Intergenerational Emotional Communication

Between geographically separated grandparents and grandchildren

By: Rozina Sidhu Koskela

RELATEDNESS

Connectedness Intimacy Love Belonging Closeness Togetherness

(Hassenzahl et al; All you need is love)  

COMMUNICATION

 Digital gameplay Unified communication Telecommunications

THE CONTEXT

Traditional V’s modern families Geographic separation > Dependence on IEC’s    

WHAT DO WE KNOW?

Grandparents & grandchildren play together

The way they conduct activities in the same place

face to face V’s technology mediated communication

DESIGN KNOWLEDGE

Use the basis of offline activities…(face to face)

To gain a design approach for: - online activities - evaluation of concepts - prototypes

   

ATTRIBUTES

Activity duration/exiting Scheduling activities Preparation & initiation Content of activities Shortness & simplicity Artifacts Social presence

 (Fuchsberger, V., et al; Attributes of successful intergenerational online activities)

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

How do grandparents and grandchildren communicate over distance at the present day? How is the communication organized? Which factors affect communication over distance negatively?

Which face to face activities do grandparents and grandchildren conduct together for entertainment and for fostering their relationship? How are these activities organized?

What affects face to face activities negatively?

STRATEGIES

JOINT ACTION GIFT GIVING  

(Hassenzahl et al; All you need is love)  

JOINT ACTION

Artifacts that allow for carrying out an action together

Established routines v’s new routines Requirements for design: - activating communication - behavioral interdependence - selection of activities - serendipity

GIFT GIVING

Artifacts that demonstrate caring and valuing the other person by gift giving. Requirements for design: - reflection - effort and appreciation - thoughtfulness and similarity - symbolic communication

DISTRIBUTED HIDE & SEEK

A game that helps to bridge the gap

between grandparents and grandchildren separated by distance    

(Vetere,  F.,  Nolan,  M.,  Raman,  R.,  2006)  

CHALLENGES

Designing for the very young Designing for the elderly Supporting a playful activity Situating play “in the world” Strengthening social relationships Engendering pleasure

     

SCENARIO

Feedback: Voice communication Musical Reward  

Sharing: Artifacts

Gift giving (Hassenzahl et al)

Psychological aspects/requirements for design  

Roles: Swapping through toggling  

Situation action - “Interrelationship between an action and context of performance” (Chen & Rada)

Joint action integrated into digital world

Connected play – repertoire of emotions

Content of activities > learning environment > virtual social presence  

SITUATED PLAY  

Design for technologically naïve > simple knowledge Consensual decisions made > change status Supports: preparation & initiation activity duration – opting out

OTHER FINDINGS…

TELEPHONE

Emotion through language Functionality v’s relatedness (Hassenzahl, et al)

Inability to contextualize shared experience (Feltham, F., et al)

Joint activity supported by synchronal joint information (Evjemo, B., et al)

A GIVEN CONTEXT  “sharing the day’s events” - digital screen (pictures & drawings) + - telephone for voice communication “sharing grandma’s world” - Digital screen (sources of information) + - telephone for voice communication Sharing artifacts Ø connecting emotions Ø Social virtual presence

                                   

                                                                 

(Evjemo, B., Svendsen, G., Rinde, E., Johnsen, J. 2004).

EMERGING THEMES

Creation of meaning Narrative & Language

CREATING MEANING

Making games meaningful - Salen & Zimmerman Semiotics - well designed interactions Social & psychological experience – virtual game world      

          (De Schutter, B.,Vanden Abeele, V. 2010)

 

NARRATIVE & LANGUAGE

Emergent narrative: -  coupled -  context dependent

Explicit v’s implicit communication - explicit expression supported by expressivity - grandparents definition of role > trust

ANALYSIS

Face to Face

EMOTION

RELATIONSHIP TECHNOLOGY

Joint Action

Tech mediated

Happy & fun Comfort & yearning

Reassurance & obligation Identity & hope

Specific user for specific media

 

Doing things together

Object with

meaning

(Ref: Kim, H & Monk; emotions experienced by families living at a distance)  

THANK YOU!