Microblogs #9 - Media Equation

Part 1:
Summary:
In this paper, the authors show that people have a tendency to mindlessly apply human characteristics to computers, even if consciously they believe the idea to be ridiculous. They show in a series of tests that people profiled computers based on gender, ethnicity, and loyalty, just by slightly changing the stimulus that the computer gave. Additionally, they displayed social behaviors as well.

Discussion:
To be honest, I didn't find this very surprising. I always refer to my computers like they are people, especially if they act up. Now that I write that down here, that is kind of weird to say, but it's true nonetheless.


Part 2:
Summary:
In this paper, the authors try to see if human social cues will be applied to computers. They attempt five different tests: politeness, self and other, voice self and other, gender, and programmer v. computer. They found that people do in fact apply politeness and gender roles to the computer based upon its voice.

Discussion:
To me, this paper is basically a repeat of the previous paper. However, it is interesting to see a repeat of the validity of the experiment, even though I think it is quite obvious that people place human qualities on computers.


Part 3:
Summary:
In this paper, the authors demonstrate that personality can be given to a computer without any special artificial intelligence. They showed that changing the way computers gave information not only made them seem more dominant or submissive, it also made people like or dislike them more based on their own personalities.

Discussion:
Again, no surprises here. I have applied personalities to people I have never met when reading a book, so finding it out that people apply it to a machine isn't incredibly exciting.