Science fiction reduces the eeriness of android robots: A field experiment

As suggested by the uncanny valley hypothesis, robots that resemble humans likely elicit feelings of eeriness. Based on the psychological model of meaning maintenance, we expected that the uncanny valley experience could be mitigated through a fictional story, due to the meaning-generating function of narratives. A field experiment was conducted, in which 75 participants interacted with the humanlike robot Telenoid. Prior to the interaction, they either read a short story, a non-narrative leaflet about the robot, or they received no preliminary information. Eeriness ratings were significantly lower in the science fiction condition than in both other conditions. This effect was mediated by higher perceived human-likeness of the robot. Our findings suggest that science fiction may provide meaning for otherwise unsettling future technologies.     

Using narratives in conferences to improve the CMC learning environment

Abstract This paper reports on the use of short stories in Internet discussions to promote student learning. It describes off-campus teacher education students CMC discussions of short stories concerning issues in human development. The content of students' discussions is analysed, as is their perceptions of the value of the discussion stories. The results indicate that the use of narratives can improve the social environment of online conferences and contribute to collaborative student learning.     

Computer-mediated persuasion in online reviews: Statistical versus narrative evidence

The current study examined the effects of online product reviews on individuals’ credibility perceptions of the reviews and their attitudes about the product targeted in the reviews. Study 1 used a 2 (review type: statistical and narrative) × 2 (review valence: negative and positive) design, and study 2 used a 2 (statistical review valence: positive and negative) × 2 (narrative review valence: positive and negative) design. The findings of study 1 were consistent with those of study 2 and indicated that negative statistical reviews were perceived as more credible than negative narrative reviews, while the credibility of positive statistical reviews did not differ from that of positive narrative reviews. On the other hand, statistical reviews and narrative reviews did not differ in terms of affecting individuals’ attitudes about the product. The current study also found that the vividness and valence of each review type had varying effects on review credibility and attitudes about the product. The implications of these and other findings are discussed in detail in the paper.     

解读方方小说的死亡叙事

中国当代女作家方方的小说因从不同角度、以不同形式呈现死亡而展示给读者独特的风景。方方小说的死亡叙事具有多样性和复杂性,死亡或是方方小说叙事的主轴、舞台的主角,或是小说暗藏的玄机、命运的密码;更或是人性脆弱妥协、变异扭曲的必然结果。方方正是以独特的死亡叙事坚守了自己关注人性、关注人的命运的文学信念。     

Another look at ‘being there’ experiences in digital media: Exploring connections of telepresence with mental imagery

Substantial multidisciplinary research has established foundational support for the consumer behaviour phenomenon that underlies the experience of telepresence within online social networks and other digital media products that provide hedonistic value. A review of major perspectives in this field provides justification of the important role mental imagery processes play in the phenomenon of telepresence. In line with this, we propose to extend existing approaches to mental imagery to reach the context of user experiences in digital media, and to theoretically connect telepresence with mental imagery. On this basis, and in conjunction with investigations bringing to light processes that intervene in the terrain of mental imagery, we present an integrative conceptual framework concerned with telepresence, and discuss the role of telepresence within a user’s hedonistic usage of digital media products.     

Toward TechnoAccess: A narrative review of disabled and aging experiences of using technology to access the arts

This paper presents a narrative literature review that addresses the issue of how disabled and aging people access the arts through technology. Our review synthesized 56 studies about disabled and aging people's experiences of access through technology, with a focus on methods used and accounts of user experiences/stories to inform a Canadian research and development initiative called Accessing the Arts. We urge designers and developers to consider the complex, multimodal sociotechnical relationships surrounding technology and access—or TechnoAccess—as they develop technology with disability, aging and access in mind. Although existing evidence offers ways to improve everyone's access to the arts, recommendations are provided for research around access and technology as an inherently politicized topic that must be informed by disabled and aging people's intersectional cultural experiences, including how they wish to use technology to access the arts.     

Towards a narrative theory of virtual reality

Virtual Reality (VR), by its nature and characteristics, is of specific interest to the AI community, particularly in the domains of Storytelling and Intelligent Characters. We argue that VR must be considered a particular narrative medium alongside Theatre, Literature or Cinema. This paper reviews relevant work in narrative theory from Plato onwards, including the work and theories of literary critics [1], cinema critics [2–4] and theatrical dramaturges [5], and analyses the specific characteristics of VR relevant to this theory. Less studied media such as Live Role Playing Games, improvisational drama and participatory drama are also considered. Finally, this document argues for a participatoryprocess-oriented narrative, with particular attention to the specificities and particularities of stories and their possible representation, adapted to the narrative medium Virtual Reality.     

Storytelling in virtual environments from a virtual guide perspective

This paper describes our proposal for storytelling in virtual environments from a virtual guide perspective, detailing the involved knowledge representation and algorithms. In our model the guide begins at a particular location and starts to navigate the world telling the user stories related to the places she visits. Our guide tries to emulate a real guides behaviour in such a situation. In particular, she behaves as a spontaneous real guide who knows stories about the places in the virtual world but has not prepared an exhaustive tour nor a storyline.     

An empirical study of narrative imagery in implicit and explicit contexts

This study investigates if imagery is an inherent construct to narrative by playing a role in storytelling and comprehension. Visualization activities consist of ones that depend on pictures or physical objects and those do not depend on extraneous visual artifacts. The understandings of both types of visualization will contribute to their application and integration. In light of rapid development of technology and drastic increase of multimedia representations in social communication, applying storytelling approach to system design is increasingly relevant to many researchers who are eager to bring visual thinking to the classroom, alternative to applying physical visual artifacts. In this study, we looked into the cognitive process evoked in the comprehension of narrative and its similarity to imagery as an individual cognition. We transformed a course into conversational narrative and participants were randomly assigned into three sections, two were in narrative text and one was in expository text. Sections 1 and 2 were in narrative text, but only participants from section 1 were prompt for image creation before writing essays. Section 3 was in expository text and participants were also prompt for image creation before writing essays. The independent samples t-test was used to compare the mean scores of three groups on creativity score and word total across the sections. Our study found that narrative was able to activate the imagery world of the participants without giving them further instructions explicitly suggesting so. The implicit imagery context created by reading narratives had a stronger impact on creativity than that of explicit imagery creation context that did not involve of narrative comprehension. The study suggests that narrative innately provides some sort of control to its user cognitively and can be integrated with other types of media in design.     

New Active Tools for Supporting Narrative Structures

Constructing stories is a type of playing that involves mobilizing the storyteller’s imagination and finding original ways to convey narrative intentions. When a child invents a story, there is a natural interaction with the local environment and the use of various means of expression. We adopted a user-centered approach to design POGO, a playful environment which utilizes the child’s physical environment and sensory modalities. Pogo is a system of active tools that enable children to create stories by connecting physical and virtual environments. By providing children with the possibility of capturing and manipulating images and various media, and combining them in sequential form, Pogo triggered new strategies in the construction of narrative logic, time and space, in the construction of the episodes and in the visual narration. Correspondence to: Fran?oise Decortis, Psychology and Education Sciences Department, University of Liege, 4000 Liege, Belgium. Email:francoise.decortis@ulg.ac.be