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marinelife's avatar

How much does what a person's avatar look like influence how you respond to them?

Asked by marinelife (62485points) July 19th, 2008

I saw some great new avatars yesterday and was inspired to change mine, although I don’t know if I will stay with it.

There are some of the default avatars that I am not too keen on since I view them as looking like skulls. This one and this one.

I am also interested in avatars when I can’t quite make out the image. My favorites are still the hand-drawn jellies. How do you feel about them? Do they impact how you react to people’s answers?

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23 Answers

wildflower's avatar

It doesn’t really influence me much. Those that use the standard ones I’m inclined to think aren’t taking the time to personalize their account. Otherwise, I guess the more colourful, the more eye-catching it is, but really that’s about it.

tinyfaery's avatar

No, not at all. I like to see the changes though. I agree with wf; I prefer it when the flutherites have personalized avatars. I think its a bit more revealing than the generic choices.

osullivanbr's avatar

Often times I’d be impressed if someone has taken the time, and made an effort to have a good looking avatar.

With new people to the site, I’d perhaps sometimes gage their dedication (for want of a better word) to sticking around by whether they change their avatar or not. It gives the impression that being here kinda means something to them, if that makes sense.

And as for the regulars, people changing their avatars (although I totally understand why) does throw me off, I’d have to look at the name attached (something I’ve never gotten used to doing since day one).

As far as reacting differently to people differently on the basis of their avatar, I’d have to say no, that’s never been anything that has even crossed my mind.

Speech Over

aansuzek1's avatar

Not at all, especially since most people dont change them.

delirium's avatar

I have a certain amount of respect for people with good, clean, attractive avatars.

I absolutely adore spargett’s, for example.

MacBean's avatar

I don’t think people’s avatars affect how I respond to them. But they do affect how I picture them, since that’s all we’ve got to associate with them visually. So I really like personalized ones. It’s annoying to picture thirty different people as the same jellyfish! XD

Skyrail's avatar

I don’t mind, at least fluther has made it so all avatars have to be the same size, otherwise you know when someone is obnoxious or big headed as their avatars are way bigger then everyone elses. I come from an internet background of proboads where everyone seemed to have these big shiny avatars which were just too in your face, that causes me to judge people more so then the simple smaller fluther avatars. Some avatars probably portray people really well (both personal photos and images that just suit the personality) others not so. I have two that I change between here on fluther :)

robmandu's avatar

I changed mine one day.

Did not go over well.

Something along the lines of…

“Aieeeeeeeeeeee! Jiminy Cricket. Dude, put the mask back on pronto.”

heysupnm's avatar

it doesn’t affect me much
when i first saw the avatar choices i saw that it was a square shape so i googled square and that was that!

cheebdragon's avatar

Try using this as your avatar for a few days, just as an experiment…..

wildflower's avatar

oi! Copycat!

robmandu's avatar

Thanks, @cheeb… was kinda freakin’ me out not being able to distinguish between myself and wildflower just by avatar.

wildflower's avatar

Oh damn! And we were just going to tell you to prepare to be assimilated. Resistance is futile!

Knotmyday's avatar

I don’t think a person’s avatar necessarily depicts their philosophy or belief system.
More a matter of taste than anything.

ho hum.

marinelife's avatar

@Knot Is that you? Really?

Knotmyday's avatar

Why, yes, yes it is. appears nonchalant

marinelife's avatar

@Kmd Using my new-found tech know-how, I enlarged it and got my second great Fluther laugh of the day (the first being drhat77’s question this AM). Thanks.BTW, it makes you look so svelte (a propos of all the you-know-what threads of late)!

Knotmyday's avatar

@Mar- thanks. Have a doggie question coming up… :(

maryleedy's avatar

I like seeing personal avatars such as photos and face photos. It gives me a starting point of what kind of person they are and how to interpret what they post. Like the saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words” type thing. :-)

cheebdragon's avatar

@MaryLeedy- Fluther also has a photo album for that.

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