SURVEY: Do Avatars affect Your Opinion Of Posters?

[Scott]

Does a members choice of an avatar affect your opinion of the poster?

Please feel free to vote in the poll and give us feedback about avatars.

[webfact]

Have fun.

[chooka]

If a person's avatar effects the way another responds to thier post, then that person is not really concentrating on the topic at hand and has a few personal issues. I have noticed that a few on here do get very upset about avatars and nicknames and they can trigger personal attacks but again they have personal issues/psych.

[benalibina]

For sure, for people who are interested in, and care about, Thailand, there are more intesting polls to think about then this one.

Not ?

[mogandave]

Seriously, how could it not? Even the lack of a avatar says something, yes?

[Langsuan Man]

Usually the avatar only has a effect after I read the post, and unfortunately, in many cases it just confirms that opinion

[mogandave]

Usually the avatar only has a effect after I read the post, and unfortunately, in many cases it just confirms that opinion

Well, except that you see the avatar first. Even if one were able to reserve judgement until reading the post, once the first post has been read, it is likely subsequent posts may be prejudged.

[Costas2008]

Avatars have no affect on my opinion of posters.

But I always enjoy looking at a good avatar and some of them stick in my mind.

I do sometimes forget a user name but an interesting avatar can help me remember the poster.

[fishbrando]

There's definitely a correlation between animated avatars and post quality. I won't say what the correlation is, but you can probably guess.

[WitawatWatawit]

No, it might not influence my opinion of the member, but the avatar might reflect the mindset of the member. It might tell me what opinion to expect from that person, but the operative word here is "might" because some avatars are innocuous, like Costa's above or prbkk's - yet both members often post strong opinions. In the long run, the avatar takes second place to the member's name.

[Thaddeus]

I pretty much zone out the avatar and see the user name first, and my opinion of them is based 100% on what they have posted in the past, and they way they have respected or not respected other members.

Only when they have fallen in to the very good or very bad category (in my opinion) do they become relevant, not for what the picture is, but because it is faster to recognise when you are quickly scrolling through a topic that you have lost track of.

[ezzra]

Avatars that are offensive to one's country and religion, or that depicting unsavory personalities

such as mass murders and tyrants,,, those are offensive to me..

[i claudius]

As a God ,other peoples avatars mean little to one such as i .

[h90]

When I read the same posting with a funny clown avatar, I think it is a funny joke.

The same with a serious avatar may lead me to the idea that it is rude or a provocation.

Well maybe I should change mine....

[WitawatWatawit]

As a God ,other peoples avatars mean little to one such as i .

And my avatar is not offering up an auto-erotic suggestion to sailors of a certain ethnicity.

[Tchooptip]

Avatars that are offensive to one's country and religion, or that depicting unsavory personalities

such as mass murders and tyrants,,, those are offensive to me..

On the other hand I guess an old Vespa from the seventies could hardly be offensive to any one

[phutoie2]

Bridge, what bridge?

[landslide]

Rarely ever look at the poster's avatar.

[jaywalker]

What's an avatar?

[Kerryd]

Generally I look at a post first, then the poster's avatar second. In many cases it is like a qualifying mark that helps you determine the mindset of the poster.

For example, let's say you read a post that seems possibly racist, but maybe not, then you look and see the poster uses a swastika for an avatar - you can pretty much be sure that the post was in fact meant to be racist.

However, if the avatar was fluffy kitties instead, you may be more willing to give that poster the benefit of the doubt, at least until you've read more of their posts. Either way, you will have made a mental connection between the poster and the avatar that will, in some way or another, affect the way you see that person's posts in the future.

How often have you started reading a post (like this one for example) and thought to yourself "Gee. that sounds just like - <glance to the left, note the avatar> - yeah, thought so". (How many of you just glanced left and looked at my avatar just now ?).

Some people use a nondescript avatar or just something that caught their eye one day. Some people keep their avatars for ever, others change them repeatedly. That is probably why I usually start by reading the post first, then looking at the avatar second. You get a sense or feel for the post, then glance over to the avatar for confirmation. If it's an unknown avatar (or name) them maybe you keep an open mind as to the contents of the post. If it's a "known" avatar (or name) then you can sort of confirm what you thought the post was intended to say.

[micmichd]

There should be a way to select more than one answer in the form.

Avatars influence me AND should be banned from the forum, imho.

[transam]

The only ones that affect me are the ones with big boobs in..........

[Benmart]

Avatars are as meaningful to me as what someone i wearing when I meet them in person. I use to judge people by appearance and learned I was wrong in most cases.

Live and Let Live

[siam2007]

I came accross a member with a gun as an avator recently, and I immediately knew from which country he was and what was in his mind when posting in the topic. to answer the question: avatars sometimes affect my opinion, as they sometimes reflect the attitude and views of a member.

But only who is free of mistakes may throw the first stone....

[sipi]

You would never know from my "bubbly Buddha" that I am a serial hardened criminal.

Ok folks, relax. That was a joke.

[Brit_Doggie]

As in all walks of life you get the general i don't like this blah blah sob,get a grip or jump is my attitude to them amen.

[elgordo38]

In this case no a picture is not worth a thousand words.

[PeCeDe]

Avatars have no affect on my opinion of posters.

But I always enjoy looking at a good avatar and some of them stick in my mind.

I do sometimes forget a user name but an interesting avatar can help me remember the poster.

I certainly remember yours

[PeCeDe]

In this case no a picture is not worth a thousand words.

I trust your Avatar is not a picture of you

[Daniel Ingalls]

I've only seen posters of Avatar when the movie came out about five years ago, since then they have all been removed with newer movies. I'm waiting for the sequel coming out next year. I hope it will be another box office smash!