CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

Ok, so, another avatar discussion thread. Bear with me peoples.

Is it just me...
When read through posts on CAA, I frequently notice people's avatars. But what's weird is, their avatar plays a part in my impression of them. Based on the avatar, I'll pick a mental voice to match it as I read the post. For example, for avatars that look like the sky or forest or some open space I imagine an ethereal sound. For avatars of anime girls, I imagine a female voice. (As you can imagine, there are times when it's kind of awkward to discover that the poster is a male.)

Am I just weird, or is there other people who do this as well?

Related: Is there something else that triggers your impression of a person based on their choice of avatar?

Yes and no. Avatars do influence how I imagine people look (for instance, your avatr makes me think you have white or light-colored hair), but depending on the pic it either will or won't affect the 'voice' I hear speaking. For ones with the sky or space or whatnot, I don't have voices- it's all my own. Maybe in a happy or serious tone, but my own. When I see people and animals, then I have different voices.

I used to imagine voices for the knots in my wall's wood paneling when I was a child.

I don't actually imagine any voices for people on message boards.

Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. I usually read things in my own voice, but I do read some people's posts in a certain voice.

The avatars sort of influence what the person looks like in my head, not his or her voice.

Winry (post: 1491771) wrote:The avatars sort of influence what the person looks like in my head, not his or her voice.

Same for me.

I'm not sure if avatars influence a voice I hear so much. I don't pay attention to how typed words 'sound' in my head.

However, I think if there's a face in an avatar--the more human-like, the better--that will somewhat effect my impression of a person. To name a specific example, Atria35's avatar has a pleasant smile. Therefore, I tend to think of her as pleasantly saying whatever it is she's posted, and generally being a pleasant person. When I think more about it, though, I know there's more to her than a pretty smile: history, personality, beliefs, etc. She's her own person, and her avatar can't display all of that, nor can I expect to figure out exactly who she is from a 100x100 pixel image. But in most cases, her avatar's expression vaguely influences my impression of her and her attitude. Kind of.

...And I really hope I said all of that tactfully, and that it's not rude of me to single you out like that, Atria. >_>;;

ABlipinTime (post: 1491755) wrote: Based on the avatar, I'll pick a mental voice to match it as I read the post. For example, for avatars that look like the sky or forest or some open space I imagine an ethereal sound. For avatars of anime girls, I imagine a female voice. (As you can imagine, there are times when it's kind of awkward to discover that the poster is a male.)

Winry (post: 1491771) wrote:The avatars sort of influence what the person looks like in my head, not his or her voice.

Well now I gotta wonder how my avatar works out in all this. O.o

mechana2015 (post: 1491785) wrote:Well now I gotta wonder how my avatar works out in all this. O.o

Right? XD

mechana2015 (post: 1491785) wrote:Well now I gotta wonder how my avatar works out in all this. O.o

Yeah, you have no idea how surprised I was to find you weren't a giant bird.... XP

Winry (post: 1491791) wrote:Yeah, you have no idea how surprised I was to find you weren't a giant bird.... XP

Wait, he's not? D:


Like others in this thread, I often associate people's appearances to their avatars. Usually, I think of their hair color to match their avvie more than anything.
Though, I do suppose the avatar does have some effect on how I do read someone's post. ^_^

If I see an avatar with a smug or mean expression, chances are I'll tend to think the post is sarcastic or rude. Of course, it's also the opposite with gentle avatars, or pictures of people smiling... I tend to sort things out afterwards though.

Oh, but that's not quite on topic here, is it? About voices, I tend to read most posts by men in my voice, with some slight changes in pitch to differentiate people in a topic. If a user is female or has a female avatar, I... I don't even know whose voice that is. It's female, I think...

Animal/scenery/miscellaneous avatars are indifferent and I simply read the accompanying post in my voice again.

I've never thought about what a person looks like when I see their avatar.

mechana2015 (post: 1491785) wrote:Well now I gotta wonder how my avatar works out in all this. O.o

Okami (post: 1491787) wrote:Right? XD

So does this mean I facelessly object to everything?

Winry (post: 1491791) wrote:Yeah, you have no idea how surprised I was to find you weren't a giant bird.... XP

That would have been pretty funny to see though... a big yellow bird rushing towards the convention center with a cell phone and a messenger bag. XD

Edit: And glasses...

Yah, there are many times where I See someone who has...say a certain gender in their avie. and I assume that if they have a guy in their avatar then they are a guy, even if their little gender icon says otherwise XD.

If anyone reads my avatar they should read it as Pinky Pie's voice.

That would have been pretty funny to see though... a big yellow bird rushing towards the convention center with a cell phone. XD

I'm totes drawing this.

Back when Fu had Taylor Swift for her avy, I had it in my mind she had blonde curly hair like Taylor Swift. I think of looks, not voice.

BTW, Christian Kitsune, you're avy is ADORRRRRRRABLEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!! Did you draw it on photoshop?

mechana2015 (post: 1491818) wrote:That would have been pretty funny to see though... a big yellow bird rushing towards the convention center with a cell phone and a messenger bag. XD

Well, now I'm disappointed that didn't happen...

And I think Winry is wearing a blonde ponytail and a blue and white scarf. And it gets really confusing when people change their avatars. So nobody thinks I'm a kitty cat right?

Apparently, everyone thinks I look like a guy. I can imagine Mewster being a kittylover. I love kitties also.

A voice for your av, hm? That is interesting. Usually the avatar sort of makes me think of the person speaking, but not their voice. That's kind of cool, actually. Unique.

And for the record, since my avatar is Sakura from Cardcaptors, I'll have you know that if you've seen the dubbed version my voice sounds VERY SIMILIAR to Carly McKillip's! No, I'm NOT joking. It's...almost virtually identical, only I sound a slight, slight bit different...like maybe a tad older? Not by much. (I know this 'cause I've dubbed over her for fun, and I'm like MAN I SOUND SO MUCH LIKE HER! O.O)

I can only wonder what people think of me, now. The voice and the gender together...what does the lake say about it?

TheMewster (post: 1491845) wrote:And I think Winry is wearing a blonde ponytail and a blue and white scarf. And it gets really confusing when people change their avatars. So nobody thinks I'm a kitty cat right?

I think that's her sleeve.

mechana2015 (post: 1491785) wrote:Well now I gotta wonder how my avatar works out in all this. O.o

Well, you avatar is not particularly memorable (in my opinion at least) so most of my impressions of you come from chat and the podcast. I also know Goldy from chat and CK from the podcast. I suppose you could say I know you rather that just taking impressions.

For mods in general I actually take more from the blue SN then from the avatar. it lends an authoritativeness to their voice even if they have a silly/goofy avatar or they change it a lot.
/ramble

Destroyer2000 (post: 1491852) wrote:I can only wonder what people think of me, now. The voice and the gender together...what does the lake say about it?

I guess my mind can't work with your avatar, so it goes to your username. I tend to imagine you as a robot, or a starship or something.

AnimeGirl (post: 1491851) wrote:A voice for your av, hm? That is interesting. Usually the avatar sort of makes me think of the person speaking, but not their voice. That's kind of cool, actually. Unique.

And for the record, since my avatar is Sakura from Cardcaptors, I'll have you know that if you've seen the dubbed version my voice sounds VERY SIMILIAR to Carly McKillip's! No, I'm NOT joking. It's...almost virtually identical, only I sound a slight, slight bit different...like maybe a tad older? Not by much. (I know this 'cause I've dubbed over her for fun, and I'm like MAN I SOUND SO MUCH LIKE HER! O.O)

lol So the whole "imagining their voice based on their avatar" would work in your case. XD

As for my, I can do a mean Kirby impersonation, but I in no way naturally sound like the Kirbster. lol XP

TheMewster (post: 1491845) wrote:And I think Winry is wearing a blonde ponytail and a blue and white scarf.

I do have blonde hair... but don't really wear striped shirts.

Maybe I should change my avy to some weird colored hair... so people can start imagining me with pink hair!


and Darth - I think it's a good thing you don't naturally sound like Kirby. That would be... odd. XD

TheMewster (post: 1491845) wrote:And I think Winry is wearing a blonde ponytail and a blue and white scarf. And it gets really confusing when people change their avatars. So nobody thinks I'm a kitty cat right?

I know you're not a kitty IRL, but when I read your posts I do picture you as the little kitty in your avatar XD

So what kind of voice do I have to people? and I'm guessing that by now everyone pictures me as Sana

Winry (post: 1491945) wrote:and Darth - I think it's a good thing you don't naturally sound like Kirby. That would be... odd. XD

Just to put a spin on things, I'm going to read all of Darth's posts in Mike Tyson's voice from now on though.

Winry (post: 1491945) wrote:I do have blonde hair... but don't really wear striped shirts.

Maybe I should change my avy to some weird colored hair... so people can start imagining me with pink hair!


and Darth - I think it's a good thing you don't naturally sound like Kirby. That would be... odd. XD

lol that would be odd.

Xeno (post: 1492096) wrote:Just to put a spin on things, I'm going to read all of Darth's posts in Mike Tyson's voice from now on though.

lol ok... I don't know what to say to that. XP

TheMewster (post: 1491845) wrote:And it gets really confusing when people change their avatars.

Man, I should be on here more often. I used to change my avatar at least weekly. Speaking of, I need a new avvie.

On topic, the voice I seem to get for most everyone is like...preteen/teen (except for Mith, for some probably obvious reason). Which is weird, because I haven't been around any of those for a decent amount of time. So yeah, I can see one instance that an avatar changed my mind's reading voice...but not most of the time.

I suppose it might be more affected by the way people write, their language choice, and whatnot.