It may also be that you have a cognitive bias: You think you are noticing that pattern because you are paying more attention and trying to see if it happens. Thus when it does happen you notice it more.
Your Profile Pic, and how it can influence your opponents in game behavior
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Jul 23, 2019
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#3
I have automatic full screen so I can't see their profile picture or their rating during the game.
Jul 23, 2019
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#4
when people see my profile picture. they know they are going to have a bad time.
Jul 23, 2019
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#6
If such a psychological study can be arranged, then i would be interested in its process and conclusions. 
I take a dim view of 'fakers' though... 
Having a default profile picture creates a sense of mystery, evoking fear.
Jul 23, 2019
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#8
Optimissed wrote:
Very difficult to answer this without seeing various pictures of your wife.
There is a website where she has many! buuuuut...... that will be for a different day and subject.. bravo
Jul 23, 2019
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#9
DjVortex wrote:
It may also be that you have a cognitive bias: You think you are noticing that pattern because you are paying more attention and trying to see if it happens. Thus when it does happen you notice it more.
Actually, it was the exact opposite... as I was trying attribute what variables had hanged that might explain the sudden in-game behavioral change... and the only change was the picture.
Jul 23, 2019
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#10
wouldn't surprise me. pretty sure there have been psychological studies about how people interact differently with players who have a female avatar in world of warcraft.
Jul 23, 2019
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#11
Interesting, so if we scale this up... perhaps a female president instead of our current ‘Cheeto in Chief’ would make other countries react the same ?
Jul 23, 2019
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#12
I doubt it. I think in politics the stakes are higher and any such effect should be mitigated by the self interest of countries. not saying though that there would be anything wrong with a female president, just saying politics is probably not working that way.
Jul 24, 2019
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#13
If avatars are assumed to elicit emotional responses which affect player interactions, is it possible to create an identifiable yet emotionally neutral avatar, and if so, WTH, 1.e4, boo.
People stopped asking for me to reveal myself from my previous pic and not I think people are playing better against me 
As a psych student I think it would be a very interesting study!
Dec 12, 2020
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#18
I'm sure your wife is very lovely, so is the beach in Aruba, and there is a known attractiveness bias in all humans, but I still appreciate honesty when people post their real photos on their home page, not photos that deliberately mislead, because then people think women don't really play chess, and as a woman, it's insulting when people insist you must be a man pretending to be a woman because women 'don't play chess'. We do, but sometimes men use women's pictures, too, that happens too. Now, I know, my avatar is my dog, but I have real, recent photos on my profile if anybody ever cares, and it's nice, if you want to get to know someone you've been playing chess with, to see the real person rather than whatever else fake thing.
I think there is some truth in that. If I play against a player who has a self-photo (or at least what I would assume a photo of themselves) and a "normal" account name, I'm more bound to a) resign if I'm in a lost position b) call them a good sport and c) give them a thumbs up for the game.
On the other hand, if I'm facing an opponent whose profile picture or account name is annoying or some way degrading, I'm more likely to try to play even completely lost positions to a bitter end, hoping for a stalemate or flag. This also applies to situations where my opponent trash talks during a game. In other words, if you're winning - don't start talking trash. It's not only rude and childish, but it's also most likely going to make your opponent want to play the game to the bitter end, while they might've been on the brink of resigning.
I’ve noticed since I switched my profile picture to a vacation photo of my wife strolling the beach Aruba, my opponents seem more likely to resign lost positions, will offer or accept rematches or send a post game friend request.
It’s no secret that an attractive human form will garner attention, and I now there are accounts here that have intentionally changed their avatar to be ‘provocative’.
I feel this could be an interesting chess.com psychological statistical study!
Thoughts ?