http://www.fullcirc.com/weblog/2005/03/jb-walther-some-interesting.htm
Some interesting reading I thought you might appreciate here.
As an endnote - Spendius - when you set out to create a character (in attempts to help you with your writing) always remember that old saying, "God is in the details" (Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe). Bom-bom, Shazzer, NoNe, Lubna, and now Allthisbeauty - no details - no substance - no credence.
Aidan is a character. My name is Andy - get it yet - Aidan - Andy? I'm a doctoral student in psychology doing my thesis on the effect of the internet on human communication and interaction. After reading the data and information on the blog I linked at the top of the page, I decided to create a composite character to gather anecdotal evidence about such said internet communication between men and women to help support my thesis. I used Aidan because it is a fairly androgynous name - and I began with a gender-neutral avatar. In the beginning, I stayed on the issue and relationship based threads, and was getting little to no response. Not what I needed to aid my research.
One afternoon, about six or seven weeks into my project, I was at my sister-in-law's telling her about my disappointing results and she asked me to show her the forum. "Ooh, Haiku, she said, "I want to play." She went on and proceeded to trade haikus with a young man named Spendius. You know the rest.
It was then I realized, I would garner more attention as a woman than a man, so I simply recreated my sister-in -law in internet form. I described her as she looks, I said the things I've heard her say- I used pictures of my niece and nephew and even of her dog. I gave "Aidan" my sister-in-law's life in effect (except that the real Aidan is happily married to my brother and doesn't live in England- I spent my junior year of college abroad at University in Bristol- I filled in those details). I gave her a separation and a living situation in a country far from friends and family to engender a sense of vulnerability- hoping this would bring about more male attention and oh boy, did it ever. Interestingly enough, it also brought about a lot of very strongly negative female reaction. This had not been part of my original thesis, but will add interest to the finished dissertation. The real "Aidan" provided the creative writing pieces, told me which songs to place where and when, and on occasion came on and traded haiku and acronyms with players (she really is a whiz with words). She provided me details about teaching, she talked with Ollady about cooking - the insults and cat-fight with Devvie were all me.
I realized that people were catching on to the time difference issue -- why was Aidan so often on the internet in what was supposed to be the middle of the night for her - and knew the gig was about to be up. Besides, by this time, I had been able to gather more than enough extremely interesting anecdotal evidence to support my thesis on gender-based differences in modes of electronic communication via the internet.
(When I get it written up - maybe I'll post it on the forum - keep an eye out).
Anyway, Spendius, guy - you've been talking to a guy. Just thought I'd let you know. Wanted to reassure you all that I'll change the screen-names in my thesis and will not mention the name of the specific forum.
Thanks for your participation and input. Yitwail, my brother, hold the fort. You're one of the few sane ones on here (in trivia and games that is - loads of good people on the rest of the forum-some of whom I'll actually miss). Peace-Andy/ "Aidan"
