DiG Festival - Positive Computing: Technology for wellbeing & human potential, Associate Professor Rafael Calvo University of Sydney

1. 1
POSITIVE COMPUTING
Technology for wellbeing & human potential
Rafael A. Calvo
ARC Future Fellow @ The University of Sydney
DiG Festival,
Newcastle, 16 October 2014
Tweeting?
#PositiveComputing

2. Digital Experience timeline.
1970 1980 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2014

3. Are we any
happier?

4. Wealth, technology, happiness

5. The Machine-Human story
We have significantly overlooked
humanity
and
human-centered needs.

6. We design for…
• Productivity
• Efficiency
• Accuracy
• Speed
• Performance
• Satisfaction
• Pleasure
• Desire
The Tyranny of Productivity

7. We design for proxies
Why design for proxies
when we can design
for the real thing?

8. 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

9. Technology – what’s the point?
What does
wellbeing have to
do with me?
Why aren’t we designing technology to better
support happiness and wellbeing?

10. Foundations in Psychology
MODELS OF POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH
1. Clinical
DSM Global Assessment of Functioning (e.g. CES-D < 16)
EXPERT PERSPECTIVES
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)
COMPONENTS
Autonomy, connectedness, competence (Deci),
Meaning, Positive Emotions, Engagement, (Seligman)
Mindfulness (Davidson) ...
Prof . Felicia Huppert
Director of Cambridge
Well-being Institute
Prof . David Caruso
Yale

11. Moving the population towards
flourishing
Percentage of Population
Common Mental
Disorder
Languishing Moderate
Mental Health
Flourishing
Psychological Resources
Source: Felicia Huppert, Cambridge Wellbeing Institute

12. Designing to support Determinants
of Wellbeing
• Autonomy
• Connectedness
• Self-awareness
• Resilience
• Positive emotions
• Engagement & flow
• Meaning
• Mindfulness
• Empathy
• Compassion &
altruism

13. Positive Emotions
 Emotional Design
 Aesthetics
 Fun, “Delighters”
 Casual Games reduce stress &
depression (eg. Rusoniello et.al.)
EXPERT PERSPECTIVES
Jane McGonigal
Game designer and author
Institute for the Future
EXPERT PERSPECTIVES
Don Norman
One of World’s most influential
designers (Newsweek)

14. 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 friends
1 negative post decreases 1.26 positive
Sunshine and Smiles are Australian exports!

15. Mary-Helen Immordino-
Yang
Brain and Creativity
Institute, USC
Empathy
peacemakergame.com
EXPERT PERSPECTIVES
danah boyd
Social Media researcher at
Harvard andMicrosoft
Frontiers-game.com
Understanding
and experiencing
other’s emotions.
Interactive Guide to Emotions

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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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.

21. Thank you.
PositiveComputing.org
@Rafael_A_Calvo
#PositiveComputing
Coming Nov 2014
PositiveComputing.org