dig festival - positive computing, associate professor rafael calvo

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POSITIVE COMPUTINGTechnology for wellbeing & human potential

Rafael A. CalvoARC Future Fellow @ The University of Sydney

DiG Festival, Newcastle, 16 October 2014

Tweeting?

#PositiveComputing

Digital Experience timeline.

1970 1980 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2014

Are we any happier?

Wealth, technology, happiness

The Machine-Human story

We have significantly overlookedhumanity

and human-centered needs.

We design for…• Productivity • Efficiency • Accuracy • Speed

• Performance• Satisfaction • Pleasure • Desire

The Tyranny of Productivity

We design for proxies

Why design for proxies when we can design

for the real thing?

Technology should be designed to support

psychological wellbeing.

POSITIVE COMPUTING: noun. “The research and development of technology to support wellbeing and human potential”

Coming Nov 2014

Technology – what’s the point?

Why aren’t we designing technology to better support happiness and wellbeing?

What does wellbeing have to do with me?

Foundations in Psychology MODELS OF POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH1. Clinical

DSM Global Assessment of Functioning (e.g. CES-D < 16)

2. Positive Psychology (e.g. Seligman, Lyubimorski, Huppert )

3. Socio-emotional intelligence (e.g. Salovey, Mayer & Caruso)

4. Self-determination Theory (Ryan & Deci)

5. Subjective well-being (e.g. Diener, Kahneman)

6. Neuroscience and Physiology (e.g., Panksepp, Davidson)

COMPONENTSAutonomy, connectedness, competence (Deci),

Meaning, Positive Emotions, Engagement, (Seligman)

Mindfulness (Davidson) ...

Prof . Felicia Huppert Director of Cambridge Well-being Institute

EXPERT PERSPECTIVES

Prof . David Caruso Yale

Moving the population towards flourishing

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Common Mental Disorder

Languishing ModerateMental Health

Flourishing

Psychological Resources

Source: Felicia Huppert, Cambridge Wellbeing Institute

Designing to support Determinants of Wellbeing

• Autonomy• Connectedness• Self-awareness• Resilience• Positive emotions• Engagement & flow

• Meaning• Mindfulness• Empathy• Compassion &

altruism

Emotional Design

Aesthetics

Fun, “Delighters”

Casual Games reduce stress & depression (eg. Rusoniello et.al.)

Positive Emotions

Jane McGonigalGame designer and authorInstitute for the Future

EXPERT PERSPECTIVES

Don NormanOne of World’s most influential designers (Newsweek)

EXPERT PERSPECTIVES

Positive Emotions spread

Detecting Emotional Contagion in Massive Social Networks. Coviello, Lorenzo, et al. PloS one 9.3 (2014): e90315.

Facebook data over 2 years

People happier on holidays and sunny days

Happiness spreads: 1 positive posts decreases 1.80 negative posts in friends1 negative post decreases 1.26 positive

Sunshine and Smiles are Australian exports!

Mary-Helen Immordino-YangBrain and Creativity Institute, USC

Empathy

peacemakergame.com

EXPERT PERSPECTIVES

danah boydSocial Media researcher at Harvard and Microsoft

Frontiers-game.com

Interactive Guide to Emotions

Understandingand experiencingother’s emotions.

Facebook’s work in Positive Computing: “Compassion Project”[Conflict-Resolution, Empathy]

Helping those who help others: “Moderator Assistant” [Resilience, meaning]

In Partnership with:

Ming Liu, Rafael A. Calvo, Tracey Davenport, Ian Hickie "Moderator Assistant: helping those who help via online mental health support groups". Social Technologies for Health and Wellbeing' workshop at OzChi 2013. Nov 25 & 26. Adelaide, South Australia

Helping those who help others: “Moderator Assistant” [Resilience, meaning]

In Partnership with:

Ming Liu, Rafael A. Calvo, Tracey Davenport, Ian Hickie "Moderator Assistant: helping those who help via online mental health support groups". Social Technologies for Health and Wellbeing' workshop at OzChi 2013. Nov 25 & 26. Adelaide, South Australia

Helping those who help others: “Moderator Assistant” [Resilience, meaning]

In Partnership with:

Ming Liu, Rafael A. Calvo, Tracey Davenport, Ian Hickie "Moderator Assistant: helping those who help via online mental health support groups". Social Technologies for Health and Wellbeing' workshop at OzChi 2013. Nov 25 & 26. Adelaide, South Australia

What Next?

Technology companies: we need you Designers: we need you Health and Social scientists: we need you Consumers (everyone) we need you to

demand that your digital experience supports your wellbeing.

Thank you.

PositiveComputing.org

@Rafael_A_Calvo

#PositiveComputing

Coming Nov 2014

PositiveComputing.org