Ouvrage : The Palgrave Encyclopedia of the Possible
Avatars are virtual characters that now belong to the popular culture around video games, social networks, and digital applications in general. However, using an avatar may not be as insignificant as it seems, because avatars, by providing us with a fresh new appearance, may impact the very perception of our own identity. The aim of this entry is to offer an overview of the sociocognitive processes influenced by the use of avatars and illustrate them with empirical findings from the literature, including examples related to the Proteus effect. Finally, we will open avenues as to what could become possible through avatars, in particular in the field of avatar-mediated creativity.