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An Internet avatar is an image/picture that allows you to identify a user on the Internet.
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An avatar is akin to a passport photograph. Each person, registering on a forum or social network, can choose an avatar. This image will be the user's face.
It was assumed that only real photographs of people should be used. But today everyone can set the avatar they want. At least with Chuck Norris.
Photos of items
If the avatar depicts a thing, it is important what it is. People often post images of prestige attributes. This could be an expensive car, a stylish phone, jewelry, etc. From such an avatar we can conclude that the person is pragmatic, interested in prestige and material success. But if a social network user constantly displays such avatars, this already indicates an unhealthy bias towards materialism. The world of things turns out to be so important that it displaces the person’s personality.
And if, for example, the avatar depicts the attributes of work (diaries, desks, a computer with a cup of coffee standing next to it), then the person clearly values work highly, is probably hardworking, but feels like nothing more than a “working cog.” His individuality is suppressed by his work.
It is also important to keep in mind that the user may use their account for business purposes. In this case, avatar-things are not evaluated based on character. For example, if a person provides the services of a realtor on a social network, it is understandable why a house is depicted on his page.
What is Avatarka and what is it eaten with?
“Is an avatar a psychological portrait of a user? Answers of psychoanalyst Sergei Vygonsky to questions from journalists"
1. Is it possible to judge a person by his avatar? Avatar is a kind of projective psychological test. Users choose an image that best matches their inner state. You just need to psychologically decipher the result of such a choice - the avatar. Such decoding is equivalent to drawing up a psychological portrait of the user. In my book “The Other Side of the Internet. Psychology of Working with the Computer and the Network" includes a whole dictionary containing psychological interpretations of the main types of avatars.
2. How much can an avatar with a real photo of a person tell about his psychotype in real life? An avatar based on a realistic photo of the user is certainly less informative than a symbolic image. This is because the symbol can be interpreted in a similar way to how dream images are interpreted. Nevertheless, analysis of a photograph can provide some information about a person’s personality. For example, based on the pose and gestures he is shown in the photo.
3. Which avatars, in your opinion, are more conducive to communicating with a person? Naturally, those that reflect internal states that best match the moods of other users. And, of course, such avatars are images that are not aggressive, not arrogant, and do not demonstrate their isolation and chosenness. Communication implies equality, openness and honesty. Only under these conditions will people receive satisfaction from communication.
4. If a person never puts his photo on his avatar, does he have some kind of mental disorder? Not at all. Such a user simply uses, instead of his photograph, a kind of symbolic presentation of his “I” - an avatar. Thousands of users of the World Wide Web do this, and there is no psychopathology in this.
5. Is it possible to say that a young guy or girl has problems of a sexual nature if there is a photo of a half-naked, naked person on the photo?
Rather, there is an interest of a very specific kind. Demonstrating your sexuality through an avatar in this way is a call to those who are interested in a person as an object for sexual relations. This, they say, is what I am - strong and brutal, a magnificent lover, a rich sponsor and protector from enemies. In a word, a real macho. How can you not be flattered by someone like that?
6. Does a person who puts an inanimate object on his avatar associate it with himself? Both living and inanimate objects, as well as the natural landscape, sea perspective, building view, etc., symbolize the inner world of a person, his inclinations, values and goals. Inanimate objects (weapons, office equipment, office supplies, work equipment, musical instruments, books, dishes, cars, etc.) are a kind of coat of arms or visual motto of a person, telling about him in the language of symbols. This has always been the case. The same situation continues today. Only the surroundings and appearance of inanimate objects change, which is due to the passage of time.
7. Do people perceive an avatar as a means of protection from the outside world? Accurately noted, among other things. This is a talisman, a magical image that protects a person from external dangers.
8. Why do we strive to be perfect in our avatar? To be perfect is a person’s original desire. Everyone wants to be immortal, omnipotent and omnipotent. Such a description brings to mind a very specific image. This is the image of God. Such deep patterns are transferred to cyberspace and, quite naturally, affect the choice of avatars.
9. Please comment on the cases when men put women’s photographs on their avatars and vice versa... This means that, deep down, such a man would not mind being reincarnated as a woman. This is a reason to think about the sexual inclinations of such a user. However, this is only a reflection of global trends: men are becoming feminine (it’s not for nothing that a new term has appeared - metrosexual), and women are becoming masculine. Hence, for example, the latter’s desire to drive cars.
10. If a person changes his avatars very often, does this indicate his imbalance and instability? Quite a reasonable remark. But the following definition would be more accurate: such a user experiences an increased need for fresh impressions. Such people make travelers, artists, performers and just vagabonds.
11. You can often see celebrities on the avatars of social network users. Can this be called an inferiority complex? Partly, yes. The fact is that a person who has normal (not overestimated or, on the contrary, underestimated) self-esteem will not strive to “reincarnate” into a celebrity. He is satisfied with his own daily life, he feels his uniqueness and self-sufficiency, and receives satisfaction from everyday achievements. Why then should he identify himself with representatives of commercial mass culture?
12. Is there a difference between avatars on forums, social networks, IP-telephony programs (skype)…? According to my observations, there is not much difference. Such symbols are deciphered according to general rules. Although, of course, there are still certain differences. On forums and blogs, avatars are initially addressed to a much wider audience. In Skype, such an audience is actually reduced to one person with whom the user is communicating at the moment. In the latter case, there is much more trust and honesty.
13. The sites where you can download avatars have the most ANIME pictures. What is this connected with? Fans of this artistic direction live through the experiences and adventures of their cartoon characters. Therefore, it is these users who are the main suppliers of anime avatars. Hence their clear numerical dominance among other avatars created by representatives of other, less emotional artistic movements.
14. Having studied more than one article and more than one opinion of psychologists, you can find out that the avatar still reflects the user’s character traits. But how does this fit in with the fact that people who are often helpless and weak in life post userpics that personify the strength and greatness of a person? This is an unconscious desire to be like that. It is compensatory in nature, since it is designed to smooth out the feeling of inferiority that haunts the user. There is no contradiction here. Fantasies that make a person stronger and sexier, at least in thoughts (Freud is right) are an integral part of personality. It is they who often become a kind of super goal for her. You know, like in Eastern philosophy: black and white are always together, next to a person, inseparable from each other. Man lives by exactly the same laws.
15. The word "avatara" in Hinduism means a being who embodies god. Many teenagers put images of computer game heroes on their avatars. Is it possible to identify computer-dependent young people based on this? I think no. Many teenagers are interested in games, but not all of them are Internet and computer addicts. Dependence is primarily determined by a violation of social functions. This is when someone plays some online game for about eight to ten hours a day, is not interested in anything else except the game, does not keep up with their studies, and almost does not communicate with people offline. Like that.
16. Which avatars do you consider the most dangerous (which ones most strongly influence the human psyche)? Evil, aggressive images containing sadistic motives. Images that dehumanize individual human experiences and the person himself as a whole are dangerous, as they say, by definition.
Information from the site: sv-cyber.ru
Animal photo
Animals are another popular type of avatar. Here the situation is similar with objects. A person puts on the page the animal with which he identifies himself. He endows himself or wants to emphasize in himself those character qualities with which this animal is traditionally associated. For example, a cat means independence, a dog means friendliness, a snake means a cool mind, a jaguar means aggressiveness, a fox means cunning, a lion means dominance, a wolf means loneliness, etc. A person may already have the traits of the animal chosen for the avatar in reality, but it is possible that he is still only striving for them.
Images of small animals reveal the infantilism of the individual. People who choose photos of cute and defenseless puppies, kittens, rabbits and other babies feel insignificant and weak, are unsure of themselves, and need care and protection. Such people seek the protection of strong and authoritarian persons.
How to choose
We have already figured out what an ava is, all that remains is to decide which one to make, what you can put as your favorite if you don’t really want to show off your real appearance. Let's look at a few of the most popular options.
1. Animal. On the Internet (especially on VK) cats are the most common. However, you can put any animal you like, which perhaps characterizes you personally. Some people put lions because they are proud, wayward animals, some tigers because they are dangerous predators, some wolves because they are loners, some hares because they are cute, etc. Of course , the animal on the avatar does not always mean exactly this. Often people choose an animal/bird/fish/dragon because it is their favorite character, or they simply liked the picture.
2. Celebrity. Other common avatars are people. Most often celebrities. Favorite actor or actress, singer or singer, famous football player, president of the country, or simply a famous person on the Internet. It doesn’t really matter who it is, as long as the face is at least somewhat famous. Sometimes users (usually girls) put on an avatar not a celebrity, but simply a photo of a beautiful-looking person, a model, for example.
3. A character from your favorite game. People love computer games, so the case here is similar to the one above. The favorite character from the toy is periodically found among both avid gamers and ordinary people.
4. Interesting picture. It is not necessary that it contain a living being, as in the cases described above. It could even be an iron. The main thing when choosing an avatar is that the user likes it. People use lettering, interesting buildings or places, beautiful strange things, animation and much more.
5. An image that reflects essence or mood. People periodically feel sad, scared, bad, happy, happy. You can choose a suitable picture for any emotion, because not only emoticons can convey a person’s mood. By essence we mean character. Here you can return to the first point.
6. Personal photo. No matter what, this is always the best option for any avatar. At least, if you are not going to become a troll or other troublemaker who doesn’t need extra attention to his real person. In addition, some do not want to show their true colors, fearing that their friends will recognize them. Not everyone wants to reveal their interests to people who know them. However, personal photography has always been considered the best photo (at least on social networks). By the way, the more original the photo, the better.
That's all. Now you know what ava is, why it is needed, where it is used and how you can choose it. There will be no more perplexed looks on your part at an unfamiliar word, for which we congratulate you.
According to psychology, everything in this world is not accidental. Every action we take has motives and benefits. If you find it difficult to say which ones, it means they are unconscious. Everything is very simple.
Movie character
The hero of the movie on the avatar shows that the user projects his qualities onto himself. As in the case of animals, it is not a fact that a person already has similar traits to the character on display, but perhaps only wants to be like him.
Here, an alarming signal would be associating oneself with negative heroes (for example, the Joker, Freddy Krueger, Frankenstein). Villains in their avatars speak about the suppressed negative aspects of personality, incomprehensibility, conflict, asociality, and dissatisfaction with one’s life. Communicating with such a person will most likely be difficult.
It is also worth noting that by identifying oneself with a certain character, a person can, to one degree or another, repeat the events of his fate (for example, a feat, saving someone, loss, spiritual rebirth, etc.).
Cartoon hero
All of the above about movie characters on avatars is also true in relation to cartoon characters. The image of a cartoon on a social network profile indicates the real or desired similarity of the characters and life events of the person and the displayed character.
It is important to add that cartoon avatars are mainly chosen by teenagers. If behind the guise of a cartoon character there is an adult, this may speak of him as an infantile, immature and frivolous person. Although, if the picture shows a character from a very old cartoon, this may also indicate a bright nostalgia for one’s childhood.
Roman fireworks
Considering what “Ave, Caesar” means, it should be said about what the Roman greeting looked like. It was a salute, which was a gesture that looked like an outstretched hand with straight fingers and palm. According to one version, the hand was raised upward at an angle, according to another, it was extended parallel to the ground.
Meanwhile, the Roman texts do not contain an exact description of such a greeting; its images are rather conventional. The idea of it that is widespread today is not based at all on ancient sources considered directly, but on one of the canvases of Jacques Louis David dating back to 1784. It is called “The Oath of the Horatii.”
According to the Italian historian Guido Clemente, in ancient Rome, the salute was a privilege of military leaders and emperors who greeted the crowd, but was not generally accepted.
Scenery
By choosing a landscape as an avatar, a person communicates the importance for him of the right atmosphere that reigns around him, and can also convey information about his internal state. How harmonious this state is depends on the specifics of the landscape. The picture may show a peaceful village view, a paradise bay on a tropical island, or a gloomy typhoon over the city. It’s easy to draw conclusions about the mental state of the owner of the social network page.
Also, the common idyllic summer views on the profile picture can indicate a person’s desire to step away from the everyday hustle and bustle and finally relax.
Selfie
The “selfie” genre, depending on how a person looks in such a photo, can indicate the following:
- The person is narcissistic, self-obsessed, selfish. An additional indication of such a character will be an indecently large number of selfie avatars.
- A person explores himself, he is interested in his untapped potential, he seems to wonder what he is really like, what emotions he experiences, what he is capable of.
- A selfie can also be an indicator of suspiciousness, hypercontrol and distrust of others. “I’ll take my own photo, I won’t trust anyone.”
- If the selfie is a reflection in the mirror, the person is clearly concerned about how he looks in the eyes of others and strives to show his best side.
Without avatar
The absence of a profile photo, on the one hand, may be due to objective reasons. Perhaps this is a famous person, an employee of the “authorities”, a credit debtor or another person who needs incognito status. On the other hand, an avatar may be absent in closed, unsociable people with many fears and a strong sense of insecurity. Such people can perceive the world and other people with hostility and try to “keep a low profile.”
It is also worth taking into account that the avatar is missing for those users who simply do not intend to communicate on the social network, who looked here for some reason for the first and last time.
As you can see, it is quite possible to create a psychological portrait of a person based on their avatar on a social network. When analyzing your avatar, pay attention to the first associations that arose when you saw it, and remember that the person relates himself to the person depicted in the photo. But do not forget that the character of any person is infinitely complex and diverse, so do not limit yourself to just one analysis method.
How to set an avatar
On any site that requires an avatar, find the option: set a “review” avatar and click.
A window with your images will open. If another one opens, point to it by clicking on the “images” menu on the left side
Select the one you need and select it by clicking the right mouse button. Next, click open and download from the bottom.
After the avatar is uploaded to the site, click save. That's all, questions about what an avatar is should no longer arise.
Ava is in contact... Every user of this popular social site knows about her. What is ava and what word does it come from?
What is ava in contact?
The word “ava” comes from the word “Avatar”, which means a small picture that most fully reflects the essence of the user, his character, and appearance. This is a small piece of graphics that embodies and enhances the essence of a person in the virtual world. We can say that ava in contact is the user’s virtual soul.
Where did the avatars come from?
The history of the appearance of avatars is a complete mystery. No one knows exactly who was the first to use avatars on the Internet and who came up with this wonderful idea. Only one thing can be noted. The very name avatar contains a divine creation. And everything connected with God, as you know, is a great and incomprehensible mystery. In Hindu mythology, Avatar is the descent of the supreme deity Vishnu to Earth, and also his incarnation into an ordinary mortal being to save the world and restore virtue and law.
Where is Ava used?
Ava in contact is used by all users. But the avatar itself is an integral part of any user who communicates on forums. Ava in contact and on forums accompanies all messages on walls and in message windows. If it weren’t for this small picture, the images would be quite faceless. Everyone would be one of a million gray and faceless creatures. Therefore, there is no need to say how important ava is in contact and how pleasant it is to change it with new photos and pictures.
How to set ava in contact?
1. First of all, you need to select a picture or photo on your computer. This image should reflect your essence, your mood and be relevant to your current state. When choosing an ava from the images on your computer, remember that it should be colorful, high-quality and beautiful. After all, this is your face. Ava in contact is you, only in the virtual world.
2. After you have chosen the image you like, which will represent you to all friends and guests of the site, you need to upload it to your contact page. To upload an image, you need to click on the phrase “edit photo”, which is located directly under the place for the photo. Then select the selected image on your computer and upload it. The program will give you the opportunity to determine the size and type of how your contact ava will look to all friends and guests - in messages and on walls.
Remember that your ava in contact is the main business card of your virtual personality and the first thing all visitors to your page look at.
Quite often, everything new is well forgotten old. Many words and concepts that have come to us from history and have served their time again find new life in a constantly developing world, and, as respected historians rightly noted, developing in a spiral.
Probably anyone you stop on the street today and ask what Avatar is
, will answer: of course, a movie about blue men from the planet Pandora, or will tell you that he has an Avatar on the Internet.
In fact, it is unlikely that we know the true origin, and moreover, the application of the concept of Avatar
.
In approximately the same way, rarely anyone today remembers the true meaning of the word Domain, which came from history. The word Avatar
, in general, was not originally a proper name. Moreover, it was never a proper name. This word, even, one might say, the concept came to us from the philosophy of Hinduism and denoted a certain action of the Gods, called Avatar. With some simplification, Avatara can be considered the embodiment of God in the material world. That is, his descent into our existing world. Although the true philosophical meaning of Avatar, paradoxically, manifested itself precisely on the Internet. But more on that later.
If we look at the issue even deeper, the Avatara is considered the descent of God from the spiritual realms into the lower realms of existence. Moreover, according to the theory of Hinduism, our material world cannot be called lower spheres of existence. These could be spheres above us, because none of us mortals really knows their exact number.
For example, the descent of Christ into the world of people can be considered an Avatar of the Most High on Earth. But, from the point of view of Hinduism, this will still be an approximate example, since the term under consideration is of a broader philosophical nature, for there can be several manifestations of God in the lower spheres and not only in the guise familiar to our understanding.
It is interesting that from this point of view, the presence of various church concessions on our planet is quite logically explained. But, we digress a little, and let’s return to Avatars.
As already noted, the use of beautiful and forgotten words is quite common in our world. For example, the domain fragmentation of the feudal system was reflected in the World Wide Web. Or, modern technological developments are called by the names of almost forgotten tribes: Apache, Touareg. At the end of the 19th century, one prominent representative of the North American Indians, Geronimo, fought for his independence. His name is like the cry “Geronimo!”, by analogy with “Hurray!” or "Banzai!" traditionally used by American military paratroopers.
So, Avatar
- This is a reflection of something higher in the lower spheres. And with someone’s light hand, today we call graphic images on social networks, chosen by us and reflecting us, Avatars, or even simply, avatars, which is very close to the philosophy of Avatars.
By the way, the literal translation of the word Avatar is “incarnation”, “manifestation”, “appearance”.
What about the movie of the same name? Despite the excellent script, idea and filming, still, calling the embodiment of earthly people into Pandorians avatars is somewhat wrong, although fashionable. After all, the plot is full of contradictions. And which of the conflicting parties is the lower sphere and which is the higher – the answer is not clear-cut.
