The document summarizes a presentation on how information spreads through online communities like Second Life. It discusses how relationships form based on trust online and the challenges of anonymity. It also covers methods for measuring how information diffuses through social networks and considerations for qualitative and quantitative research on virtual worlds, including issues like pseudonymity, interdisciplinarity, and ethical guidelines.

1. Innovation pathways in Cyberspace: How information spreads through the communities of Second Life Aleks Krotoski University of Surrey ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008

2. ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace How this seminar will work: Session 1: The nature of online community Session 2: Measuring diffusion Session 3: Researching the virtual world

3. ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace How does information spread? Aye Kilda Mynci Gorky Social Psychology (Persuasion) Social Network Analysis (Diffusion)

5. ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace: The nature of online community And relationships are all about one thing: Trust

6. ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace: The nature of online community How does trust develop online?

10. ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace End of Part 1

11. ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace: Measuring diffusion Part 2: Measuring diffusion

12. ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace How does information spread? Aye Kilda Mynci Gorky Social Psychology (Persuasion) Social Network Analysis (Diffusion)

15. Aye Kilda Mynci Gorky ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace: Measuring diffusion

19. As sexually active Less likely to have experienced a breach of personal privacy As likely to have been scammed Network N = 6767 N = 750 Average between reachable friends = 5.81 Average number of friends = 7

20. ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace End of Part 2

21. ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace: Researching the virtual world Part 3: Researching the virtual world

24. Representativeness Men 80% in Fantasy titles 20-28 years old Students or techy-types Women 20% of Fantasy-based games 60% of The Sims Online 30-45 years old In a Relationship 70% play with partner ExPERT Centre, University of Portsmouth 9 May 2008 Innovation Pathways through Cyberspace: Researching the virtual world

28. It’s a big big big world out there

32. Aleks Krotoski [email_address] http://socialsim.wordpress.com