Supporting Group Relationships in Mediated Domestic Environments
Övrigt konferensbidrag, 2008
As everyday Internet use has become pervasive and natural,
people use it effortlessly to find new acquaintances and nurture
existing relationships. In this sense, Internet use can mimic and
expand everyday social behavior from real life. However, in real
life we often participate in gatherings with others not only as
individuals but also as part of a group, for instance a family.
Social gatherings involving several groups reinforces not only the
individual network, but also the group-to-group relationships,
adding another layer to social life. Our social identities, our “us”-
feelings, are thus developed and enhanced. While there are
numerous Internet-based tools and services for nurturing the
individual’s network, in analogy to real life, group-level
interactions are barely touched upon. We explore some basic
considerations for how computer-mediated communication
systems could help nurturing group-to-group relationships, and
how group, rather than individual, interaction with devices can be
addressed in interaction design. Finally, we explore why games
and gameplay might particularly well suited to motivate use of
such systems. These issues will be the main focus of the TA2
(Together Anywhere, Together Anytime) research project.
Group-to-group relationships
TA2
Gaming
Computer-mediated communication
Social software
Social identity