Elizabeth Rossé : the figure of the avatar in contemporary identity construction

Testimonies of video games’ excessive players lead to questions about the human condition: How can forge an identity for oneself and build an itinerary within the « societies of the instant », characterised by uncertainty and disinclination ? The desire for recognition is carried out in new inter-subjective structures which control even the autonomy of individuals. Highlight of the culture of the image and of the interactiveness wherein the body occupies a particular position – missing in the flesh, but at the helm of the avatar, the pixelated body. Insofar as they offer the possibility of living experiences with others, video games appear to be a favourable place in which to fabricate an identity.

Adolescence, 2009, T. 27, n°3, pp. 611-620.