psychology-of-engagement
A new mode of relating to technology where users actively engage with robots as social beings rather than merely projecting feelings onto inanimate objects.
2 chapters across 2 books
Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other (2011)Sherry Turkle
Chapter 2 explores children's interactions with Furbies, sociable robotic toys that blur the lines between machine and living creature by requiring care, teaching, and emotional engagement. The chapter details how children attribute biological and emotional qualities to Furbies, treating them as kin and partners in reciprocal relationships, which challenges traditional notions of dolls and machines. This dynamic illustrates a shift from projection onto objects to genuine engagement with relational artifacts that present themselves as having needs and intentions.
The Second Self (1984)Sherry Turkle
This chapter explores children's interactions with Furbies, sociable robotic toys that blur the lines between machine and living creature. Children treat Furbies as alive enough to require care, teaching, and emotional engagement, which challenges their understanding of biology and machinery. The chapter highlights how Furbies, unlike traditional dolls, demand reciprocal relationships and foster a new psychology of engagement rather than mere projection.