What does this research mean for the field?

The technological capabilities of different devices significantly influence how students perceive and utilize social affordances, such as embodiment and navigation, in social virtual worlds. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

Investigate how device capabilities influence students' perceptions of social affordances and interpersonal interactions in social virtual worlds during remote learning.

September 5, 2026Behaviour and Information Technology

Taking an affordance approach to evaluate social virtual worlds in remote learning contexts

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Authors

JBJakki O. BaileyUniversity of New Hampshire SYSally YouThe University of Texas at Austin AWAndrea Stevenson WonCornell University

Discussion

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Overview

Repeated-measures study demonstrates that access devices alter social affordances in virtual worlds for remote students, highlighting design needs for mixed-device education.

Key Points

Investigate how device capabilities influence students' perceptions of social affordances and interpersonal interactions in social virtual worlds during remote learning.
Employed a repeated-measures design analyzing 224 diary entries from 68 students participating in remote courses.
Evaluated student experiences across multiple user devices, including virtual reality (VR) headsets, desktop/laptop computers, tablets, and mobile phones, using an affordance framework.
Device capabilities substantially altered students' social experiences across all identified affordances, specifically shifting the functional meaning of embodiment, navigation, sensory experience, interactivity, and content creation.
Hardware type dictated whether embodiment served to understand peers or primarily support self-presentation, and whether navigation operated as a shared social activity or simple digital transportation.

Cite This Study

Bailey et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a9bd3c76b95aff0620eaf0f https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929x.2026.2726481

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September 5, 2026Behaviour and Information Technology

Taking an affordance approach to evaluate social virtual worlds in remote learning contexts

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

JBJakki O. BaileyUniversity of New Hampshire SYSally YouThe University of Texas at Austin AWAndrea Stevenson WonCornell University

Discussion

Member takes

Overview

Repeated-measures study demonstrates that access devices alter social affordances in virtual worlds for remote students, highlighting design needs for mixed-device education.

Key Points

Investigate how device capabilities influence students' perceptions of social affordances and interpersonal interactions in social virtual worlds during remote learning.
Employed a repeated-measures design analyzing 224 diary entries from 68 students participating in remote courses.
Evaluated student experiences across multiple user devices, including virtual reality (VR) headsets, desktop/laptop computers, tablets, and mobile phones, using an affordance framework.
Device capabilities substantially altered students' social experiences across all identified affordances, specifically shifting the functional meaning of embodiment, navigation, sensory experience, interactivity, and content creation.
Hardware type dictated whether embodiment served to understand peers or primarily support self-presentation, and whether navigation operated as a shared social activity or simple digital transportation.

Cite This Study

Bailey et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a9bd3c76b95aff0620eaf0f https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929x.2026.2726481

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