Immersion... "projection"?

Here's something I'd like to get opinions on... how does "projection" work, do we think? Why do some of us "project" ourselves more, or less, into the immersion? A simple example: lately I've taken to sitting in the Open Latte with my Zooby's sleeping kitten carefully rezzed and positioned in my lap. A wonderful feeling. Feels quite real.

Obviously people are going to vary on this one - predictable responses I confidently expect will include the following:

"Zooby's sells cats!?"
"Eveline, really, get a real cat already." (I can't - allergic household.)
"How do I join the cat sitters club?"
"What an utter deluded fool this woman is, to identify with her cartoon on a computer screen with her pixelated cat, and probably her pixelated brain..."

Yet - there it is. Some of my friends already ask me for turns holding the kitten...

Observations? What do the psychologists among of us have to say? (That's most of us )

I think it's relevant. Some kind of insight into why people feel the things they feel in SL... we need to develop a practical understanding of these things.

and some people have pixel animated sex, seriously cat sitting is not a problem

Hi Eveline

I don't have any answers to your question, or even suggestions, but I do notice sometimes that, when my av is standing for a while, the RL me almost feels tired of standing and wants to sit down - take the weight of my feet - even tho I'm sitting at the computer.

Maybe we're just a bunch of weirdos

It's called 'using your imagination to have an experience'.
We sapiens have been doing it for a while already.
Over time, we just improved our toolset.

Do the same thing, without the cafe, the cat, and SL, and it's called daydreaming. It's completely normal. Why would using tools to improve our daydreaming experience suddenly make it weird?

Two more predictions for you Eveline,
"Aww cute! I want one!!" and,
"Mmm nice. Now where is that dance club?"

I honestly don't think there is such a high proportion of judgement in-world as there is here in the forum. I've seen a lot of people asking for opinions in threads here rather than the technical 'how do I ..' that RA is really for. (That's not a personal attack!) People reply with their opinions and then due to some of them conflicting, launch into argument as to who is right. Crazy!! We can all be right. We all have our own opinion. In world, we largely gravitate towards those of like thoughts and away from the different ones.

Sorry if that paragraph seems to derail your question but I am very definitely of the "Aww nice, what else do Zooby's do?" group. There are those who furnish and inhabit their avatar with their entire being. There are those who use it simply as a vehicle, and there is a huge melee in between.

And I agree with all of the above

Well... Zooby's IS coming out soon with a Great Dane...

I guess it depends whether one sees one's avatar as a representation of one's real-life self in-world or not. This is not necessarily the same thing as having an avatar that resembles one's RL. One could see the avatar as being an extension of one's RL even if it is of a different gender or if it's just a black hovering ball. I suppose it would also be possible to have an avatar that resembles one's RL and yet still not see it as one's self but as a virtual identical twin, visually, but with very different character and behaviour.

The permutations are endless and if I had time I'd try and write a deep thesis on the subject!

As for cats - I love them and my RL has several but I'm happy being cat-free in SL!

Some people are just better at immersion than others. I have an extremely active imagination....I'm a writer. But....it's all contained....I don't really project. For me SL is more visual.... I don't 'relate' to my avatars activities so much...as to the visual eye candy. That's why I got into SL photography. But.....if I'm at a club dancing...unless I'm in a one on one chat with someone...I'm bored in 5 minutes cause I'm sick of looking at the same thing. I'm not immersed. I'm pretty detached... the only time I'm immersed is in good conversation...or if I'm exploring a new sim....or taking photos. *shrug* I'm an aquarius....we de detachment well. lol

Reality is nothing but
a construct of your mind
so drop illusion by the way
another myth to find.

Come walk with me through vision's gate
come sail the sea of dreams
leave all your cares behind you now
and follow whimsey's streams.

Mykyl Nordwind

This is what makes you a real onliner - if you feel it, you are actually a PART OF this world, and not just LOOKING AT it. That is what immersion is all about - to make you experience a virtual environment as if you would be really there. In fact you ARE there, your real "me" is in this world, while the hardware, this "me" is running on (your body), still stays in the real world.

*Derailment in progress, but truly am interested*

I've been comparing Zooby dogs to VKC ones recently. I like Zooby's menu-driven command system and that the dogs can fly with the owner. Can Zooby dogs be "trained" via the artificial intelligence the VCK dogs have?

/end derail

*Derailment in progress, but truly am interested*

I've been comparing Zooby dogs to VKC ones recently. I like Zooby's menu-driven command system and that the dogs can fly with the owner. Can Zooby dogs be "trained" via the artificial intelligence the VKC dogs have?

/end derail

I do this too

In fact, on my building platform, I have a big cushy overstuffed chair that I sit in when fiddling with something. I've been known to move the chair closer to the build. So my avie doesn't get tired

Same here - I actually start feeling a bit tired after an hour or so of "virtual dancing."

Not me. I get too immersed.

Mmhmm, do that too. Or if company is over and we've stood a while, I want my av to sit down so we can all relax. Have even said "let's get comfy" and everyone sits and types in "sighs" LOL. I have another friend who puts her av in dance mode while she builds. And it makes me tired just watching her.

Someone described it as hypnosis once.

I think thats pretty accurate. It works like hypnosis.

My reaction?

Yer welcome in my corners of the grid anytime.

Mari

yup!

Zooby's sell cats?

OK ... when the grid comes back up I am SO going to track this Zooby down and buy a cat!

And rabbits, and snakes, and monkeys - even sock monkeys!

When I go for a walk in a new sim, if build is enabled, I often rez my Black Lab. I don't feel so 'alone'.

Still interested in the main differences between Zooby & VKC dogs

When the wind howls I feel marginally chillier. I imagine my BP lowering when I pet a virtual animal, and maybe it really is lowering. I feel more outgoing if my avatar is more dressed up.

I'd be very surprised if psychologists haven't latched on to this platform as tool for counseling and for study.

(I'm not really sure about the exact differences between the two, or how VKC dogs are trained. I know you can 'train' Zooby dogs to patrol your grounds, follow you, sit, lie, bark, play dead, and yes, fly. I also have an Irish Setter puppy and a rat from there )

Thanks Isabeau