Comments on: Will anthropomorphism decline with the rise of social software? http://www.disambiguity.com/will-anthropomorphism-decline-with-the-rise-of-social-software/ pretty design pending Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:05:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: vanderwal http://www.disambiguity.com/will-anthropomorphism-decline-with-the-rise-of-social-software/#comment-19287 vanderwal Tue, 05 Jun 2007 14:41:40 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/will-anthropomorphism-decline-with-the-rise-of-social-software/#comment-19287 I have been listening to people talk about the services they use for social web activities. People not only seem to be talking about their friends on the service as "facebook friends" as that is how and where they connect and communicate, but they also talk about the services as if it is one of their friends, "I need to spend time with facebook to day" and other phrases. Services like Flickr have played into the anthropomorphism aspect of their service, but many do not. Yet, the services that become common conduits for interacting with a desired or "needed" part of people's lives start getting terms and phrases normally used for people used in association with the service. It seems the services that are most effortless and easy to use get these attributes applied to them, but older cumbersome services and applications are those things that are still cursed software, sites, and applications. I have been listening to people talk about the services they use for social web activities. People not only seem to be talking about their friends on the service as “facebook friends” as that is how and where they connect and communicate, but they also talk about the services as if it is one of their friends, “I need to spend time with facebook to day” and other phrases.

Services like Flickr have played into the anthropomorphism aspect of their service, but many do not. Yet, the services that become common conduits for interacting with a desired or “needed” part of people’s lives start getting terms and phrases normally used for people used in association with the service.

It seems the services that are most effortless and easy to use get these attributes applied to them, but older cumbersome services and applications are those things that are still cursed software, sites, and applications.

]]> By: tom armitage http://www.disambiguity.com/will-anthropomorphism-decline-with-the-rise-of-social-software/#comment-19259 tom armitage Tue, 05 Jun 2007 06:35:20 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/will-anthropomorphism-decline-with-the-rise-of-social-software/#comment-19259 Todd, Pauric, others; I think what you're discussing leads nicely into <a href="http://www.tom-carden.co.uk/2007/05/02/cognitive-dissonance-is-bad-for-design/" rel="nofollow">this post from my friend Tom Carden</a>, about the problems cognitive dissonance raises for design. It goes beyond the anthropomorphic question and towards a much simpler one, about how we lose focus and flow when our frame is broken. It's good stuff. Todd, Pauric, others; I think what you’re discussing leads nicely into this post from my friend Tom Carden, about the problems cognitive dissonance raises for design. It goes beyond the anthropomorphic question and towards a much simpler one, about how we lose focus and flow when our frame is broken. It’s good stuff.

]]> By: Rise in anthropomorphism : My Curious Life http://www.disambiguity.com/will-anthropomorphism-decline-with-the-rise-of-social-software/#comment-19256 Rise in anthropomorphism : My Curious Life Tue, 05 Jun 2007 06:17:40 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/will-anthropomorphism-decline-with-the-rise-of-social-software/#comment-19256 [...] Leisa Reichelt poses the question in a recent post about whether there will be a decline in anthropomorphism with the rise in social software. Her question sparked a rousing discussion and got me thinking about how I’d argue that the opposite is likely going to be true as our tools and interfaces become more sophisticated. [...] [...] Leisa Reichelt poses the question in a recent post about whether there will be a decline in anthropomorphism with the rise in social software. Her question sparked a rousing discussion and got me thinking about how I’d argue that the opposite is likely going to be true as our tools and interfaces become more sophisticated. [...]

]]> By: pauric http://www.disambiguity.com/will-anthropomorphism-decline-with-the-rise-of-social-software/#comment-19231 pauric Tue, 05 Jun 2007 00:14:30 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/will-anthropomorphism-decline-with-the-rise-of-social-software/#comment-19231 Insightful Todd, spot on. From my own experience owning a '60s mini when I was in the UK, I would refine your definition from extremities to 'objects with a perceived character' with that perception growing towards the extremes of reliability & failure. Insightful Todd, spot on. From my own experience owning a ’60s mini when I was in the UK, I would refine your definition from extremities to ‘objects with a perceived character’ with that perception growing towards the extremes of reliability & failure.

]]> By: Todd Kalhar http://www.disambiguity.com/will-anthropomorphism-decline-with-the-rise-of-social-software/#comment-19226 Todd Kalhar Mon, 04 Jun 2007 23:14:38 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/will-anthropomorphism-decline-with-the-rise-of-social-software/#comment-19226 I think Michael may have pinned down the exact issue ... when the tool functions properly, we tend to forget that it's there. My computer as a tool is not something that I consider when I'm interacting with others online, but when it fails me and interrupts that communication, that is when I am once again aware of its existence and treat it like a person that has "failed" me. It seems that we tend to anthropomorphize things most frequently when they are either extremely reliable (my trusty vehicle/phone/TiVo) or extremely fallable (my *?!%$ computer/mobile). Until the time that we do see more intelligent agents that interact with us on an individual level directly, our tools will remain hidden unless "broken". I think Michael may have pinned down the exact issue … when the tool functions properly, we tend to forget that it’s there. My computer as a tool is not something that I consider when I’m interacting with others online, but when it fails me and interrupts that communication, that is when I am once again aware of its existence and treat it like a person that has “failed” me.

It seems that we tend to anthropomorphize things most frequently when they are either extremely reliable (my trusty vehicle/phone/TiVo) or extremely fallable (my *?!%$ computer/mobile).

Until the time that we do see more intelligent agents that interact with us on an individual level directly, our tools will remain hidden unless “broken”.

]]> By: botheyesgreen http://www.disambiguity.com/will-anthropomorphism-decline-with-the-rise-of-social-software/#comment-19039 botheyesgreen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 12:08:32 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/will-anthropomorphism-decline-with-the-rise-of-social-software/#comment-19039 Yes I think you're right ~ We communicate with beings, not things. Anthropomorphism was inevitable when most or all interaction was between you and your computer, before the internet itself and when the net was mainly a database. Not sure about cells (mobile phones) but when the first phones made their way into peoples' homes way back some may well have anthropomorphised them.:) Yes I think you’re right ~ We communicate with beings, not things. Anthropomorphism was inevitable when most or all interaction was between you and your computer, before the internet itself and when the net was mainly a database. Not sure about cells (mobile phones) but when the first phones made their way into peoples’ homes way back some may well have anthropomorphised them.:)

]]> By: ashok http://www.disambiguity.com/will-anthropomorphism-decline-with-the-rise-of-social-software/#comment-18850 ashok Wed, 30 May 2007 18:20:56 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/will-anthropomorphism-decline-with-the-rise-of-social-software/#comment-18850 There was a girl I was crazy about who had a way of people keeping at a distance. She kept them away precisely by keeping in touch through technology only. IM and cell phone and all that stuff was a way of abstracting people, turning them into words and maybe the occasional picture. After I saw her do this to her family and friends, I stopped being crazy about her. Then I noticed all of us doing this, romanticizing the technology more than the connections. We don't need to anthropomorphize the computer nowadays, since it is a lot more to us than one person. It's our whole social being, for better or worse. There was a girl I was crazy about who had a way of people keeping at a distance.

She kept them away precisely by keeping in touch through technology only. IM and cell phone and all that stuff was a way of abstracting people, turning them into words and maybe the occasional picture. After I saw her do this to her family and friends, I stopped being crazy about her.

Then I noticed all of us doing this, romanticizing the technology more than the connections. We don’t need to anthropomorphize the computer nowadays, since it is a lot more to us than one person. It’s our whole social being, for better or worse.

]]> By: Alex - Microsmeta http://www.disambiguity.com/will-anthropomorphism-decline-with-the-rise-of-social-software/#comment-18737 Alex - Microsmeta Tue, 29 May 2007 11:35:38 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/will-anthropomorphism-decline-with-the-rise-of-social-software/#comment-18737 ...Web 2.0 Homo Technologicus: Fat , long fingers, slim legs but a very interesting face for the MyblogLog.com avatar ;-) …Web 2.0 Homo Technologicus: Fat , long fingers, slim legs but a very interesting face for the MyblogLog.com avatar ;-)

]]> By: magia3e http://www.disambiguity.com/will-anthropomorphism-decline-with-the-rise-of-social-software/#comment-18318 magia3e Wed, 23 May 2007 04:15:17 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/will-anthropomorphism-decline-with-the-rise-of-social-software/#comment-18318 We've been using technology to talk with real people for a while, from telephones to the telegraph and even smoke signals. Even the TV could be considered in this way (albeit that it is a one-way communications device). I am sure that people also give these objects names and anthropomophise them in order to facilitate interaction with the device. From a social psychological perspective, though, the rise of social computing tells us that, as a culture, we've been using devices to facilitate interaction for so long that we're probably ready and comfortable enough with using technology for the device to start to communicate back to us. ...the Cylon comment made by Tom might not be too far from the truth of the matter. You could also look at it in terms of HAL from space Odyssey 2001, or Rommy from the Andromeda Series. M We’ve been using technology to talk with real people for a while, from telephones to the telegraph and even smoke signals. Even the TV could be considered in this way (albeit that it is a one-way communications device).

I am sure that people also give these objects names and anthropomophise them in order to facilitate interaction with the device.

From a social psychological perspective, though, the rise of social computing tells us that, as a culture, we’ve been using devices to facilitate interaction for so long that we’re probably ready and comfortable enough with using technology for the device to start to communicate back to us.

…the Cylon comment made by Tom might not be too far from the truth of the matter. You could also look at it in terms of HAL from space Odyssey 2001, or Rommy from the Andromeda Series.

M

]]> By: Pete http://www.disambiguity.com/will-anthropomorphism-decline-with-the-rise-of-social-software/#comment-18269 Pete Tue, 22 May 2007 13:01:32 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/will-anthropomorphism-decline-with-the-rise-of-social-software/#comment-18269 Sounds like "anthropomorphism" is the word of the day (and a great word it is too)! I counted it a lovely 4 times in one small post! Brilliant. Sounds like “anthropomorphism” is the word of the day (and a great word it is too)! I counted it a lovely 4 times in one small post! Brilliant.

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