Papers by Brenda K Wiederhold
What Determinants Matter When Users Engage in Particular Collaborative Storytelling Websites? Exp... more What Determinants Matter When Users Engage in Particular Collaborative Storytelling Websites? Exploring Attractive Gamification Features and Design Guidelines 38 4.1 Introduction 38 4.2 Systematic framework of gamification design 40 4.2.1 Achievement 41 4.2.2 Interpersonal relationship 41 4.2.3 Role-playing 42 4.3 Identifying gamification features for collaborative storytelling websites 43 4.3.1 Materials 43 4.3.2 Participants and Procedures 43 4.3.3 Results 43 4.4 Determining the relative attractiveness of gamification features 43 4.4.1 Questionnaire design and data collection 44 4.4.2 Data Analysis 44 4.4.3 Results 45 4.5 Discussion 45 4.5.1 General Discussion 45 4.5.2 Design guideline for implementing gamification in collaborative story telling websites 46 4.6 Conclusion 47 4.
PubMed, 2002
The chapter describes the characteristics of the Experiential-Cognitive Therapy (ECT) protocol fo... more The chapter describes the characteristics of the Experiential-Cognitive Therapy (ECT) protocol for Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia. The goal of ECT is to decondition fear reactions, to modify misinterpretational cognition related to panic symptoms and to reduce anxiety symptoms. This is possible in an average of eight sessions of treatment plus an assessment phase and booster sessions, through the integration of Virtual Experience and traditional cognitive-behavioral techniques. We decided to employ the techniques included in the cognitive-behavioral approach because they showed high levels of efficacy. Through virtual environments we can gradually expose the patient to feared situation: virtual reality consent to re-create in our clinical office a real experiential world. The patient faces the feared stimuli in a context that is nearer to reality than imagination. For ECT we developed the Virtual Environments for Panic Disorders--VEPD--virtual reality system. VEPD is a 4-zone virtual environment developed using the Superscape VRT 5.6 toolkit. The four zones reproduce different potentially fearful situations--an elevator, a supermarket, a subway ride, and large square. In each zone the characteristics of the anxiety-related experience are defined by the therapist through a setup menu.
From a psychosocial viewpoint social networks can be defined as "digital spaces" allowing users t... more From a psychosocial viewpoint social networks can be defined as "digital spaces" allowing users to manage both their network of social relationships (organization, extension, exploration and comparison) and their social identity (description and definition). Moreover, social networks allow the creation of hybrid social networks, at the same time constituted by virtual connections and real connections giving rise to 'interreality', a new social space, more malleable and dynamic than preceding social networks. The hybrid nature-both virtual and real-that characterises the social networks leads them to have two faces, made explicit with the following three paradoxes: If it is possible to effectively use social networks to change our social identity (impression management) it is also true that external intervention can more easily modify the way in which the other members of the network receive our identity (reputation management); If in the social network it is easier to decide how and what features to emphasize within the social identity (personal branding), it is also true that following the traces left by different virtual identities it is easier for others to rebuild our real identity (privacy management). 3. If the social networks, without making any distinction between strong bonds (close friends) and weak ones (acquaintances), enable us to manage with limited effort weak ties facilitating enlargement of the social network, at the same time the lack of difference may make us behave with weak ties alike with strong ties (disappearance of the division of social roles) with all the problems of this situation. In conclusion, if social networks are used by mature people responsibly they provide an excellent opportunity to interact socially, improve their interpersonal relationships, and even conduct business. On the contrary, when used in an irresponsible way by people who are too young it can cause problems and difficulties that in some cases even time cannot erase. 1.1 The social media sites as digital places Today, everyone knows what Facebook is-a social network. But what is a social network? There are three characteristics (Boyd & Ellison, 2007) to characterize a social network from an operational point of view:
Nature Medicine, Dec 16, 2022
Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, May 1, 2021
The new humanoid robots not only perform tasks, but also can activate interactions and social rel... more The new humanoid robots not only perform tasks, but also can activate interactions and social relationships with other robots and with humans. In this view, the diffusion of humanoid robots with a physical structure reminiscent of the human body, endowed with decision-making abilities, and capable of externalizing and generating emotions, is opening a new line of research with a main objective of understanding the dynamics of social interactions generated by the encounters between robots and humans. However, this process is not easy. To be accepted by society, robots have to ''understand'' people and to adapt themselves to complex real-life social environments. This goal underlines the importance for research of aspects such as communication, acceptance, and ethics that require the collaboration between multiple disciplines, including psychology, neuroscience, design, mechatronics, computer science, philosophy, sociology, anthropology, biomechanics, and roboethics. This special issue seeks to gather knowledge from these disciplines with respect to human-robot confluence (HRC) in the application of robots in everyday life, including robot training partners and industrial collaborative robots (Cobots). It covers a wide range of topics related to HRC, involving theories, methodologies, technologies, and empirical and experimental studies. The final goal is to support researchers and developers in creating robots that not only have a humanoid body but that are really ''humane'': accessible, sympathetic, generous, compassionate, and forbearing.
Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 2019
Virtual reality (VR) is no longer a fantasy or a novelty to be used for pure entertainment. It is... more Virtual reality (VR) is no longer a fantasy or a novelty to be used for pure entertainment. It is a technology that has, over the past three decades, taken hold and enriched multiple areas of science, most notably healthcare. Starting from these premises, this special issue will specifically investigate how VR and other important advanced technologies are being adopted and adapted for use in the healthcare field, with a specific focus toward the diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders.
The Internet provides a popular and convenient source of information and support on parenting, of... more The Internet provides a popular and convenient source of information and support on parenting, offering many opportunities for both peer and professional support. Recent studies have also shown that both parents and children can benefit from online parenting support. In this chapter, we describe the current variety of online services for parents, distinguishing between peer support and professional support. Specifically we will focus on the design characteristics of these web-based resources. Since Internet technology is still rapidly developing, many new opportunities for social networking are available. The provision of multilayered interaction (many-to-many, one-tomany, one-to-one) and the use of multiple components in websites may enhance the way parents feel supported. Also, training can be added to online programs, which aims to change parental knowledge, behavior and attitude. Furthermore, we discuss experimental results from recent meta-analytic study on the effects of online parental education. Providing an overview of the past decade, we discuss two major trends which give direction to future research and development: missing aspects of research on online social networking and inspiring opportunities for online professional support for parents. 2.1 Parenting and Social Networking Today's parents are known to be frequent users of the Internet in search of both information and support (Plantin & Daneback, 2009; Nieuwboer, Fukkink, & Hermanns, 2013a). The Internet is available to many families, especially in developed countries, (www.internetworldstats.com), and in recent years, its accessibility and availability has increased through the use of tablets and smartphones (www. pewinternet.org). Interestingly, reviewing the scholarly literature of studies on peer and professional parenting support on the Internet (Nieuwboer et al., 2013a, and complementing this study with 11 more recent studies up to October 2013), we found that the focus of studies is on pregnancy, first time parenting and young children, as well as on health related topics. Professional support on the Internet is described with many different terms, like web-based therapy, e-health, online counseling, or cybertherapy; and practitioners in many disciplines are involved in providing support to parents, like psychologists, counselors, pediatricians and nurses. Peer support is often initiated by parents with
This paper presents an overview of the development of the Learning in Virtual Environments progra... more This paper presents an overview of the development of the Learning in Virtual Environments programme (LIVE), carried out in special education over the last four years. It is more precisely a project chronology, so that the reader can sense the historical development of the programme rather than giving emphasis to any one particular feature or breakthrough, which are covered in other papers and available through the authors. The project conception in a special school in Nottingham is followed by a description of the development of experiential and communicational virtual learning environments. These are followed, in turn, by the results of our testing programmes which show that experience gained in a virtual environment can transfer to the real world and that their use can encourage self-directed activity in students with severe learning difficulties. Also included is a discussion of the role of virtual learning environments (VLEs) in special education and of its attributes in the context of contemporary educational theory.
The Internet provides a popular and convenient source of information and support on parenting, of... more The Internet provides a popular and convenient source of information and support on parenting, offering many opportunities for both peer and professional support. Recent studies have also shown that both parents and children can benefit from online parenting support. In this chapter, we describe the current variety of online services for parents, distinguishing between peer support and professional support. Specifically we will focus on the design characteristics of these web-based resources. Since Internet technology is still rapidly developing, many new opportunities for social networking are available. The provision of multilayered interaction (many-to-many, one-tomany, one-to-one) and the use of multiple components in websites may enhance the way parents feel supported. Also, training can be added to online programs, which aims to change parental knowledge, behavior and attitude. Furthermore, we discuss experimental results from recent meta-analytic study on the effects of online parental education. Providing an overview of the past decade, we discuss two major trends which give direction to future research and development: missing aspects of research on online social networking and inspiring opportunities for online professional support for parents. 2.1 Parenting and Social Networking Today's parents are known to be frequent users of the Internet in search of both information and support (Plantin & Daneback, 2009; Nieuwboer, Fukkink, & Hermanns, 2013a). The Internet is available to many families, especially in developed countries, (www.internetworldstats.com), and in recent years, its accessibility and availability has increased through the use of tablets and smartphones (www. pewinternet.org). Interestingly, reviewing the scholarly literature of studies on peer and professional parenting support on the Internet (Nieuwboer et al., 2013a, and complementing this study with 11 more recent studies up to October 2013), we found that the focus of studies is on pregnancy, first time parenting and young children, as well as on health related topics. Professional support on the Internet is described with many different terms, like web-based therapy, e-health, online counseling, or cybertherapy; and practitioners in many disciplines are involved in providing support to parents, like psychologists, counselors, pediatricians and nurses. Peer support is often initiated by parents with
Journal of Clinical Medicine
The COVID-19 pandemic has severe consequences for physical as well as mental well-being. In times... more The COVID-19 pandemic has severe consequences for physical as well as mental well-being. In times of restricted social contact, online self-help programs offer a low-threshold first aid to cope with the psychological burden. This current study evaluates the online self-help protocol “COVID Feel Good” in a German sample. The multicentric study was designed as a single cohort with a waiting list control condition. The convenience sample consisted of 38 German individuals who experienced at least two months of restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 7-day self-help protocol included the VR video “Secret Garden” as well as a social or cognitive exercise each day. General distress, depression, anxiety, stress, and hopelessness were assessed as primary outcomes. Social connectedness and fear of coronavirus were measured as secondary outcomes. Results showed a significant decrease in all primary outcomes except for hopelessness. Furthermore, the results indicated a significant impro...
The major technology companies are investing significant sums of money in the creation of the met... more The major technology companies are investing significant sums of money in the creation of the metaverse whose main feature will be the fusion between the virtual world and the physical one. To allow this possibility is one of the less obvious features of the metaverse: the metaverse works like our minds. This ability makes the metaverse a significantly different technology from its predecessors. If television and social media are persuasive technologies, because of their ability to influence people's attitudes and behaviors, the metaverse is instead a transformative technology, capable of modifying what people think reality is. To achieve this goal the technologies of the metaverse hacks different key cognitive mechanisms: the experience of being in a place and in a body, the processes of brain-to-brain attunement and synchrony, and the ability of experiencing and inducing emotions. Clearly, these possibilities define totally new scenarios with positive and negative outcomes. Ed...
Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking
In the past years, the field of collaborative robots has been developing fast, with applications ... more In the past years, the field of collaborative robots has been developing fast, with applications ranging from health care to search and rescue, construction, entertainment, sports, and many others. However, current social robotics is still far from the general abilities we expect in a robot collaborator. This limitation is more evident when robots are faced with real-life contexts and activities occurring over long periods. In this article, we argue that human-robot collaboration is more than just being able to work side by side on complementary tasks: collaboration is a complex relational process that entails mutual understanding and reciprocal adaptation. Drawing on this assumption, we propose to shift the focus from ''human-robot interaction'' to ''human-robot shared experience.'' We hold that for enabling the emergence of such shared experiential space between humans and robots, constructs such as coadaptation, intersubjectivity, individual differences, and identity should become the central focus of modeling. Finally, we suggest that this shift in perspective would imply changing current mainstream design approaches, which are mainly focused on functional aspects of the humanrobot interaction, to the development of architectural frameworks that integrate the enabling dimensions of social cognition.
The increasing interest of neuroscience, cognitive science and social psychology towards the stud... more The increasing interest of neuroscience, cognitive science and social psychology towards the study of the body experience is providing a more comprehensive framework for the Bodily Self Consciousness (BSC), namely the experience of being in a body. In particular, it suggests that BSC is the outcome of the “body matrix” a supramodal multi-sensory representation of the body and the space around it which provides predictions about the expected sensory input and tries to minimize the amount of free energy (or ‘surprise’). The contents of the body matrix are modified by bottom-up prediction errors that signal mismatches between predicted and actual content of the different body representations. In this view, damage, malfunctioning, or altered feedback from and toward the body matrix might be involved in the aetiology of different clinical disturbances: from neurological disorders, such as chronic pain and neglect to psychiatric disorders, such as depression, schizophrenia, eating and wei...
The primary aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of a self-help virtual thera... more The primary aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of a self-help virtual therapeutic experience (COVID Feel Good) for reducing the psychological burden experienced during the COVID-19 lockdown across different countries. For this purpose, we focused on participants recruited from June 2020 to May 2021 in the context of a European multicenter project including four university/academic sites. Primary outcome measures were depression, anxiety and stress symptoms, perceived stress levels and hopelessness. Secondary outcomes were the experienced social connectedness and the level of fear experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. To assess the efficacy of the intervention in a multicentric context, we evaluated the strength of evidence supporting the COVID Feel Good computing a single summary estimate of the effect across the different countries. Using separate linear mixed-effect models, the most consistent result across the different countries was an improvement of th...
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Papers by Brenda K Wiederhold