THE IMPACT OF SIMULACRA IN LIFE SIMULATION GAMES “SECOND LIFE” ON GENERATION Z’S SELF-CONFIDENCE
Keywords:
simulacra, self-confidence, second life, avatar, Generation ZAbstract
In the contemporary digital landscape, virtual environments have transcended their initial role as mere entertainment platforms into pivotal arenas for identity formation and self-expression. Notably, among Generation Z, digital natives raised in the midst of rapidly evolving technology, platforms such as Second Life provide immersive opportunities for the construction and live experience of digital avatars. These avatars often embody idealized versions of individuals, embodying characteristics or confidence that may be challenging to achieve in real-world interactions. This study delves into the impact of self-representation through avatars on self-confidence among Generation Z players. Adopting a descriptive qualitative approach, in-depth online interviews were conducted with five selected respondents. The analysis was guided by Jean Baudrillard’s theory of simulacra. The findings suggest that avatars initially serve as reflections of players’ identities but subsequently evolve into autonomous digital selves that shape behavior and perception. For many participants, engaging with their avatars fostered increased self-confidence and a sense of social ease within the virtual environment. However, the study also uncovered instances of emotional dissonance and psychological distance experienced by players who felt more authentic as their avatars compared to their real-life selves. These outcomes align with the third order of simulacra, hyperreality, where representation becomes a new reality. This research underscores the profound influence of virtual platforms on self-perception and emphasizes the necessity for a comprehensive interdisciplinary exploration of digital identity, particularly as younger generations continue to blur the boundaries between physical and virtual selfhood.References
Baudrillard, J. (1994). Simulacra and Simulation (S. F. Glaser, Trans.). University of Michigan Press.
Baudrillard, J. (2016). Symbolic Exchange and Death (L. H. Grant, Trans.). Sage Publications.
Bloustien, G. F., & Wood, D. (2013). Face, authenticity, transformations, and aesthetics in Second Life. Body & Society, 19(1), 52–81. https://doi.org/10.1177/1357034X12462250
Boellstorff, T. (2008). Coming of Age in Second Life: An Anthropologist Explores the Virtually Human. Princeton University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvc77h1s
Goffman, E. (1959). The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. Anchor Books.
Pratama, G. Y. (2020). Dunia Virtual sebagai Medium Ekspresi Artistik Generasi Muda. Gorga: Jurnal Seni Rupa, 8(1), 76–88. https://doi.org/10.24114/gr.v8i1.19876
Putri, A. D., & Siahaan, B. (2021). Identitas Virtual dan Kultur Visual pada Platform Online. Gorga: Jurnal Seni Rupa, 9(2), 102–114. https://doi.org/10.24114/gr.v9i2.21087
Rahmawati, F., & Aprilianti, D. (2019). Identitas digital dan ekspresi diri remaja pengguna media sosial. Jurnal Sosiologi Reflektif, 13(2), 275–292. https://doi.org/10.14421/jsr.v13i2.1685
Revna, J. A. (2023). My inspiration to my avatar.
Siregar, H., & Piliang, Y. (2022). Representasi Diri dalam Media Digital: Studi Simbolik di Kalangan Remaja. Gorga: Jurnal Seni Rupa, 10(1), 45–56.
Subekti, N. A. (2021). Identitas digital dan remaja dalam budaya media baru. Komunika: Jurnal Dakwah Dan Komunikasi, 15(1), 45–58. https://doi.org/10.24090/komunika.v15i1.4215
Turkle, S. (1995). Life on the Screen: Identity in the Age of the Internet. Simon & Schuster.
Turkle, S. (2011). Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other. Basic Books.
Yee, N., & Bailenson, J. N. (2007). The Proteus Effect: The effect of transformed self-representation on behavior. Human Communication Research, 33(3), 271–290. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2958.2007.00299.x
Zhang, J., & Fung, H. H. (2014). The role of avatars in digital communication and self-perception. Journal of Virtual Worlds Research, 7(2), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.4101/jvwr.v7i2.7107
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Diska Astari Ramadhini, Dianing Ratri
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Copyright
Authors published in this journal agree to the following terms:
- The copyright of each article is retained by the author (s).
- The author grants the journal the first publication rights with the work simultaneously licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, allowing others to share the work with an acknowledgment of authorship and the initial publication in this journal.
- Authors may enter into separate additional contractual agreements for the non-exclusive distribution of published journal versions of the work (for example, posting them to institutional repositories or publishing them in a book), with acknowledgment of their initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (For example in the Institutional Repository or on their website) before and during the submission process, as this can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and larger citations of published work.
- Articles and all related material published are distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
License
Gorga : Jurnal Seni Rupa is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
