Conclusions
Given the aims of this study to examine the influence of spatial
cues and physical presence in virtual interaction as well as offer a
VW counterpart to the real world literature on location and gender
in verbal behavior, our study did not include measurements of
immersion. As such, attribution of the differences found in verbal
behavior between the Lab and AP environments to greater social
presence can only be speculated based on theory. In addition, stability
of verbal measures examined through LIWC has not been
established within SL (Yee, Harris, Jabon, & Bailenson, 2011), so
this study only included conversation logs from one conversation.
While this study can illustrate immediate differences in verbal
behavior due to the amount of spatial cues in the environment, a
more thorough examination is needed to determine whether those
differences would continue in a lengthier virtual acquaintance or
over repeated conversations. Our quantitative analyses of LIWC
measures demonstrate robust effect sizes for all significant effects
found. A caution for interpretation must be made that while they
indicate the value of text analysis and provide behavioral measures
of presence, they are limited in the scope of what they can reveal
about social interactions as a whole. Further research must be
made to verify the implications that spatial cues can directly and
definitively lead to more positive social connection in virtual
interactions.
The value of the current study lies in the findings that deviate
from what is found in the real world and provide evidence from
virtual environments pertinent to phenomena for which conflicting
results have been found in the real world, namely WC and
SPACE. Virtual environments may offer a space where we can
interact that is isolated from real-world dynamics or communication
patterns that impede positive, productive interactions. Given
the evidence that manipulating spatial cues in an environment
can influence verbal behavior indicative of collaboration, future
research investigating whether spatial cues and social contexts of
environments can be conducive to community activities such as
group learning or support groups may reveal beneficial uses of VW.