E-AGORÀ
E-Agorà sessions. All sessions are at 17.00-18.30 Central European Time (16.00 West European Time/UK; 18.00 East European Time)
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Tuesday the 29th of September
TITLE : Avatar-based Interviewing and Gameplay-based Research: Approach and Routing
SESSION OVERVIEW
Avatars remain under-utilised in qualitative research interviews, as do gaming platforms more broadly. This session presents Avatar-Based Interviewing (ABI), which is a six-step qualitative method that addresses this gap by placing the avatar at the centre of the research encounter. Interviews are held in person, and an avatar is designed and discussed by participants. ABI involves: (1) identifying research questions and familiarising oneself with the gaming environment; (2) selecting an appropriate genre and game; (3) avatar creation by participants; (4) discussing the nickname chosen by participants for their avatar; (5) discussing the avatar and research topic; and (6) analysis with the avatar in focus. We present a case study with 23 teenagers in Malta, demonstrating ABI’s capacity to generate rich insights on young people’s identity and self-concepts. This is followed by an exploration of gameplay-based research more broadly, carried out in conjunction with ABI. ABI encourages open dialogue and positions participants as co-researchers via its collaborative ethos. It allows the study of actual, ideal and alternative selves often missed by traditional interviews; and is particularly useful for social scientists working with youth. We conclude by 'routing' this game-based approach via traditional/methodological (Route 1) and critical/hermeneutic (Route 2) pathways, appraising its applicability for different settings and recommending areas for future research. During this workshop, material on ABI relies on Pulis and Buhagiar (2026), and material on the routing of psychological research relies on a Buhagiar (forthcoming).
SHORT BIOS
Matthew Pulis is a PhD student at the School of Religion, within the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands. Pulis’ research interests include Gen Z youths, digital culture, practical theology, lived religion, digital games, and social media. Pulis is a Catholic priest and part-time lecturer at the University of Malta.
Luke Joseph Buhagiar, PhD is a Lecturer at the Department of Policy, Politics & Governance at the University of Malta. Buhagiar’s research interests and publications focus on social and philosophical psychology, social representations, lived religion, intercultural relations, and liminality.
