John Suler, Ph.D.

Department of Psychology
Science and Technology Center 
Rider University

"This hypertext book explores the psychological aspects of environments created by computers and online networks." 

Dr. Suler has written the articles in a way that is easily understood by anyone. Some of the topics included are: 

• Psychology of avatars and graphical space
• Cyberspace humor 
• Social psychology of online groups
• Making virtual communities work
• Managing deviant behavior in online groups

I had a lot of trouble finding good articles about avatars, especially since I never put much thought into it. Some of these topics get into much more detail than is necessary, but when you have no idea where to start, it's nice to have so much information in one place. Making Virtual Communities Work is especially useful when considering how and why game developers create and limit social spaces, too.