Affect and Human-Computer Interaction IS 588 Spring 2007 Week 4 Dr. Dania Bilal Dr. Lorraine Normore

What is Affect? The type and degree of emotion a person displays The experienced, subjective, and conscious aspect of feeling or emotion Positive Negative Neutral

Affect Theory Developed by Silvan S. Tomkins in 1962 Tomkins believed that the affect system is the motivating force in human life. Organized affect into 3 main categories: Positive, negative, and neutral Total of nine affects (see Affect Class Exercise)

The Nine Affects “Can be used as a blueprint for optimal mental health” (Tomkins, 1962) Maximize positive affect and minimize negative affect Students: In what other daily life or practice can these affects be applied?

Computer Interaction Today’s use of computers has become the norm Most interface design is not user-centered No matter how hard researchers perfect computers and interface design, frustration can happen during the interaction (Picard, 1999).

User Frustration See Text, p. 147. Reducing user frustration and other negative affect: Design interfaces that support user positive behavior Students to give suggestions

Affective Computing Coined by Rosalind Picard Founder and director of the Affective Computing Research Group at the MIT Media Lab. Book, Affective Computing (1997) lays the groundwork for giving machines the skills of emotional intelligence.

Picard’s Research Develop “new technologies and theories that advance basic understanding of affect and its role in human experience.” “Aim to restore a proper balance between emotion and cognition in the design of technologies for addressing human needs” (http://affect.media.mit.edu/index.php).

Affective Computing Projects Agents Robots http://www.bartneck.de/link/affective_portal.html#library Wearable devices, toys, mirrors, etc. http://affect.media.mit.edu/projects.php

Coping Skills Balance of cognition and emotion Ability to know what you’re feeling (e.g., frustrated, worried), to rise above it and handle the situation productively. Need meta-affective skills Project: MIT Fostering Affect Awareness and Regulation in Learning http://affect.media.mit.edu/projects.php?id=1875

Emotional Intelligence (EI) IQ is not the only indicator of intelligence (Emotional Intelligence book by Daniel Goleman, 1995) EI: Awareness and ability to manage one’s emotions in a healthy manner. EI: Ability to sense, perceive, understand, and assess own and other people’s emotions