Social developments from digital environments

12. The Media Equation

• People act as though Media equals Real Life.
  • People expect new media to follow the natural rules of interpersonal interaction, as though the rules apply in and to media as well.
  • People respond socially and naturally to media even though they believe it is not reasonable to do so and though they don't think they themselves do.
    • People can think through this
      and avoid it but when they don't (when tired, distracted, busy, "normal," on autopilot),
      they follow the equation.
  • New media, old brain
  • People like most that which is present, simple,social, natural, easy.
• DO NOT SKIP THIS PART:
  • Summary of some of their findings, in categories

Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy

BraveMind
Bravemind: Using Virtual Reality to Treat PTSD
Using Virtual Reality to Treat PTSD (video)

Concept 12 Analysis article:

"AI Is Becoming More Conversant. But Will It Get More Honest?"
<https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/10/science/character-ai-chatbot-intelligence.html>

want to learn more?

Yuval Noah Harari. Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow. Harper-Collins, 2017.

Watch this presentation:
Games Move Us - An Exploration of Design Innovations that Lead to Player Emotions

Advanced work at

Media X at Stanford