Kwan Min Lee

Why Presence Occurs: Evolutionary Psychology, Media Equation, and Presence

Despite the intense interest in the phenomena of presence, there have been limited attempts to explain the fundamental reason why human beings can feel presence when they use media and/or simulation technologies. This is mainly because previous studies on presence have focused on what questionswhat are the causes and effects of presence?rather than the why question. The current paper tries to solve this problem by providing an elaboratedand probably controversialaccount of the fundamental presence-enabling mechanism. More specifically, it explains the modularity of human minds, and proposes that human beings can feel presence due to the automatic application of two types of causal reasoning modulesfolk-physics modules for knowing about physical causation, and folk-psychology modules for knowing about social causationwhen they respond to mediated and/or simulated objects. Finally, it explains the media-equation phenomena (in which media or computer users feel physical or social presence) according to the modularity argument.

Social-Psychological Origins of Feelings of Presence: Creating Social Presence With Machine-Generated Voices

We demonstrate, via 2 experiments (N = 72 and N = 80) done in e-commerce contexts, that social responses to technology influence feelings of social presence. Users feel stronger social presence when they hear a computer-synthesized voice that manifests a personality that (a) is similar to the user (especially to the extrovert user) as compared to dissimilar, (b) is consistent with the texts personality, and (c) is extroverted as compared to introverted. We discuss various applications of these findings to the design of human-computer interfaces, as well as to the study of presence.

What do we know about social and psychological effects of computer games? A Comprehensive review of the current literature

When communication researchers consider computer games (and video games) as a new form of media entertainment, they typically highlight those games’ interactivity because it is the main feature that distinguishes them from most other kinds of entertainment (Grodal, 2000; Vorderer, 2000). Not only do game players actively process information provided by the medium (as do viewers, readers, and users of other noninteractive media), but they also contribute substantially to the quality and progress of the media product itself. Their decisions and actions determine how a game looks, how it develops, and how it ends. Consequently, most theoretical work on the enjoyment of playing computer games has focused on the issue of interactivity and player action during game play (Klimmt, 2003, 2005). In order to handle modern entertainment software successfully, users must stay alert for most of the playing time and be able to respond quickly and appropriately to incoming new information. Some, if not many, of these responses may be automatized (Bargh, 1997) for efficient execution and conservation of cognitive processing resources. But, in general, the use of computer games should be modeled as a complex and multifaceted kind of action. Therefore, research on the psychology of action (e.g., Gollwitzer & Bargh, 1996; Heckhausen, 1977) offers theories and empirical findings that may help explain why people play and what they do during playing. Adopting the perspective of the psychology of action means searching for motifs (and motivations) of playing.

Promoting Exercise Self-Efficacy With an Exergame

A new generation of exercise video games (exergames) shows promise as a tool to motivate and engage users in physical activity. However, little research has been conducted to examine whether exergames work equally well across diverse populations and contexts. Therefore, in the present study, the authors investigated the effects of an individual psychological difference factor and a specific contextual factor on the exercise experience using an exergame. They used the objective self-awareness theory as the theoretical underpinning. In a 2 (seeing the image of self on screen: seeing oneself vs. not seeing oneself) × 2 (body image dissatisfaction: low vs. high) between-subjects design experiment, the authors found significant interaction effects showing that the feature of seeing the image of self on screen provided by the exergame works positively for individuals with low body image dissatisfaction, yet works negatively for individuals with high body image dissatisfaction. The finding of the present study has significant implications for health professionals and individuals who use the new generation of exergames for physical activities.

Can a Robot Be Perceived as a Developing Creature? Effects of a Robot's Long-Term Cognitive Developments on Its Social Presence and People's Social Responses toward It

This study tests the effect of long-term artifi cial development of a robot on users’ feelings of social presence and social responses toward the robot. The study is a 2 (developmental capability: developmental versus fully matured) x 2 (number of participants: individual versus group) between-subjects experiment (N = 40) in which participants interact with Sony’s robot dog, AIBO, for a month. The results showed that the developmental capability factor had signifi cant positive impacts on (a) perceptions of AIBO as a lifelike creature, (b) feelings of social presence, and (c) social responses toward AIBO. The number of participants factor, however, affected only the parasocial relationship and the buying intention variables. No interaction between the two factors was found. The results of a series of path analyses showed that feelings of social presence mediated participants’ social responses toward AIBO. We discuss implications of the current study on human–robot interaction, the computers are social actors (CASA) paradigm, and the study of (tele)presence.

The effects of competition and competitiveness upon intrinsic motivation in exergames

This study examined the role of competition in exercise video games to promote intrinsic motivation for exercise. The experiment was a 2 (Competitive exercise context: Competition vs. No competition)x2 (Individual competitiveness: High vs. Low) between-subjects design. The results showed significant interaction effects of the independent variables on intrinsic motivation, mood, and evaluation of the exergame. That is, the competitive context provided positive exergame experiences to competitive individuals, whereas it had detrimental effects for less competitive participants. Implications and future directions are discussed.

Intention to upload video content on the internet: The role of social norms and ego-involvement

This study examined the factors that are associated with peoples intention to upload video content online within the framework of the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Using data from a survey of college students (N=241), structural equation modeling analyses revealed that individual descriptive norm is associated with the intention to upload video content online. In addition, ego-involvement played an essential role in accounting for both attitude toward the uploading behavior and the intention to upload. These findings suggest that integration of the constructs of the TPB, social norms, and ego-involvement can be a fruitful theoretical endeavor for understanding peoples intention to upload video content online. The theoretical implications and limitations were discussed.

Mixing personal computer and handheld interfaces and devices: effects on perceptions and attitudes

Interfaces designed only for personal computers or only for handhelds can now be displayed on both devices. In this experimental study (N=39), participants used interfaces designed for a personal computer or a handheld on a personal computer, a handheld with keyboard, and a handheld with a virtual keyboard/pen input. The context was an interactive natural language query system used for financial and entertainment inquiries. When the interface matched the device, the application was perceived as easier to use. Applications on the personal computer were perceived as easier to use, less impersonal, and made users feel more in control. The handheld interface was perceived as better on all dimensions. Implications for cross-platform interface design are discussed.

Will the experience of playing a violent role in a video game influence people's judgments of violent crimes?

The present study investigates the impact of the experience of role playing a violent character in a video game on attitudes towards violent crimes and criminals. People who played the violent game were found to be more acceptable of crimes and criminals compared to people who did not play the violent game. More importantly, interaction effects were found such that people were more acceptable of crimes and criminals outside the game if the criminals were matched with the role they played in the game and the criminal actions were similar to the activities they perpetrated during the game. The results indicate that peoples virtual experience through role-playing games can influence their attitudes and judgments of similar real-life crimes, especially if the crimes are similar to what they conducted while playing games. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

The effects of familiarity and robot gesture on user acceptance of information

In this study, we explore how people respond to the gesture of a robot as well as how perception toward a robot changes when familiarity increases. To investigate these objectives, we conducted an experiment over three weeks: firstly, we compared two groups (gesture vs. no gesture) to access how the gesture affects peoples acceptance of information; and secondly, we compared three different time points within each condition to examine whether the contact frequency could influence the perception of a robot. The results showed participants in the gesture condition felt greater social interaction, enjoyment, and engagement over the course of three weeks than participants in the no-gesture condition. In addition, the results of longitudinal comparisons showed an interesting pattern (quadratic curve) of changes for enjoyment over three weeks. This study has successfully yielded the positive effects of robots gestures and the important association between familiarity and perception changes in HRI.