Imagined Interactions Research Articles

How Boardgame Players Imagine Interacting With Technology

Modern digitally-augmented boardgames have, with few exceptions, relied primarily on mobile devices rather than taking advantage of other components such as microcontrollers, sensors, and actuators. What alternative shapes might such games take? And what types of player experiences might such games support? To begin to map out answers to these questions, we collected information about how 31 hobbyist boardgame players envision interacting with technology in future analogue-digital hybrid games, using a rapid idea generation activity. We employed a qualitative content analysis approach to identify their envisioned game components, player interactions with these components, and game effects triggered by these interactions. From this analysis, we constructed a taxonomy of analogue-digital hybrid board games as envisioned by players. This paper uses the taxonomy to organise a detailed discussion of players' imagined interactions. This work thus contributes a player-centric exploration of the design space of hybrid digital-analogue games, with the aim of inspiring new, alternative approaches to boardgame design. Based on the taxonomy, we have additionally released a free and open-source ideation card deck to support new avenues into the design of future hybrid games.

Utopian Science Fiction and Ethnic Future Imagination in Chinese Contemporary Science Fiction

Utopian science fiction, as a fusion of science fiction literature and utopian literature, integrates the construction of imagined interactions between people, technology, society, and the environment in future narratives. In doing so, it deepens the aesthetic value and social significance of science fiction literature. Chinese science fiction utopian future narratives use technological imagination to construct three models of expression. First, they re-examine the symbiotic patterns of technology, humanity, and time within the multiple dimensions of human subjectivity. Second, within the transformation of social structures, they reassess the subject and emotions, recognizing that the acceleration of social change has transformed human nostalgia into a series of rehearsals seeking future possibilities in the past. Third, within the dissolution of cultural politics, they reconsider space and the environment, reconstructing planetary existence through a model of deterritorialization. The imagined technological developments constitute the internal logic of Chinese science fiction utopian future narratives, suggesting that the future is an uncertain movement entangled with technology, time, space, and human nature. The confluence of technology, time, and humanity gives rise to people’s expectations and yearnings for eternal life. However, these three modes of narrating the future also lead us to return to Earth as the central theme, highlighting the planetary nature and reflecting on the meaning of existence.

Affectional interactions with your animated child avatar can enhance wellbeing

IntroductionThe aim of this proof-of-concept study was to evaluate the efficacy of a new virtual reality (VR) platform for practising the Self-Attachment Technique (SAT) in a non-clinical population. The growing prevalence of mental health problems underscores the urgent need for scalable and effective interventions. SAT is a self-administered psychotherapeutic technique where the individual creates an affectional bond with their childhood self and vows to re-raise this child to emotional wellbeing. Digital technologies like VR and avatars can naturally enhance SAT by improving imaginative interactions with the childhood self.MethodsOver an 8-week period, participants practised the SAT exercises either by animating their personalised childhood avatar into different emotional states in VR or by imaginatively using their childhood photos. Participants’ measurements were collected before and after the intervention as well as at 3-month follow-up, and analysed to understand whether changes over time, in the areas of wellbeing, self-compassion and psychological capital, are significant.ResultsOverall, participants experienced significant improvement in wellbeing (primary outcome) with large effect size (r=0.86). Further exploratory analysis of our findings indicated that the effect of VR (d=1.12) was better compared to the childhood photos (d=0.47). Qualitative evidence from the present study suggested that the intervention had a positive impact on participants’ daily lives.DiscussionThis study showed that practising SAT using the participant’s childhood avatar in a virtual environment has potential for enduring effects that need to be validated in future randomised trials.

“Will they assume I’m racist?” How racial ingroup members’ stereotypical behavior impacts White Americans’ interracial interaction experiences

Three studies ( N = 1,427) examine White Americans’ threat and stress appraisals and coping strategies in imagined inter- and intraracial interactions when a nearby White person does something racist. White individuals report heightened concern about being stereotyped as racist (i.e., metastereotyping) following an ingroup member’s stereotype-confirming (vs. neutral) behavior (Studies 1–3). Moreover, across studies, these heightened metastereotypes predict greater anxiety, which in turn predicts anticipated coping strategies (e.g., increased motivation to disprove the stereotype). Additionally, relative to imagined interactions with a White partner, these consequences of witnessing a White person’s anti-Black bias are significantly stronger with a Black or Latinx (Studies 1 and 2) but not an Asian (Study 3, preregistered) interaction partner. This work highlights how an ingroup member’s racist behavior is a situational stressor for White people during intergroup encounters, engendering coping strategies to protect the self and manage the ensuing interaction.

Black individuals' suspicion of Whites' motives negatively predicts expected efficacy with White social partners.

Interracial efficacy is critical to intergroup interactions. However, the antecedents of interracial efficacy are unclear and rarely studied from the perspectives of Black individuals. The current work addresses these empirical gaps by testing whether individual differences in suspicion of Whites' motives negatively relate to expected efficacy in interracial interactions. Suspicion was operationalized as beliefs that Whites' positivity toward people of color (POC) is primarily motivated by concerns with appearing prejudiced. Four studies employing correlational and experimental vignette designs with Black adult participants (Ntotal = 2,295; ∼60% female) tested suspicion's hypothesized negative relation with three conceptions of interracial efficacy (general efficacy, liking-based efficacy, and respect-based efficacy). Four studies provided consistent evidence that suspicion of Whites' motives negatively related to expected efficacy in interactions with White social partners. Moreover, this relationship was unique to contexts with White partners and did not extend to imagined interactions with Black partners or members of other outgroup members (e.g., Latine partners). Results further suggest suspicion increases expected threat (i.e., anticipated uncertainty/anxiety), which undermines Black individuals' confidence in interactions with White partners. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The name’s bond. parasocial bond: imagined interactions and state-level empathy

ABSTRACT Empathy, whether state or trait, is an individual’s ability to adopt another’s perspective, feel another’s feelings, or identify with another’s situation (Campbell & Babrow, 2004; Davis, 1983; Nezlek etal., 2007). Research reliably shows relationships between empathy and parasocial interactions (e.g. psychological engagements with fictional characters; Giles, 2002; Tsao, 1996; Zillmann, 1994). The current study sought to identify the relationship between the type of parasocial interactions and subsequent changes in state-level empathy via an experimental design. Results indicate state-level empathy changes are contingent upon valence (i.e. Favorite vs. Least Favorite) and status (i.e. Real vs. Parasocial) of the imagined interaction.

Questioning the potential of tourism‐related imagined contact in improving interethnic relations in Türkiye

AbstractWith three experimental studies, we used the imagined contact hypothesis to investigate the efficiency of tourist‐host contacts in promoting positive interethnic attitudes in Türkiye. Participants (ethnic Turks) were asked to envision themselves as tourists, interacting with a local minority member (either a Kurd or an Armenian) in the imagined destination place. We manipulated three variables: contact type (standard vs. friendship‐fostering contact), tourism form (domestic vs. international), and tourist‐host hierarchy. Study 1 (N = 261) and Study 3 (N = 284) examined attitudes toward Kurds, whereas Study 2 (N = 324) focused on views toward Armenians. An imagined interethnic contact with friendship potential in the domestic tourism setting (compared to an imagined trip without contact) produced higher approach intentions toward Kurds and Armenians, greater support for multiculturalism, and more positive affect toward Armenians. Surprisingly, when tourism‐related imagined interactions were hierarchical (i.e., tourist‐service personnel interaction) rather than egalitarian (i.e., tourist–resident interaction), they elicited more support for multiculturalism and higher approach intentions toward Kurds. Based on our findings, we propose tourism‐based imagined contact as a novel intervention technique for promoting more harmonious interethnic relations, particularly by incorporating friendship potential.

Measuring the Mediated Imagined Interaction Hypothesis: Scale Development

Expanding the Mediated Imagined Interaction Hypothesis, this article contributes the development of a scale to test the theoretical construct. Interweaving imagined interactions and media, the mediated imagined interaction hypothesis examines how media impacts how people imagine their real life conversations and interactions with others. The multiphase scale development and testing process for the Mediated Imagined Interaction Scale are presented in this article. Further explorations for application of this scale are discussed.

For imagination or disillusionment? The social compensation and social enhancement effects on dating anxiety for online daters who fear being single

While some people choose to remain single, dating relationships and marriage remain dominant social expectations in many societies. This societal pressure can exacerbate the fear of being single, creating a vulnerable psychological state. Online dating provides opportunities for those who fear being single to meet new people and develop romantic relationships. And yet, we know little about how online daters' fear of being single is related to their well-being and how it could be alleviated or enhanced through online dating. Drawing on research on the social compensation and enhancement effects of the internet, this study proposes a path model investigating how the fear of being single was enhanced to affect online daters' well-being negatively and alleviated to contribute to well-being positively. An online survey of 505 Chinese heterosexual online dating application users revealed that the fear of being single was positively and directly associated with dating anxiety. Further, the fear of being single was related to increased imagined interaction through sexual relationship motivation. Surprisingly, it was related to decreased romantic disillusionment through increased romantic relationship motivation, showing a compensation effect. Romantic disillusionment, but not imagined interaction, was positively associated with dating anxiety. This study extends research on the social compensation and enhancement effects to online dating contexts. It contributes a framework that explains how a vulnerable psychological state is related to online daters’ well-being through motivational tendencies (sexual relationship vs. romantic relationship) and cognitive characteristics (imagined interaction vs. romantic disillusionment).

The development of imagined interactions in online text-based initial interactions

ABSTRACT Many individuals meet romantic partners, friends, and coworkers online before meeting in person. This study investigates the development of online-first partner perceptions, utilizing the imagined interactions framework to test the specificity, frequency, and proactivity of cognitions about an online-first meeting. Individuals chatted with a new partner in a lab. Their cognitions about the partner were measured two days later. Results show that individuals engaged in specific and frequent imagined interactions based on how similar they perceived their partner to be. In turn, specific imagined interactions increased idealization of one’s partner over time.

Fan translation and affective mediation

Abstract This study seeks to foreground the concept of ‘affective mediation,’ which is defined as an interventionist process in translation wherein affect is matched, managed, and modulated between communicating bodies. Situated in the context of fan translation, this study utilizes a multimodal analysis of the subtitling practice of Hiddles’ Translation Army of China, a Chinese internet-based, celebrity-oriented fan translation group, and identifies three ways its fansubbers mediate affect toward the object of fandom, i.e., British actor, Tom Hiddleston. The findings suggest that the fansubber’s mediation is conducive to restructuring the affective configuration in the target text and creates a site for emotive performance in fansubbing. The study also argues that affect-mediated fansubbing opens a new space outside the diegetic zone for an imagined interaction and relationship between the entire fandom community and the object of fandom.

A Thematic Analysis of Enhancing Constructive Political Conflict Using Positive Imagined Interactions

This narrative inquiry aimed to investigate whether the deliberate use of positive imagined interactions (IIs) could contribute to the enhancement of cross-cutting political conflict, and also tested the seventh theorem of II conflict linkage theory. Undergraduate student participants were assigned to one of three conditions: positive II, negative II, or control in a three-phase procedure. Participants engaged in an II and then reflected on their IIs through open-ended questions before having real cross-cutting conversations on a political topic of their choice with trained confederates. Participants then completed a questionnaire assessing the constructiveness or destructiveness of their interaction. Thematic analysis revealed that 40 out of the 45 total participants engaged in positive and constructive conflict with their conversation partners. Positive IIs facilitated perspective-taking, while negative IIs allowed individuals to mentally defend their beliefs. Although the results neither confirmed nor refuted Theorem 7 of II conflict linkage theory, they did provide support for Theorem 3, which suggests that negative intrusive IIs can manifest even when individuals attempt to have positive IIs.

Invited commentary on using music intervention and imagined interaction to deal with aggression and conflict

PurposeThe purpose of this commentary is discuss how musical intervention and imagined interactions can be used to deal with conflict. Music has been called the universal language because of its tonality and rhythm. It affects conflict and aggression and helps people to deal with stress. Research is reviewed showing physiological arousal with background music. The effects of music on aggression are summarized in terms of emotional regulation, catharsis and empathy, and the use of mental imagery in the form of imagined interactions, including relational maintenance catharsis and conflict linkage, is discussed. The incremental sound organizer (ISO) principle of music therapy is discussed as a mechanism to affect emotions while listening to music. Finally, a tool to measure the emotional effect of music on listeners is discussed in terms of the musical mood wheel.Design/methodology/approachThis is a commentary on the effects of background music on reducing aggression.FindingsMusic can reduce aggression, depending on how it is used. Music affects how we manage our emotions, reduces stress, provides catharsis and can be a distracting element. Music can enhance empathic feeling; induce positive moods, social bonding, physiological changes and neurobiological changes; and affect our arousal.Research limitations/implicationsMusic therapy and musical intervention can be applied to conflict resolution.Practical implicationsThe ISO principle of music therapy is designed to deal with changing a person’s emotions as they listen to a medley of music. The mood of the person is measured using a series of scales reflecting a continuum of sadness to happiness, and the music is designed to match the mood of the patient to the music being played and/or listened to, which in turn fosters the achievement of an altered state of consciousness. For example, if you are angry, start with music that is loud and gradually switch to a more tranquil piece of music. “The vectoring power of music is that we change the mood or emotion of persons from one affective pole (joy) to its opposite (anger) through small incremental changes in the rhythm and intensity of the music” (Honeycutt, 2003, p. 82).Social implicationsBackground music in music psychology literature is often referred to as musical intervention. Background music can help us recall positive and negative scenes as the music triggers endorphins in the brain (Salimpoor et al., 2011). Background music is intended to enhance the surrounding context without drawing significant attention. It is often played in spaces such as restaurants, stores, offices or public places to create a certain mood or ambiance.Originality/valueIt is important to note that the effectiveness of musical intervention in reducing aggression can vary based on individual preferences, the specific type of music used, and the context in which it is applied. Additionally, while music intervention can play a role in aggression reduction, it is often most effective when used as part of a comprehensive therapeutic approach.

Embracing the mystery: David Hume's playful religion of wonder

AbstractIn this article I show how David Hume's works provide the ingredients for a conception of religiosity understood as a feeling of wonder concerning nature or existence, accompanied by a playful attitude regarding the imaginative shapes that can be given to this emotion. Hume serves as an inspiration rather than an object of study: I respect the spirit and values of his work, while going beyond his own explicit points. My reading accounts for Hume's aversion to traditional religions (‘superstition’), and for his acknowledgement of the universal attraction of the idea of invisible intelligent power and his own fascination with it. I argue first that superstition is a natural reaction to existential uncertainty. Second, I argue that uncertainty fuels activity, creativity and morality, and thus may be left untended. Though it always involves a measure of pain, too, human happiness is found in challenge and activity. Traditional monotheist religions respond to this need by generating experiences of wonder, thus, however, stimulating passive devotion and dogmatism. Opposing this, the suggestion of Hume's works is to respect the mystery of nature rather than shrouding it in unfounded convictions. The fictional character Philo illustrates how the longing for an answer by is itself can already be a profoundly religious feeling. Hume's descriptions of ancient polytheism and Philo show how this can be accompanied by a playful, imaginative interaction with the world.

Поэтика человеческого общения в очерке К. Д. Ушинского «Поездка за Волхов»

Publicistics in all variety of its genres is traditionally perceived as a shaky boundary between the fictional imaginative interaction and interaction lit by the worldly life experience of the author / narrator and equipped by factual authenticity. In this connection it seems worthwhile to introduce into genre studies most meaningful fictional and publicistic publications of different (including really distant from us) cultural-historical periods, where one can find abundant data which will help us understand poetics of human interaction. My goal is to demonstrate one of the texts which extremely seldom attracts professional philological attention and which may be a source of genre observations, focused on the aesthetical (and ethical as well) component of spoken dialogue discourse. K. D. Ushinsky’s essay “A Travel to Volhov” (1852) is a remarkable collection of numerous specimens of Russian colloquial culture, casting light on the poetics of sympathetic and kindly human interaction which we inherit regardless of all followed global historic transformations. The essay contains many valuable specimens of Russian folk speech genre culture in their historically specific every-day interpretations and actualizations. The subject of our analytical research is genres of farewell scenes at the wharf, occasional confidential talks, arguments coming to agreement, unmalicious and amusing bickering, friendly mockery and mimicry, warm-hearted inquiries, public contrition, pilgrim’s confession, etc.

Kung Fu Kenny

In the last ten years, Kendrick Lamar has cemented himself as one of the greatest hip/hop artists in the game. Audiences thoroughly enjoy the construction of his beats and the quality of his flow. However, upon a deeper investigation of his lyricism and album construction, the listener finds a foundational undercurrent of faith as well as an imaginative interaction with Biblical imagery. This short essay will trace the narrative of Kendrick Lamar’s Pulitzer prize-winning DAMN. and show how the character “Kung Fu Kenny” is initially patterned on the prophet Jonah in order to imagine a modern-day prophet of God.

British Formalist Aesthetics and Its Literary Writing Practice

British Formalist Aesthetics and Its Literary Writing Practice

Becoming a podiatrist: an exploration of the practices and processes which underpin the acquisition of a professional identity

BackgroundUndergraduate podiatry degrees are designed to enable students to become professional podiatrists. To be successful students must manage academic and practical activity to ultimately acquire a professional identity. Little is known about the practices and processes which underpin the acquisition of a professional podiatry identity. It is the aim of this paper to begin to address this absence of knowledge. Community of Practice theory, arguably the dominant contemporary learning theory, represents identity shift as an interaction of imagination, engagement and alignment which enables students to successfully participate in higher education, and ultimately, the professional context. This success is underpinned through assisting students to develop an enabling identity in their learning and doing.MethodsHere we present findings that emerged from a yearlong ethnography in a successful higher education podiatry department. The project followed students and staff in the classroom and the clinic and explored their experiences through interviews.ResultsThe findings suggest that the journey to professional identity is facilitated through meaningful learning relationships between staff and students and clarity around professional practices. Here we discuss how those relationships form and enable undergraduates to become podiatrists.ConclusionsOur findings offer a model for the transition from student to professional and highlight the importance of relationship and experience in becoming a podiatrist. There is a paucity of research around not only podiatry but also other allied health professions around this topic and given the increasing emphasis around employability skills in HE, more research in a range of contexts is needed.

Rehearsing with Imagined Interactions Theory: Exploring Imagined Interactions as Framework for Ensemble and Solo Performance Rehearsals

How should I practice is a common question that comes up while teaching performance and public speaking classes, when directing and performing in productions, and when coaching and competing for forensics squads. This essay provides a rationale for fusing Honeycutt’s imagined interactions theory (2003) with performance rehearsal processes, employing research guiding retroactive and proactive imagined interactions as a template to frame rehearsals that have the purpose of future actor ó spectator engagement. I use my experiences applying imagined interactions to an ensemble performance rehearsal and during a solo performance rehearsal to show the usefulness, limitations, and potentials of this methodological hybridization.

Effects of replay and rehearsal expressive writing on mental health: a randomized controlled trial

Background: Expressive writing about previous interactions has been found to improve mental health, but the effect of expressive writing about future imagined interactions has not been explored. Methods: To examine the effects of rehearsal expressive writing on mental health, we recruited 132 people, and 100 (76%) completed writing tasks (31 control, 34 replay, and 35 rehearsal). Each group was measured at baseline, after the 4th consecutive day of 15-minute-per-day writing, and at 1-month follow-up. Measures included psychological adjustment (Mental Health Inventory-18, MHI), self-perceived stress, PROMIS depression and anxiety, work and social adjustment, loneliness, coping (Brief COPE), and daily writing expressiveness. Repeated measures ANOVA examined time and time-by-group effects. Results: Significant time effects were found for MHI, self-perceived stress, depression and anxiety symptoms, and self-blame. Marginally significant group-by-time effects on behavioural disengagement and venting, subscales of the coping measure, were found, with rehearsal associated with decreased disengagement and increased venting compared to the replay group. The rehearsal group consistently reported significantly higher perceived writing expressiveness than the other groups over time. Rehearsal and replay expressive writing showed different effects on writing expressiveness and coping via behavioural disengagement and venting. Conclusion: This study established rehearsal as a promising extension to the affordable therapeutic expressive writing paradigm.