Dual Interactive Construction Circles: A Framework of Virtual Intimacy

This study selects otome game as a typical case for mixed human-computer interaction (HCI) and human-human interaction (HHI) scenarios, as it simultaneously encompass deep interactions between players and virtual characters (HCI) and within player communities (HHI), and exhibit the unique phenomenon of identity differentiation into "dream girls" and "fellow bearers". Previous research has primarily focused on the unidirectional impact of HCI on HHI, while neglecting the reverse effect of HHI on HCI and the behavioral pattern differences arising from identity differentiation. The research methods include: 1) Netnographic analysis (3-5 years of gaming experience & 19,861 online comments); 2) In-depth interviews (19 players); 3) Grounded theory (inductively identifying 5 thematic categories); 4) Descriptive phenomenological approach. This study innovatively proposes the "Dual Interactive Construction Circles" (DICC) framework, integrating theories of social presence, symbolic interactionism, and social constructivism. It describes the influence of the inner circle (psychological mechanisms) on the outer circle (behavioral codes), where identity labels represent specific behavioral patterns. This study finds that players collaboratively construct an anthropomorphic perception of virtual characters through HCI and HHI, and that community interactions can partially and reversely shape in-game experiences. This framework breaks through the traditional unidirectional perspective in HCI research and provides a systematic analytical tool for mixed interaction scenarios.