ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH COMPLETED Meta Feb - May 2022
An Ethnography of Social VR in Horizon Worlds
The 2022 launch of Meta's Horizon Worlds gave us a unique opportunity to explore platform affordances and community dynamics in a burgeoning VR space.
Role
Lead Researcher
Ethnographer
Timeline
4 months
Context
UW HCDE
Supervised Research
Methods
Digital EthnographyParticipant ObservationSemi-Structured InterviewsThematic AnalysisSecondary Research
NOTE
Preliminary findings from ongoing ethnographic investigation. Full analysis and academic publication in development.
Ethnographic Data Collection
50+
Observation Hours
12
Community Spaces
8
Interview Participants
47
Thematic Codes
Research Sites
Community Space
Activities & Focus
Observation Data
LGBTQ+ Meetups
Weekly social gatherings, World Tours events
12 hours participant observation
Creative Community
World building workshops, Creator showcases
8 hours participant observation
Social Spaces
Comedy clubs, music studios, casual hangouts
15 hours participant observation
Primary Findings
Embodied Social Presence
CRITICALUsers develop distinct virtual identities and social behaviors unique to VR environments, different from text-based or video communication.
Community Gatekeeping
HIGHEstablished users create informal protocols for newcomer integration, including spatial positioning and interaction norms.
Platform-Mediated Intimacy
HIGHPhysical proximity and gesture-based communication enable new forms of digital intimacy and trust-building.
Thematic Analysis
Social Norm Development
Communities develop unique spatial etiquette, gesture languages, and interaction protocols that differ from both physical and traditional digital social norms.
"In VR, you can't just lurk in the background. Your body is there, taking up space. You have to participate or leave."
Trust & Intimacy Formation
Physical proximity and shared embodied experiences create faster emotional connections compared to text-based or video communication platforms.
"When someone gives you a virtual hug here, it feels more real than a heart emoji. There's intention behind the movement."
Methodological Innovation
Research Challenge
Methodological Approach
Outcome
Consent in Virtual Spaces
Developed protocols for informed consent in shared virtual environments where traditional research ethics become complex.
Reusable VR ethnography framework
Observer Effect in Social VR
Gradual integration into communities over 4-week period to minimize researcher presence impact on natural behaviors.
Naturalistic observation conditions
Data Documentation Methods
Post-session field notes combined with permission-based screen recordings and avatar interaction logs.
Rich multimodal dataset
Research Implications
Platform Design
- • Spatial affordances shape social interaction patterns
- • Avatar customization affects identity expression and community belonging
- • Moderation tools must account for embodied harassment
Academic Contributions
- • Reusable protocols for VR ethnography
- • Consent frameworks for immersive environments
- • Theoretical insights on embodied digital interaction
Research Documentation
Field Notes
50+ hours of participant observation across 12 virtual communities
Interview Transcripts
Thematic analysis of 8 semi-structured interviews with community members
Methodological Framework
Protocols for conducting ethnographic research in VR environments