Although constraints are those aspects that hinder preferences and behavior, we have also identified important enablers, those aspects that sustain player preferences and behavior. Thus, the practical application of our study is that game designers could borrow from the strength of our qualitative study and utilize our qualitative mapping method in a diagnostic manner to design involvement type strategies within exergames to help support different player identifications [5,6,20].…”

“…This could be further reinforced by Niantic having an online quality presence that continually visibly associates the franchise to the brand, as well as promoting the Niantic brand and its mission at forthcoming sponsored HPWU or PGO events. AR in both HPWU and PGO provides an altered reality making it a memorable experience [17,58], but this can be experienced differently by how a player may wish or desire to be viewed or portrayed to others [5,20,59]. For example, patterns between involvement factors, show sign-value and attraction to be interesting findings to discuss together in more detail.…”

“…While models of player typologies are ubiquitous in the study of games, these models are often based on the context of players engaging with traditional video games. As such, further research should be done to specifically examine what design factors and gameplay elements could enhance involvement and appeal to the different subgroups within the AR player base [5,6,20]. For example, the Player Experience of Needs Satisfaction (PENS) model, that investigates autonomy, competence, intuitive controls, and player's sense of presence during the game play predicts game enjoyment and persistence in video games [60].…”

“…PGO and HPWU currently dominate the location-based AR exergame market [19] by successfully creating a magical and extraordinary player experience that encourages healthy outdoor exploration and social gameplay [5,6,20]. In PGO, players take on the role of adventurers on a quest to travel across the land, searching far and wide for fictional creatures called Pokémon, who will appear on the game map once a player is within a given distance of them.…”

The Impacts of Covid-19 on Players of Pokémon GO

“…For example, LBGs are explictly social experiences that rely on interacting with physical locations [13,26]. Prior to the pandemic LBGs encouraged inperson social gameplay [43,81,90], required players to play in physical environments [73,80,92], and had high mobility requirements [27]. COVID-19 directly impacted these behaviors, forcing players to remain indoors.…”