Avatars are interesting, and I suppose that the choice of avatar that someone chooses may say something about that person where psychology is concerned, but that kinda analysis is much too general and I doubt anyone who does use the avatars as a would be legitimate form of barometric insight on the user takes the time to formulate the kind of analysis that such a thing would otherwise require.
I don’t judge avatars and then relay that to the user, or use the avatar in any way to fashion a first impression. It might show somehting about personal taste, but it’s just too vague. :/
As I say they’re interesting, but for as important as they are in that scheme they might as well just be a blob of colour besides a buncha words.
I’ve heard some funny things though, although I think this might be just constant, therefore slightly legit but prolly not, online observations…that several types of people use certain types of avatars…
For example, nice and friendly people would use avatars of animals. But I find that to be bs, unless I happen to run into every exception to the rule.
I suppose there is something of truth in there…people who use themselves as avatars, or people who use colourful ones, animal ones, movie avatars, nature avatars. dark coloured ones, who knows…I’m sure there’s something there, but I think it’s heavily outweighed by someone’s words and online behaviour instead, even for something as dramatically important as first impressions.