Virtual worlds and real life...

Researchers at the Virtual Human Interaction Lab at Stanford University have found that behaviors learned online in virtual worlds such as Second Life can be carried over into real life, at least in the short term (How Second Life Affects Real Life, May 12, 2008 issue of Time online). Research subjects given attractive avatars were more likely to exhibit friendliness and extroversion online in a virtual world, and also in real world tests shortly afterward. Similarly, tall avatar subjects were more self-confident and aggressive in negotiations than short avatar subjects both online and offline. The possibilities for affecting behavior, good and bad, are said to be "endless"....