It is a well-known fact that technology and the Internet have greatly contributed to the increase in intercultural communications. Yet when we think of this advancement, we mostly think of social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Surprisingly, Second Life serves as a great forum for intercultural communication. In Second Life (SL) participants can “visit” other countries and communicate with other people who are also there. In their article Unintended Outcomes in Second Life: Intercultural Literacy and Cultural Identity in a Virtual World, William C. Diehl and Esther Prins of the Pennsylvania State University examine how Second Life has served “as a site for the construction of identity and development of intercultural literacy.” What they found is very interesting.
According to Diehl and Prins, SL serves as a way for participants to be exposed to other cultures. Through intercultural communication, a sense of “culture flow” is established. SL also enhances second language capabilities. Personalizing avatars is another way in which participants learn about other cultures. More often than not, when a person is from a certain country, their avatar is more likely to dress and speak in the way that the culture of that country does.While many SL participants are become increasingly aware about other cultures, there are some negative effects to intercultural communication as well. For example, there are many physical threats in intercultural communication. There are also racist and anti-religious comments that can be emotionally threatening.
I personally cannot imagine spending so much time in SL that I acquire a second language, but for the people who do, the outcome can be very eye-opening. By interacting with people from other parts of the world, SL participants can create relationships and learn about other cultures while exposing others to theirs.
