The Mapping Principle, and a Research Framework for Virtual Worlds

Virtual worlds have exploded in popularity and drawn attention from researchers as worth studying in their own right. An additional, more radical form of scholarship has also emerged, namely, using virtual worlds to study real-world behaviors. If valid, this would enable using virtual worlds as petri dishes for communication scholars. However, there are several necessary conditions to be met first. The most fundamental is the establishment of a mapping principle, or the extent to which behaviors in one space are consistent with behaviors in another. This article outlines the mapping principle, spells out potential misuses, and offers a systematic exploration of validity and reliability issues. With those laid out, a research framework for mapping is presented.