Prototype of a Person

Cyberpsychology Digest Volume 3

‘Facebook Generation’ Faces Identity Crisis: A psychiatrist has suggested that young people are growing up with a different and potentially dangerous view of the world and their own identity. However, in the same article it is also pointed out that the vast majority of psychiatrists worldwide are unaware of the full magnitude or impact of the online world on the younger generation. This story is an example of how an unfounded comment (backed up by no research study) can be picked up by the mainstream media and twisted into stories such as Facebook and Myspace generation ‘cannot form relationships’, ‘Mental risk’ of Facebook teens and thus highlights the importance of continued Cyberpsychology research. 

Markers of Status: Different, and Yet the Same: Interesting observations from Danah Boyd into the social activities of teens online, particularly the notion that the social hierarchies that exist in everyday life are replicated and reinforced online. These insights contradict numerous media reports that have highlighted how social networking can support negative behaviour in teens and pre-teens.

Will video games solve sex-discrimination in science?: This article discusses research regarding the gender differences in visuospatial skills necessary for complex mathematics. Findings suggest that the simple act of playing video games could improve these skills. Related Article: Unpacking the Science of Sex Difference 

How User Interfaces can make or break a new service: Discussion by industrial designer Alexander van Elsas on the subject of usability and user interface design that suggests that UI is the most important fail factor for any new product or service. Related link: Social Design

Intel Anthropologists Find Keys to Tech Adoption: This article highlights a study from Intel that investigates the so called “technology gap” between richer and poorer countries. Their most recent results indicate that it’s much more than levels of disposable income that influence the adoption of new technologies.

If anyone has anything they’d like to contribute to the next digest, or related articles for this volume, feel free to drop me a comment or an e-mail - Sinéad.

Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3

Cyberpsychology Digest Volume 2

Feminised gadgets - An eye for the ladylike: This article from the Telegraph Online opens with an interesting statistic, that women now spend more money on gadgets than on shoes. This is followed up with some fascinating insights into the “feminisation” of technology design and closes with an even more remarkable statistic, that two-thirds of Nintendo DS users are female. Related Link: Shiny Shiny

Vivity Labs launches online brain fitness platform: This recently launched website will draw comparisons to the Brain Training game on the Nintendo DS. Basing the platform online, however, allows for a much broader appeal. For example, by providing the ability to play against other users, a higher level of motivation to return to play is likely to be achieved, especially for the highly competitive amongst us. Related Article: Video games can make us creative if spark is right.

iReport: Online Terror & Hate: The First Decade (pdf): This report by a Jewish Human Rights group indicates that since 2007 there has been a 30% increase in the number of problmeatic hate (racist, anti-gay, anti-religious etc.) and terrorist websites. The historic roots of online hate-sites is outlined and numerous examples are highlighted. Related Article: A rallying cry against cyberbullying.

Mac users don’t like people touching their technology: A survey was conducted by Cognitive Daily to investigate how willing people were to let others try out their new gadgets. They found that there was a dramatic difference between how much PC and Mac users let friends try out their new devices. Related Article: Bad BlackBerry Manners On the Rise.

Your Blog Can Be Group Therapy: This CNN.com article highlights some examples of the positive aspects of personal blogging, with some interesting commentary from both bloggers and psychologists. Related Article: The Internet and Suicide ; Related Link: The Lives of Others.

If anyone has anything they’d like to contribute to the next digest, or related articles for this volume, feel free to drop me a comment or an e-mail - Sinéad.

Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3

Self Presentation in 3D Environments

There were some interesting questions raised during the Virtual Worlds Panel held at 3Dcamp at the weekend that I wanted to discuss more fully, from a social and developmental Psychology perspective.

What factors influence individuals to create 3D avatars as similar or dissimilar to their true physical forms?

Altering your digital self presentation, your avatar, in a 3D environment is as easy as applying make-up in the physical world. Unlike the physical world, however, making precise and dramatic changes to self presentation can be instantaneous rather than laborious e.g. losing weight. By putting an individual in total control they are free to create an avatar of their actual self (how they currently are), ideal self (how they would like to be) or their ought self (how they think they should be). Studies have indicated that users of online multi-player games will create a representation of themselves that reflects and approximates an idealised version of themselves, the ideal self. However, there are individual differences e.g. personality, goals etc., that can influence self representation online and thus there are users that deviate from the norm.

Can individuals be influenced by 3D avatars with dissimilar characteristics to their real life selves?

For some individuals the gap between their ideal self and actual self can be quite far apart and this can have a dramatic impact upon the individual’s evaluation of themselves. These users are particularly likely to create an avatar that is a highly idealised version of themselves, especially individuals suffering from low self esteem and/or depression. Recent research by the Virtual Human Interaction Lab has suggested that users can be influenced by their virtual world counterparts. For users that suffer from low self esteem this might suggest that socially interacting online with an idealised version of themselves could build confidence for real world interactions. (Related Article: How Second Life Affects Real Life)

Why do children and young adults create 3D avatars that are very visually dissimilar to their real life selves?

As the body develops from childhood, through adolescence and into adulthood, so too does your sense of self. Your identity formation involves two aspects – exploration (experimentation) and commitment (decision making). Studies have suggested that the Internet can be an important aid for young people as they search for an adult identity, especially when an individual is experiencing high levels of exploration but low levels of commitment. 3D environments in particular are helpful by providing the individual with the ability to experiment with self image combined with low levels of real-life consequence. (Related Article: Adolescents’ Online Self-Disclosure and Self-Presentation)

Why is there a higher adoption rate of 3D Environments with younger users?

The draw of 3D environments to younger users is due to a combination of factors. The ability to experiment with self identity - as discussed above. High levels of familiarity and accessibility from a very young age to 3D graphics through animated television shows, movies and through gaming. The desire for non-passive visual and cognitive stimulation, in comparison to passive forms of entertainment such as TV. Though it is true that an individual’s attention span can shorten through constant and immediate stimulation, the positive effects are an increased ability to multi-task and higher levels of motivation to complete tasks.

3DCamp at Limerick University

I’m heading down to Limerick tomorrow, once again, for a conference. Though, I’ve been told that this particular one should be referred to as an “un-conference”. 3Dcamp is a variation on the BarCamp idea of holding user generated conferences - where the attendees provide the content of talks, workshops and demonstrations, unusually focusing on upcoming technologies and developments. The focus of 3Dcamp is “essentially the internet beyond the 2D browser”.

Talks of interest to a Cyberpsychologist?

A talk related to culture and sociability within the virtual world of World of Warcraft .

A demonstration of physical controls for virtual environments, highlighting the use of inexpensive hardware and open source software.

A ubiquitous computing talk outlining interaction design approaches to technologically-enhanced physical environments – e.g. interactive media in public spaces.

A talk focusing on augmented reality – using technology to insert objects into real environments. Brings to mind holograms and a (15ft tall Bill Gates!, but the applications of these future technologies are endless.

Also…

Design guru Sabrina Dent will be discussing how to make money from Second Life. I assume this will be through designing and selling 3D objects.

The M.Sc in Cyberpsychology course coordinator (Dr. Grainne Kirwan) will be discussing some of the current research in Cyberpsychology at 3Dcamp. If anyone is interested in a student perspective of the IADT masters course, there will be 3 of us from the class attending 3Dcamp.

I’m really looking forward to seeing the famous Pedestrian Living Bridge at University Limerick. Fingers crossed the current Iarnród Éireann dispute doesn’t de-rail my plans!

Cyberpsychology Digest Volume 1

I’m constantly coming across academic journal articles, news stories and blog articles that are directly related to Cyberpsychology that are incredibly interesting, controversial, questionable and are often a source of inner debate. Therefore, I’ve decided to start sharing them here in the hopes of highlighting the importance of applying psychological research and theory to various technology related fields. I’m planning on making this a monthly post and if anyone has anything they’d like to contribute, or even related articles, feel free to drop me a comment or an e-mail.

Cyberpsychology Digest Volume 1

Can Grand Theft Auto improve social skills?: Some media attention was given to this story and at first I was quite skeptical, that was of course until I read the original article on the University of Sunderland website. Chris Whitehead, the final year Psychology student, points out how previous research has focused on the adverse effects of violent video games on children, when such games are actually targeted towards adults and can have positive effects upon their intended audience. Related article: Link between online gaming and violence killed off

Early Sexual Experiences: The Role of Internet Access and Sexually Explicit Material: This study reports that participants who had access to the Internet during the ages of 12 and 17 reported engaging in sexual intercourse at a younger age than those that did not have Internet access.

Mobile Phones are more important than Wallets and Keys: Nortel have conducted some extensive survey based research into global uses of communications technologies. The most interesting information derived from this is how survey respondents indicated that the one item they would choose to bring with them when leaving the house for 24 hours or more would be their mobile phone, choosing their mobile phone over their wallet or keys.

Exploring the Role of the Reader in the Activity of Blogging: Most research on the topic of blogging has focused on sociability (i.e. the blogosphere). This study investigated the behaviour of blog readers, discovering that blog reading often becomes similar to e-mail checking – i.e. less content orientated and habitual. Also of note is the conclusion that readers put pressure on themselves to produce worthwhile comments. An interesting study, however, a small criticism - the majority of participants were also blog writers, would be far more interesting to see this study applied to non bloggers. Related article: Are You Educating Your Readers About Blogging?

Being Human: Human Computer Interaction in the Year 2020: Findings from a HCI conference hosted by Microsoft which gives recommendations for the future of HCI to ensure that human values inform future development. For example, educating young people on the impact of technological advances and recognising the importance of specialists from other disciplines (e.g. psychology, sociology, arts) whom can offer more insightful perspectives. The report also argues for the need of proper monitoring and assessment to ensure that we individually and collectively stay in control of ourselves and the world around us. Related article: In a User Centric Web I get to control my data

If anyone has anything they’d like to contribute to the next digest, or related articles for this volume, feel free to drop me a comment or an e-mail - Sinéad.

Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3

Cyberpsychology Thesis on Irish Blogging

At the start of March I seemed pretty intent on beginning an ambitious post graduate research paper on trust formation online. Since then I have done extensive research into the topic and had to narrow down my research area, this is of course due to time/resource constraints (and the discovery of a very similar study published just recently).

Whilst researching trust online, I was quite drawn to all of the research on blogs and weblogs. The deeper I researched it on an international level (looking at American, Japanese and European literature) the more I realised how interesting it was that as a nation we have not embraced it. Especially considering the overwhelming statistics: In 2007 it was estimated that there were between 50 and 85 million blogs and at their current rate of growth, by 2010 there will be over 500 million blogs. Yet, it has been estimated that there are only about 3,000 or 4,000 Irish bloggers, in comparison to the 12 million bloggers in American or the 8 million bloggers in Japan. Even in the IT industry in Ireland, there is a severe lack of business blogging, despite the obvious benefits.

However, recent statistics published by Amárach claims that almost one in five Irish Internet users have started or contributed to a blog in the past year and if you look at the Alexa.com rankings, Blogger.com is the 10th most visited site by Irish Internet Users. Are there thousands more Irish bloggers out there? That are just unconnected to the blogosphere. Research has shown that some blogs are simply more connected to a blogosphere than others, with some not being connected at all. Or are Irish Internet Users bigger readers than writers? Research has shown that people are less likely to pay attention to a medium perceived as not being credible, and according to some reports trust in blogging in on the decrease (in Ireland) yet other reports show that the majority of Irish Internet users trust consumer opinions posted online.

There is a lot of conflicting data out there. So, naturally I’m fascinated.

I’ll be surveying Irish Internet Users (specifically bloggers and blog readers) to investigate their attitudes, perceptions and motivations, and comparing the results to existing international research. In order to interpret these results, I will also be applying existing social psychology, computer mediated communications and human computer interaction literature.

I’ll also be looking into issues of credibility, liability and the business implications (both positive and negative).

Any thoughts?

IADT Post Graduate Open Evening

IADT are holding an open evening for prospective post graduate and mature students on this coming Thursday, the 24th of April. All the information is available here.

If anyone has an interest in the Cyberpsychology masters (or any of the IADT courses) the open evening would be the place to go. Especially since the course coordinator Dr. Grainne Kirwan will be there to answer all your questions, and so will some of the students from the course. If by any chance you cannot make it and still have an interest, I would be more than willing to answer any questions in the comments of this post.

The Next “Big Thing” in Communications and Social Networking Tools

In a bold move (inspired by my wonderful foe - procrastination) I’ve begun using Twitter - it’s like mini-blogging. So, if anyone is interested in finding out what I’ve been up to between blog posts, you can find out here. Although, I will warn you - if you’re a certain lecturer expecting a certain topic for a certain research proposal on Friday - do NOT click that link. Recently I started using Linkedin too - for social networking in professional circles.

It’s really interesting how different the web is to the Internet I first started using as a teen. Today there are so many incredible communications and social networking tools available online, but it has always seemed like everyone in the States have been consistently 100’s of steps ahead of us (the Irish) with regard to embracing these as valid methods of communication and expression. Although, 10 years ago I could barely manage to find a synchronous online conversation with anyone - because everyone was asleep after that faithful 6pm-the-dial-up-charges-are-cheaper hour. At least times are starting to change and there are a few (definitely not comparable to the Americans) Irish people using the likes of LinkedIN and Twitter.

When I really got thinking about it though, I realised how many different communication and social networking tools I had embraced in the past. It goes a little something like below…

E-mail address @ hotmail > Newsgroups > Chat Rooms @ Yahoo! > mIRC chat > American Message Boards > Home Page with Guestbook @ Geocities > E-mail address @ Yahoo! > Yahoo! Messenger > Own Group with Message Boards and Chat @ Yahoo! > MSN Messenger > Irish Message Boards > Livejournal > MySpace > Blog @ own hosting site > Youtube > Bebo > E-mail address @ Gmail > Gtalk > Facebook > Second Life > Flickr > LinkedIN > Twitter

It’s a strange progression as you move from one online communications technology to the next, thriving on the newness of each new site. But like all things, boredom soon sets in or your motivation for interacting with it diminishes and you move on. Even the Irish Bebo explosion, at least in my own social circles, has become recently very subdued. Which is surprising as I had assumed the new features (facebook like applications) would bring everyone back into the fold.

What causes so many of these once “revolutionary” websites to fall to the wayside? How is it that something new can come along and steal all your users/customers? Why aren’t interfaces upgraded and features added and removed? Why weren’t they tracking trends online to keep up with change? When there are existing social networks in place, wouldn’t it just be easier for us all to stay in one place, rather than moving to the next “big thing”.

The Effects of Music on Personal Space Preferences

The Psychology Society of Ireland doesn’t appear to update their website very much (also, another fine example of antiquated web design!) therefore I cannot access information on all of the awards from the Psychology Congress. But, I did want to mention the work by Colin Gallagher, a final year student from IADT (Psychology Applied to I.T) who received a well deserved commendation for his research presentation. Not only is his research fascinating and his presentation enjoyable, he was more than capable of handling the multitude of questions the adjudicators and audience threw at him. An award well deserved. Below is his abstract, taken from “The Irish Psychologist” Vol. 34, no.9 - I’ve also added some relevant web-links.

The Effects of Music on Personal Space Preferences: Comparing Introverts and Extraverts

The current study examined the distracting effects of music on introverts and extraverts with regard to their personal space preferences in public spaces. There has been no prior investigation into the possible link between personal space and music. The now pervasive behaviour of listening to music in public is possibly a reaction to the modern hi-density urban situations that people live in nowadays and music could be a way of easing people’s feelings of crowding. Participants in this study performed a simple personal space measure with music and without, and then completed a personality test (NEO PI-R). The research result found there was a significant reduction in personal space boundaries of the particpants when listening to music. This supports Worchel and Teddlie’s theory that distractions reduce personal space. The introvert sample were found to be most affected indicating that introverts find music more distracting, as was found by Furnham and Bradley.

I’m certain that anyone that uses public transport, especially the Luas or Dart, will agree with these results. I for one, feel a lot more uncomfortable without my earphones in. Though, if I myself had been conducting this study, I would have included a third condition - earplugs. I would be curious about the results of this, and whether any significant reduction in personal space boundaries would be at all comparable to the “with music” condition.

Psychology Congress Highlight: Flow States

I returned late last night from the Psychology Student Congress held in Mary Immaculate College in Limerick and I must say - I really enjoyed myself. I found Limerick to be a vibrant, clean and enjoyable city. I tried to see as many IT related presentations as I could and the highlight for me was from Michael Malone, an undergraduate Psychology Applied to IT student from IADT. Below is his abstract, taken from “The Irish Psychologist” Vol. 34, no.9 - I’ve also added some relevant web-links.

The Physiological Correlates of “Flow” States Within an IT Environment

Since the initial conception of the “Flow” construct a vast amount of psychological research has focused on identifying its key subjective components and investigating its supposed association with elevating human performance capacity (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990). However, the most distinguishable characteristic of this research is its complete dependency on qualitative research methods. There has been no research conducted thus far investigating the molecular concomitants of flow states. For this study 8 participants (6 males, 2 females) were requested to play a videogame (Flow TM) which was specifically designed to induce flow states (Chen, 2006). Heart rate and electro-dermal activity (EDA) were recorded during game play. An adapted FSS-2 (Flow State Scale Revised) questionnaire was then administered to measure flow levels experienced during gameplay. It is anticipated that the molecular activity associated with increased Flow levels will resemble that of deep meditation (i.e, decreases in both heart rate and skin conductance) due to their similarly described subjective state (Marr, 2001). Analysis of results is pending. Results will be discussed with reference to the methodological challenges facing future flow research and possible benefits derived from such research.

Consider the feelings you get when you’re “in the zone” and completely immersed in your computer, even forgetting to eat and being completely unaware of the passage of time (I can certainly relate!). The above piece of research hypothesized that this was similar to a meditative state. The actual results of the study did not support this hypothesis (though decreased heart rates were found) but I believe that this was due to the small scale of the study - due to time constraints, as it was only a undergraduate piece of research. If participants had been tested more than once, I believe that it would have led to a more relaxed state as they would have had no anxiety related to the equipment being used to monitor their physiological responses, and of course, would have had some experience playing the game.

I sincerely hope that someone in either IADT or another college can fund this as a long term postgraduate research study.

Coincidentally the British Psychological Society held their annual conference in Dublin this week and Jazz Biscuit has pointed out all the “tabloid fodder” studies that were discussed.