Empathy and Mobile Applications

Abstract

Abstract-Mobile devices, such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants, have gained wide-spread popularity and are part of the everyday life of billions of people. Today's mobile phones represent a rich and powerful computing platform, given their sensing, processing, social and communication capabilities. Empathy is the ability to identify with and understand another person's situation and feelings. Our ability to empathize affects how well we communicate our thoughts and feelings with others, how well we understand others, and how comfortable people feel communicating with us. Mobile devices have made a huge step in trying to cultivate empathy to people and different social groups through interesting applications.Keywords-mobile devices, mobile applications, empathy, social media, games, health, emotions, emotional/affective agents, elderly people, social change IntroductionMobile devices are shaping-up users' lifestyles by adding new dimensions to the concept of socializing, performing actions and forming new habits [1]. As summarized by Fogg and Eckles (2007) [2], "mobile phones will soon become the most important platform for changing human behavior". Oinas-Kukkonen (2008) [3] argues that ubiquitous information systems are shaping up the creation and dissemination of information in new ways hence creating opportunities to foster healthier lifestyle.Furthermore mobile applications which is software, developed to run particularly on mobile phones (smartphones) and tablet computing devices, have the potential to bring a new perspective to people's life in many sectors. The diffusion of mobile phones into our lives is an evidence of their popularity. The ever-growing liking and adoption of mobile phones (e.g. Blackberry, iPhone, Google Android, Nokia Windows Phone) is reflective of their mammoth potential to promote health and general wellbeing of users. Portability, continuous data streaming, advanced computing power and easy dissemination of applications give them an edge over other forms of iniJIM

Convergence among imagination, social-emotional learning and media literacy: an integrative literature review

“…The current trend is towards multi-screen media usage and a shift has occurred from television to computer and mobile phones, overtaking all other devices to become the 'screen of screens' (Bond, 2013;Bringué & Sádaba, 2011, as cited in Aierbe- Barandiaran & González, 2016). Papoutsi and Drigas (2017) state that the investigation about mobile technologies and empathy is now starting for children. Emotions are valued more highly in media than in daily life (Bartsch, Vorderer, Mangold, & Viehoff, 2008, as cited in Aierbe- Barandiaran & González, 2016) and play a key role in determining children's media usage (Jones, 2010;Soto & Vorderer, 2011, as cited in Aierbe-Barandiaran & Oregui-González, 2016.…”

Empathy and Mobile Phone Dependence in Nursing: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Public Hospital of the Island of Crete, Greece

“…Excessive mobile phone use may affect mutuality, the quality of interpersonal communication, and empathy [37]. The rapid development of technology and the extensive use of mobile phones in our daily lives have revolutionized the way we communicate and expanded the boundaries of human creativity [17]. Despite the obvious benefits, these new forms of communication contributed at the same time to increasing the feelings of loneliness and isolation and a corresponding decline in empathy.…”

“…It has been proven that the development of an empathic relationship between the nurse and the patient is a fundamental component of the nursing practice, as it affects patient's empowerment and impacts positively on the therapeutic process [7,14,15]. It is noteworthy that, in recent years, the worrisome finding that these new forms of communication are one of the factors contributing to the reduction of empathy has led scientists to attempt to integrate the element of empathy in technology by creating applications which support or enhance user's empathic skills [17].…”

“…Furthermore, the notions of empathy in health and social care within the Greek context were conceptually analyzed and reviewed [14,15], and empathy and its variations were assessed in Greek social workers [16]. Evidence regarding the association of mobile applications with empathy and health outcomes in Greece is scarce [17], while research on empathy and mobile phone dependence in nursing is lacking. The present study aims to examine the relationship between empathy and mobile phone dependence levels of the nursing staff in a public hospital in the island of Crete, Greece.…”

Digital storytelling for good with Tappetina game

“…Games for Good are games that try to promote certain ethical value [5]. Positive feelings have been widely studied in games, as presented in Papoutsi and Drigas' survey [24]. In their meta-study, they reviewed and classified 20 mobile applications related to empathy and highlighted the opportunity to promote it that arises from the actual massive use of apps.…”