The Media Equation
The media equation is a fancy name for saying that humans treat their interaction with technology as if they were interacting with another human being. This means that when we interact with technology, we often apply the same social and emotional rules that we use when interacting with people in real life.
For example, when we talk to a robot that is programmed to respond to us in a friendly way, we might start to treat that robot as if it were a real friend - we might start to bond with it, share secrets with it, or even start to feel attached to it. Similarly, when we watch a movie or play a video game, we might feel emotions such as fear, joy, or sadness as if we were experiencing those emotions in real life.
Overall, the media equation suggests that our brains don't always differentiate between human and technological interactions in the same way that we might consciously think they do. We treat machines and media as if they were living beings with feelings and personalities, and this impacts the way we interact with and perceive technology.
For example, when we talk to a robot that is programmed to respond to us in a friendly way, we might start to treat that robot as if it were a real friend - we might start to bond with it, share secrets with it, or even start to feel attached to it. Similarly, when we watch a movie or play a video game, we might feel emotions such as fear, joy, or sadness as if we were experiencing those emotions in real life.
Overall, the media equation suggests that our brains don't always differentiate between human and technological interactions in the same way that we might consciously think they do. We treat machines and media as if they were living beings with feelings and personalities, and this impacts the way we interact with and perceive technology.