Given the persistence of gender inequality in the domestic sphere, family and household organization applications are positioned as tools to help partners share this work more equally. To find out whether these applications are designed to support an equal division, I conducted a comparative walkthrough analysis of ten applications. Employing a critical feminist perspective, I analyzed representations of families, gender and equality in the interaction design. The findings show a narrow conceptualization of family within a heteronormative nuclear ideal, the prevalence of gender roles and stereotypes in the design and a lack of features supporting gender equality. To move beyond critique, I developed four design suggestions based on the results from a participatory design workshop: 1) design for diverse families, 2) provide added value to users, 3) support reflection and behavior change and 4) consider alternative approaches.

In today's interconnected world, where countries’ borders blur and cultural identities mix together, the digital landscape presents both opportunities and challenges. This thesis focuses on the design of a mobile application tailored to engage a culturally diverse user base, with a focus on Sweden’s multicultural landscape. By synthesizing insights from cultural theories and design principles, the study addresses the need for practical guidance in crafting culturally sensitive interfaces. Through iterative design and empirical research, key factors influencing user engagement are identified, and strategies for integrating cultural awareness into design choices are proposed. The collaboration with Svensk Form, the Swedish Society of Crafts and Design, highlights the project's real-world relevance and practical application. The study contributes to User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) design and cultural studies by providing practical insights for designing for multicultural audiences. By navigating the complexities of Sweden's multicultural landscape, the research offers a roadmap for creating mobile applications that resonate with culturally diverse users.

No description available.

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between self reported exposure to sources of electromagnetic fields, frontal left and right hemisphere absolute and relative power EEG measurements, and a measure of depression. Thirty-three male undergraduates with varying degrees of EMF exposure assessed by cell phone and computer use were participants in the study. Results indicated that there were significant relationships between long term computer use, indicated by years of use, total Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores, and suicidal thoughts or wishes. There were significant positive relationships between both long term and current computer use, indicated by minutes per month, and eyes open delta (,5-3.5Hz) absolute power in both hemispheres. Significant negative relationships were found between computer use and eyes open absolute power and relative power in the 12-15Hz EEG band. Also, significant positive and negative relationships were found between several delta, alpha, and theta absolute power and/or relative power EEG measurements and total and item scores on the BDI.

Affective computing, the study of giving computers the ability to perceive human emotions and of endowing computers with synthetic emotions, has recently become an area of great activity. With the work of Mayer and Salovey, as well as that of Goleman, suggesting that emotions are to some extent quantifiable and can be studied with due rigor, work in the field of psychology has produced a large number of emotional models. Many computational architectures have been developed with the goal of synthesizing emotions for an artificial agent. These range from the affective dimensions in Breazeal's work to the goal based architecture developed by Michaud. The emotion-based architecture described in this thesis builds on previous work by Lisetti, combining scripts for emotion concepts based on semantic primitives and computational scripts based on the componential appraisal theory of emotions. The thesis describes some aspects of one implementation of the architecture on a specific platform as an emotional state generator for a robotic office assistant. The architecture itself, though, is not platform specific and could be implemented on different types of autonomous agents.

Augmented reality (AR) gaming, where the real world is overlaid with objects or information to create new gaming experiences, is one of the latest trending technologies. This is due to increases in development tools, mobile device availability and mobile device performance. This thesis compared an existing augmented reality treasure hunt game, based on image tracking, with a prototype based on simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) to find differences and improvements in this genre. It was found that the SLAM based prototype that drew treasure hunt hints into the world using AR was significantly more fun to use and also more challenging than the game based on image tracking. This could be used to create AR games for broader demographics as well as make existing experiences more immersive and engaging. More studies could be conducted in this area. Both to find more differences between the technologies in different circumstances and also to investigate other AR navigation systems.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, for the Degree of Master of Arts / This dissertation explores the mental models applied when computers are used by tertiary sector 'clerical' employees from different backgrounds and with different levels of experience with, and knowledge of computers. The study was conducted in three stages. In STAGE 1, interviews were conducted to categorise the level of knowledge and experience of the users, and to establish their socio-cultural backgrounds. STAGE 2 established their 'mental models' of the inside of a computer by means of sketches. STAGE 3 assessed sketches of subjects' mental models of the dynamic operations of the computer saving a file. Cluster analysis was conduded to establish groupings of subjects with similar usership background and sketches. Further analysis was conducted on the resulting cluster solutions. (Abbreviation abstract) / Andrew Chakane 2018

As access to information changes with increased use of technology, privacy becomes an increasingly prominent issue among technology users. Privacy concerns should be taken seriously because they influence system adoption, the way a system is used, and may even lead to system disuse. Threats to privacy are not only due to traditional security and privacy issues; human factors issues such as unintentional disclosure of information also influence the preservation of privacy in technology systems. A dual pronged approach was used to examine privacy. First, a broad investigation of younger and older adults' privacy behaviors was conducted. The goal of this study was to gain a better understanding of privacy across technologies, to discover the similarities, and identify the differences in what privacy means across contexts as well as provide a means to evaluate current theories of privacy. This investigation resulted in a categorization of privacy behaviors associated with technology. There were three high level privacy behavior categories identified: avoidance, modification, and alleviatory behavior. This categorization furthers our understanding about the psychological underpinnings of privacy concerns and suggests that 1) common privacy feelings and behaviors exist across people and technologies and 2) alternative designs which consider these commonalities may increase privacy. Second, I examined one specific human factors issue associated with privacy: disclosure error. This investigation focused on gaining an understanding of how to support privacy by preventing misclosure. A misclosure is an error in disclosure. When information is disclosed in error, or misclosed, privacy is violated in that information not intended for a specific person(s) is nevertheless revealed to that person. The goal of this study was to provide a psychological basis for design suggestions for improving privacy in technology which was grounded in empirical findings. The study furthers our understanding about privacy errors in the following ways: First, it demonstrates for the first time that both younger and older adults experience misclosures . Second, it suggests that misclosures occur even when technology is very familiar to the user. Third, it revealed that some misclosure experiences result in negative consequences, suggesting misclosure is a potential threat to privacy. Finally, by exploring the context surrounding each reported misclosure, I was able to propose potential design suggestions that may decrease the likelihood of misclosure.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 2008. / Title from first page of PDF file (viewed April 28, 2008). Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 198-209).

Thesis (M.A.)--Carleton University, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 71-72). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.