Poll: Do you judge people based on their avatar?

[babinro]

I don't look at avatar's unless they are eye catching enough to get my attention. I naturally filter them out in favor of important information on the screen (akin to what I do with advertisements)

That said, the ones I see that are creative or cool don't influence how I interpret the post. Unless it does so on a subconscious level that I don't realize. Of course the avatars aren't filled with animal abuse and swastika's...so there's nothing particularly bad that would influence my decision to begin with.

 

[Dectomax]

Nope. I don't really care at all about it.
[sup] I really hope we don't see a bunch of similar threads now :/ Next thing you know we'll have one asking about usernames, then post counts then another about join dates. Look what you may have done [/sup]

I REALLY REALLY want that to happen now, can you imagine? Soon it'll get to someone's join date.

Making thread as we speak...

Kidding.

Seriously though, I don't judge others based on their avatars though I have seen some people whose avatars matched their personality. Or at least their internet personality...I am, however, curious to know what people think when they look at mine. Nothing unique about it anyway.

I just think that you liked the Gamerpicture and used it as an avatar. Do I win?

Hell f*censor bleep*in' yeah you win! Come on down and claim your prize. Tell 'im what he's won, Bob.

[Bob Barker voice]Well, it looks like he's just won a trip to...*drumroll*...beuatiful, vibrant Chernobyl! He'll be staying at the luxurious and extravagant Plutonium Palace; offering the latest in innovative glow in the dark pools and jacuzzi's, state of the art rooms, and dining so exotic, it would make Ronald Regan rise up from the grave and sh*censor bleep*t his pants in shock. The whole trip is completely inclusive with all expenses covered.

[sub]We will not be liable for any death, injury, strange growths, tumors, loss of eyesight, hearing, or taste, lymphoma, melanoma, or any other potential ailments.[/sub]

Thank you for playing![/Bob Barker voice]

You win so many cookies and cake for this... :')


If I recognize a users avatar, I tend to start building up my own mental image of them. Though that mostly comes from the way they type or how they voice their opinions on matters. Other than that, I don't pay much attention to avatars. Unless they're Ponies. Then I get the shotgun.

 

[TorqueConverter]

Yes. Ponies, furies and anime. It's more of a first impressions than judging solely based on their lifestyles. It's important to remember that good people are good people regardless of whatever pretentious image they have hovering at the corner of the screen.

 

[staika]

I'd be lying if I said I didn't judge people by their avatars. It's one of the three things I judge people one which is avatar, post count and what they write.

 

[Ragsnstitches]

Only MLP avatars. I think to myself... this guy likes MLP.

Seriously though, I will admit that in my head, when I look at avatars that have associations with a community (e.g bronies) I sort of forget to judge them as an individual and instead look on the whole community as one entity. So unfortunately the bad apples DO tarnish decent peoples reputations because I constantly fail to not judge people on their associated group.

I shouldn't, but I do, as group identification has that affect on me.

 

[ArchAngelKira]

I judge trough avatars to know what games they like the most, or to the point of making a part of that game A part of themselves. It doesn't make me hate them though, but it annoys me when half or all the people I have befriended online are playing CODMW3.

 

[Mr Thin]

Why would I want an avatar, though? I don't want to put my actual photo up, as this is the internet and I'd like to stay anonymous. Using a cartoon character or celebrity as my online representation would just feel fake. I wouldn't want to attract unwarranted positive or negative sentiment based on my choice of pop-culture icon. Quite the opposite; I hope that people pay attention to (and respond to) my actual posts, not my avatar or those stupid forum badges or any of the other false and easily-changed trappings of online persona.

The main reason I appreciate avatars is because it's much easier to recognise people by their picture then by their name.

As for my avatar; it's a photo of a musician I like. I doubt more than a handful of people recognise it, and the few who do will take nothing away from it other than the fact that I like the musician. I think you worry too much about what your avatar will signify.

Also, an online persona is just as easily changed as a real one, and it's only false if you make it so.

 

[bdcjacko]

I am 98% sure I inspired this topic. And yes, I judge people by their avatar.

 

[ace_of_something]

I hate to admit it but furry avatars instantly make me think you're a sexual deviant. Yes, I know that there is more to the... the "culture" than that and many aren't sexual about it at all.
It's just where my mind goes and it's not a good place.

When People have the 'candid myspace photo' as their avatar I assume they're vain. I know that it has nothing to do with that but it's the mental connection I've made.

If you have some icon that shows you like something i like, well obviously i might subconsciously think you're cooler.

O_O

Anyone else find it scary depressing that there are more votes for "yes" than "no"?

This isn't something I'd expect of a forumbase that claims to be the "last bastion for intelligence".

EDIT: This seems to be a issue with so many people, and I simply cannot understand the logic behind it. You can tell what the person likes based on their avatar, whether it be a game, TV show, movie, or even a particular type of humor.

There's literally nothing else you know about him/her. And if you think you do, it's more than likely that you're wrong about it. There's a chance that you may be right, but making a mental image and an impression of someone based on a chance, a 100 X 100 image file, is really not wise.

If you do something similar to this IRL, you will end up ignoring a lot of people who could easily be some of the nicest people you meet.

Human beings make presumptions based on appearance.
It's not something you do or don't do based on intelligence. You can tell yourself that to make yourself feel elite but if someone who looked liked a circus freak walked up to you there is very little chance you'd have the same neutral reaction as if a fireman walked by. You judge your surroundings based on subtle clues. You can FORCE yourself outwardly to behave in a polite, respectful, and neutral manner but 'inside' you're making notions and judgement.

I know I do everyday because if i'm not paying attention to physical cues, appearances of people I could be hurt or worse. When I see a guy dressed head to toe in red with an imperious posture I know chance are good he's not going to tell me what he saw unless I cajole it out of him in just the right way and definitely not when other people are around hell, he'll likely be aggressive. If I see a little old lady with a big sun hat and her nicest church clothes I can wager she'll not only tell me what's going on today but every other problem in the neighborhood.
An avatar is the closest thing we get when online to a face. Like mine: I like fighting games, Stryker isn't even my favorite MK character (it's Reptile)but I'm a police officer and I thought it was clever.

 

[everfreeDragon]

So, how many of you are judging me and/or ignoring me?

OT: I don't really judge beyond, "oh, so _____ likes _____, that's cool I guess." That's about it.

 

[NotSoLoneWanderer]

Sometimes it displays interests and Sense of humor but not an entire personality.

 

[Z of the Na'vi]

Isn't that the whole purpose of an avatar in itself? To display a visual representation of something you like and therefore to represent you on the internet? I would very much be lying if I said I didn't.

Granted, I also take into account what people say as well as their avatar, but I like seeing a face to match the name, you know?

 

[dead.juice]

I try not to judge based on avatars... but it happens.
I think it's subtle, but I have a formula of personality for every avatar choice.
I try to only calculate positive traits.
People with My Little Pony avatars are gay as hell lighthearted and sweet, people with Anime avatars write like horrible fan-fiction writers seem to have a more emphasis style to their post, which usually helps with the grammar and clarity. But not the point

 

[VeneratedWulfen93]

So, how many of you are judging me and/or ignoring me?

OT: I don't really judge beyond, "oh, so _____ likes _____, that's cool I guess." That's about it.

I'm judging you as a generally awesome person. /)^3^(\

 

[Ranorak]

I wonder how one would judge me based on my avatar, nickname and title alone.

So shoot, gimme your best stereotype.

 

[Smertnik]

Kinda. I tend to put people with MLP avatars on ignore because screenshots from the show started to annoy me. Apart from that no, not really.

 

[Ulquiorra4sama]

It doesn't really say much about the person.

Disclaimer much?

OT: If i do it's not intentionally. Usually i just see it as an indicator of what a person might like or not, but i tend to shy away from that too because my avatar is misleading like that.

Personally i've grown to hate the Bleach anime over time, but there's more to my avatar than just that, which is why i haven't changed either that or my username. So yeah, i try not to judge because it usually won't tell you anything accurate unless it's something like... "I love friendship" or whatever.

 

[bluegate]

i doubt most people would even know what my avatar is, even on a gaming forum. its hard to judge people on a picture they like, especially when 90% of them are anime/gaming/pony related, exactly what you would expect to see on a GAMING forum

Wow... it is a dark day when people don't recognize such an iconic symbol from the FF franchise... Ah well

As for the poll at hand: yes, I treat every person with a pony as their avatar as sub-human, ha ha ! ha... ha !