- TRAP@NCI - National College of Ireland

THESIS TITLE
THE HUMAN R E LA TIO N S H IP O N LIN E
National College of Ireland
Higher Diploma in e-Business and Business
2009/2010
Submission Date 30th July 2010
Name Surname: Frances Flannery
Student ID: 09106065
Email: [email protected]
HDeB NCI
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
T H E S IS T I T L E ............................................................................................................................................................................... 1
T h e H u m a n R ela tio n sh ip O n l i n e ........................................................................................................................................1
TABLE OF CONTENTS ...............................................................................................................................................2
D E C L A R A T IO N O F O R IG IN A L IT Y ................................................................................................................................... 4
A B S T R A C T ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
E X E C U T IV E S U M M A R Y ..........................................................................................................................................................5
T h e H u m a n R ela tio n sh ip O n l i n e ....................................................................................................................................... 5
I N T R O D U C T IO N ....................................................................................................................................................... ...................5
T h e H u m a n R ela tio n sh ip O n l i n e ....................................................................................................................................... 5
Thesis Question - Can The Internet add Human Emotional Value? ........... ....... ............................................. 6
Second Life® - Virtual Reality Vs Reality......................................................................................................... 6
Introduction - The Human Relationship Online................................................................................................ 7
An Online Human Life —Profile o f a Virtual Fashion Designer ........................................................................*... 7
A Virtual Currency...... ............... ........................................................................................................................♦. 9
Politics in The Virtual World.............................................................................................................................. 10
Virtual Marriage.................................................................................................... .............................................. II
Online Human Evolution .....................................................................................................................................12
L IT E R A T U R E R E V I E W .......................................................................................................................................................... 14
C H A P T E R 1.................................................................................................................................................................................... 15
O n lin e D atin g - T h e V ir tu a l M a tc h M a k e r ...............................................................................................................15
Has the Internet Changed How We Build Relationships....................... ......................................................... 15
The Business o f Online Dating ........................................................................................................................... 15
Advertising Revenue Model................................................................................................................................................15
Paid Subscription Revenue M odel........................................ ........... ................................................................................. 16
Online Dating Intermediary................................................................................................................................................. 16
Online Dating Turnover and Growth Figures ..................................................................*............................. 17
Niche Online Dating ............................................................................................................................................ 17
Online Dating NICHE Segments................... ............... ..................................................................................... 17
Online Dating website Figures ..................... ........................................ ............................................................ 18
Online Dating and Cultural Change.......................................................................................................... ...... 19
Primary Research - Online Dating Stigma In Ireland ...................................................................................... 19
Primary Research - Online Dating Surveys...................................... .......*............................ ..........................20
Plenty O f Fish.Com - Traditional Rules o f DAting Online............................................................................................20
Irish attitudes To Online Dating..........................................................................................................................................21
Does Online Dating Add Human Emotional Value........................................ ................... .............................. 22
C H A P T E R 2 .................................................................................................................................................................................... 23
B u ild in g E m o tio n a l R e l a t io n sh ip W ith B rands O N L IN E ........................................ ......................................... 23
Facebook Statistics Ireland................................................................................................................................. 23
Building Business Relationships With Facebook ........................ ...................................................................... 23
H ow To C onnect Using F a ce b o o k ............................................................................................................. 24
Facebook & mASLOWS hlERACHY OF nEEDS.............................................................................................. 24
Facebook - Pizza Hut Delivery - - Ireland ...................................................................................................... . 25
Dominos Pizza - Taste Bud Bounty - Summer 2010 ........................................................................................26
Facebook Friends Vs Real Friends..................................................................................................................................... 28
Burger King - Whopper Sacrifice Application.................................................................................................................28
Geolocation “Check In” Faccbook Campaign - McDonalds - 2010............................................................................. 29
How To Humanise Brands.................................................................................................................................. 29
EMOTIONAL Business Branding ....................................................................................................................... 30
Can The Internet Add Emotion To Branding ..................................................................................................... 30
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C H A P T E R 3 .....................................................................................................................................................................................31
V ir a l M a r k etin g - W o rd
of
W e b .................................................................................................................................... 31
Viral Marketing Campaigns ................................................................................................................................ 31
Burger King - Viral Campaign - Subscrviant Chicken...................................................................................................32
Anonymous YouTube Campaign - December 2009.........................................................................................................33
ElfYourself.com - November 2007................................................................................................................................... 34
H a r n essin g H um an E m otions T o S prea d A M e s s a g e .............................................................................................. 35
Has Viral Marketing AFFECTED The Human Relationship Online? ............................................................. 36
C H A P T E R 4 .....................................................................................................................................................................................37
Th e Futu re
of
O n l in e H u m an In t e r a c t io n .................................................................................................................. 37
Emerging HCI - Microsoft Surface ..................................................................................................................... 38
The Future o f Human Computer Inteiface ......................................................................................................... 39
Deep Brain Simulation & The Human Cyborg .................................................................................................. 39
OptoGenetic Brain Input/Output Device ............................................................................................................ 40
Changes in Online Human INTERACTION IN THE FUTURE ........................................................................ 41
C H A P T E R 5 .....................................................................................................................................................................................42
V ir tu a l H um an & H um an C o m pu ter I n ter a c tio n (H C I)....................................................................................... 42
Artificial Humans In Business ............................................................................................................................. 42
Human Computer Interaction & Virtual Human Interaction ........................................................................... 43
HCI Factors fo r Virtual Humans -The Emotional Machine ............................................................................. 43
Appraisal Theory- Creating Virtual Human Psychology ................................................................................ 44
Potential Uses o f Virtual Humans In Tacit Knowledge Training .................................................................... 45
Matching Virtual Humans To Cultures............................................................................................................... 46
Broad Cultural Differences................................................................................................................................................. 46
Subtle Cultural Behaviour Differences............................................................................................................................... 46
FINDING S: C reatin g H um an A r t ific ia l In t e l l ig e n c e ...........................................................................................47
Could Virtual Humans Change Human Interaction .......................................................................................... 48
C H A P T E R 6 .....................................................................................................................................................................................49
T he H IIST H y p o t h e s is ............................................................................................................................................................ 49
Internet Therapy ................................................................................................................................................... 49
US Defence Provides Online Therapy To Reduce Post Traumatic Stress Disorders ..................................... 49
Why Does Online Therapy Reduce Stress? ........................................................................................................ 50
Negative Human Interaction Online ................................................................................................................... 50
Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD)......................................................................................................................................50
Symptoms o f Net Compulsions............................................................................................................................. 51
Internet Addiction In USA.................................................................................................................................... 52
Internet Addiction in A sia .................................................................................................................................... 52
Human Internet Interaction Stress TEST (HIIST).............................................................................................. 52
Testing the Human Internet Interaction/StressTheoiy ....................................................................................... 55
The HIIST Test Survey ......................................................................................................................................... 54
Online Human Internet Interactions Which Increase Stress............................................................................. 54
Results o f HIIST .................................................................................................................................................... 54
Online Human Internet Interactions Which Decrease Stress ........................................................................... 55
O v erall H IIST T heo ry F in d in g s .......................................................................................................................................56
T H E S IS C O N C L U S IO N ............................................................................................................................................................. 57
F U T U R E W O R K ........................................................................................................................................................................... 59
B IB L IO G R A P H Y .......................................................................................................................................................................... 60
R E F E R E N C E S ............................................................................................................................................................................... 65
A P P E N D IC E S ................................................................................................................................................................................. 67
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DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY
I, Frances Flannery, declare on July 30th 2010, that this is my thesis . It is my own
work and has not been submitted in any form to another University or other institute
of education for degree or diploma. All ideas, information and concepts derived from
published or unpublished work of others has been acknowledged in the text. A list of
references is given in the bibliography.
ABSTRACT
A large amount of research has been carried out in the area of computer science in relation
to the internet-111 But the web is changing. In recent years, it has become a social
environment for humans. More and more emotive exchanges occur online. And so a new
dimension to computer science must emerge. This thesis aims to study the gap that
currently exists between social science and computer science. That gap relates to human
emotions and relationships online.
As a solution to the question “Can The Internet Create Human Emotional Value?", this paper
includes primary research taken from 4 surveys pertaining to emotional human experiences
online. It also proposes a hypothesis called The Human Interaction Stress Test, which aims
to prove that the internet can provide additional emotional value which may not be
accessible offline.
Primary research includes a survey of 20 Irish male online dating website members. It also
examines the opinions of 26 general internet users and asks questions about their human
interaction experiences online. A further 20 internet users have taken part in the Human
Internet Interaction Stress Test in an attempt to prove or disprove it as a hypothesis.
The aim of this paper is not just to find answers but also to inspire future research in the area
of the human relationship online. This area is new and progressive and further research will
be needed to make advancements.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
_________________ THE HUMAN R E LA TIO N S H IP O N L IN E _____________
This paper explores the online human relationship and puts forward a hypothesis, Human
Internet Interaction Stress Test, as a method of testing how various communications on the
internet can increase or decrease stress, and thereby effect human emotions.
The results of the HIIST survey prove that everyone surveyed is effected but the level varies
for every person depending on the situation.
The paper examines key areas where human emotional value is being generated by use of
the internet, the future of human emotional interactions and artificial intelligence.
IN TRODUCTIO N
_________________ THE HUMAN R E LA TIO N S H IP O NLINE_________________
This paper explores human interactions with the internet and examines the
emotional value that the internet brings. It also examines the future of human
interaction online and seeks to establish what technology needs to be developed in
order to enhance and develop human emotional interaction online.
As an introduction, this chapter investigates how the virtual world already impacts
human interaction. It looks at a virtual metauniverse I2]called Second Life ® and
examines the various interactions that happen there on a daily basis. It profiles a
human who lives there and the currency used there.
Throughout the following six chapters, this thesis examines key topics relating to the
human relationship online.
I.
Online dating
II.
Online business networking
III.
Viral marketing - Word of Web
IV.
The Future of Human Interaction
v.
Virtual Humans & Al
VI.
Thesis Question - Introduction to hypothesis entitled The HIIST
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THESIS QUESTION - CAN THE INTERNET ADD HUMAN EMOTIONAL VALUE?
For the purposes of this thesis and to help answer the question, Does The Internet
Add Human Emotional Value, a hypothesis entitled The Human Internet Interaction
Stress Theory has been created. The HIIST uses stress creation and stress relief as
key metrics which are used to evaluate interaction with the internet and to define
perimeters for its value in relation to human emotions.
SECOND LIFE ® - VIRTUAL REALITY VS REALITY
In 2003, Linden labs created Second Life ® (SL), a 3D virtual programme known as
The Grid where users can design their own appearance, products and create a
personal world just as they want it. Very quickly, it became clear that when human
imagination is the only boundary, the potential uses are infinite.
For many users of Second Life ®, their existence in the virtual world gains priority
over their real world existence. Many users have found that they can generate more
income through production of products in the virtual world which they sell th e re .t3]
This poses the question that if an estimated 70% of thought process relates to an
online life, will the human brain begin to evolve and change to match this
environment?
Evolutionists argue whether human emotions are innate, each evolved to address a
specific environmental concern of our ancestors (Darwin, 1892/1998, Neese, 1990)
or entirely learned. (Sears & Jacko, 2008) In tests, physical changes in thought
process are represented by changes to MRI scan results when patients learned to
“change their minds”.
For example, one test showed varying results for scans taken of the brain before and
after a sample of patients learned to overcome a fear of spiders through cognitive
behavioural therapy. [4]The results proved that changes in thought can lead to
physical changes in brain activity detectable by comparing scans before and after
the patient changed their thinking. (Coon & Mitterer, 2009)
Based on these assumptions, applications like Second Life ® could lead to
evolutionary development in certain parts of the human brain as users spend more
and more time interacting with a rich 3D interface rather than using thought
processes designed and evolved for survival within the physical world [5]
Large volumes of further research would be required to prove or disprove such a
theory. Only through years of prolonged exposure to deeply stimulating online virtual
reality applications and also the opportunity to study samples in a controlled
environment over generations, could the answered be gained. But what can be
ascertained is that humans are expanding the ways in which they use the internet,
far beyond its original application, in ways that could only be imagined 10 years ago.
INTRODUCTION -T H E HUMAN RELATIONSHIP ONLINE
Second Life ® is a metaphysical universe that allows human pursuits to occur in a
virtual internet world; freedom of speech, the pursuit of happiness, economic
freedom, political opinion, creative licence, diplomatic representation, fashion, travel,
social interaction, the accumulation of virtual goods, property and wealth. It is even
possible to own the copyright[6] in real life, for creations made in Second Life ®.
Infact, Second Life ® is an almost perfect virtual microcosm running parallel and
reflecting real world human interaction, in every way. The internet is no longer a
resource for pulling information. Through programmes like Second Life ®, it has
become a virtual world which reflects modern human civilization. (Rosedale. P.
2006)
AN ONLINE HUMAN LIFE - PROFILE OF ^V IR T U A L FASHION D ESIG NER "
In May 2007, a resident of Second Life ® using the pseudonym, Tesla Miles, began
using an application known as “sculpted prims” to create hats and shoes within
Second Life ®. Within a short-time, she had been propelled into virtual celebrity
status, when she was “discovered” by other users of the application who reviewed
her product favourably on their SL Blogs. (Miles. T, 2008) Demand for her virtual
shoes and hats grew at a phenomenal rate and SL users now purchase Tesla Miles
shoes for their Avatars to “wear”. Tesla Miles is a recognised brand in the virtual
world, with a similar profile to Manolo Blakniks in the real world. Residents pay
anything from L$60 to L$300 (Lindex Dollars). (Miles. T, 2008). The brand is a well-
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known and recognised virtual fashion accessory with virtual stores, advertising with
new collections released seasonally.[7]
Fig 2.0 [8] A virtual Tesla shoe store as it exists in the Second Life ® application
The real person behind this virtual shoe brand now designs shoes and hats on a full­
time basis for sale exclusively within the virtual metauniverse of Second Life ® . The
marketing, design and sale of shoes within Second Life ® generates more income
for the designer than she earned in the real world and so it has become her full time
job. She is a celebrity fashion designer in Second Life ® but practically unknown in
the real world. Infact, so nameless is Tesla Miles, that no articles were found in
traditional media when researching this paper. Only on Second Life ® forums is her
name known and her incredible virtual occupation, celebrated and recognized. This
indicates that there exists today a network of internet users, brands, designers and
products which are completed severed from mainstream real world media and exist
outside and in parallel with the real world. There is only one bridge between the two
worlds; The Lindex Financial Exchange, the currency which enables users to buy or
sell USD Dollars (USD$) for transaction in Second Life ®.
8
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copy
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transfer E
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, i iMinri__
6 inert heets wtilcti are compatible wtth y&ur hosiery
Fig 3.0 [9] Tesla Miles Virtual Shoe Brand exists exclusively in Second Life.
A V IR T U A L C U R R EN C Y
By 2007, Second Life ® had its own currency exchange with a quoted daily
exchange rate against the USD on a virtual market known as Lindex. The
LindeX™currency|10] exchange exists as a peer-to-peer trading platform that
facilitates the purchase and sale of Linden™ dollars. (2010). Lindex Dollars can be
bought and sold using real world currency. Therefore, a virtual currency exists,[111 an
economy which complies with Keynesian macroeconomic rule and the law of supply
and demand almost perfectly.
9
r Fig 4.0 Cola Cola is one of the real world brands
i that is already represented in Second Life ® .
! [12]
Inflation, deflation, jobs, banking, interest rates and monetary policy exist in Second
Life ® and much of the economic activity which occurs there, generates income for
individuals in the real world.
Property ownership in Second Life ® underpins this virtual economy. It also
generates power and revenue for its owners, much like in the real world. Infact, the
San Francisco based development company, Linden labs primary revenue source is
generated by the rent of virtual land, commission on exchange transactions of USD
to Linden Dollars and subscriptions from large commercial users such as Toyata,
Nike, Reuters and Coca Cola. In June 2010, over 28 Million monetary transactions
were recorded in Second Life ®. (2010)
POLITICS IN THE VIRTUAL WORLD
Mark Warner, a former governor of Virginia and a Democratic candidate for the USA
presidency of 2008, became the first politician to give an interview in Second Life in
2006.
His speech was attended by Avatars all in character, some levitating above the
ground. But the seriousness of the topics discussed was business as usual for the
politician who spoke about pressing issues at the time including the Iraq war. In
2006, the number of resident was growing by 20% per month. With that level of
coverage, Second Life, has become a virtual “speakers corner” for political
expression, by those who may find it difficult to have their voice heard in traditional
media.
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In 2007, the Maldives launched a virtual Embassy in the Second Life ® application.
The Maldives foreign minister Abdulla Shahid stated that “The virtual embassy
offers another channel for us to provide information on the country, to offer our
viewpoint on issues of international concern and to interact with our partners in the
international community.” This initiative was followed by Malta, Macedonia and the
Philippines, other small countries who find it difficult to have their voices heard
against the media dominating superpowers such as America and Asia. With 6.6
million registered users or “residents”, Second Life ® offers a valuable medium to
gain political support and grab the attention of large volumes of people, in ways that
may not be possible in the real world. Because of this, smaller nations are the first to
be represented there.
VIRTUAL MARRIAGE
In Second Life ®, users can find a partner, fall in love and get married. And if things
don’t work out, they can get divorced and split their assets. Coupes can hire a virtual
lawyer to overcome differences. But they don’t have to. Because there are very few
rules in Second Life ®.
The couple can fly, levitate, drive, merge, evolve or fade down the aisle. Weddings
in the virtual world are big business and they generate revenue for the organisers in
the real world. A traditional virtual wedding may include an altar, flowers, drinks,
reception hall, invitations, photographers, DJ, wedding cake and a registrar.
Guests, who are friends of the couple, attend the event. A wedding in the virtual
world with all the trimmings costs the equivalent of $200USD and its possible to hire
a wedding planner to organise the event from start to finish.
“A lot o f people use planners (in the virtual world). It takes a lot o f worry out of their
big day and most don’t have the space to set up a big wedding place for the one
event,” said Jade Opel (real life name: Tracy Kampf), who has planned hundreds of
in-world weddings and now owns a bridal store (in Second life ® ). Gay weddings are
common and its even possible for three people to be married to each other.
(Reuters. R. 2007).
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The virtual wedding industry creates virtual jobs. Wedding shops, bridal dress
designers, tuxedos, decorators, security guards, hoteliers and honeymoon
organizers exist within Second life ® .
But not all “in-world” relationships are farfetched. Many people have met their
partner online and have married in the real world there after. And the internet virtual
wedding is becoming a popular place for couples to renew their vows. In 2008, a
British couple became engaged in real life, having never met in the real world. (2008)
Some complicated moral questions about fidelity can emerge. Is it cheating to marry
someone else in SL, if you are already married in the real world? Are these
relationships valid. Would virtual “cheating” constitute legal grounds for divorce in
the real world. Dacher Keltner, a professor at UC Berkeley believes that you need to
live in the physical presense of someone in order to fall in love with them (Keltner. D,
2010). As time passes and the number of Second Life ® residents increases, these
issues will become legitimate legal questions which will require detailed exploration
by and may even change legislation surrounding marriage, divorce and bigamy.
ONLINE HUMAN EVOLUTION
Julia Fischer Professor of the German Primate Center and Head of The Research Group
"Cognitive Ethology” at Gottingen University believes that Human brains are much larger
than they should be, relative to the size of our bodies. One explanation for this is that we
need the ability to outsmart others and perform multiple physical as well as cognitive tasks
simultaneously. (Fischer. J, 2010)
Dacher Keltner, a professor at UC Berkley and author of “Born to be good, The Science of a
Meaningful Life, believes that large parts of the brain have evolved to pick up subtle
communication expressed by eye movement and voice communication messages114' He
believes technology is depriving us of the opportunity to develop those skills therefore online
human communication is causing humans to "de-evolve” emotionally. (Keltner, D. 2010)
Based on the ideas of both experts, could it be that if people spend more and more time
using the web in isolated non-physical interactions, the human brain may evolve to work
better with programmes and interfaces than it does in the physical world? If that occurs, our
lives in the physical world may become secondary to our experiences in the online world,
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where sensitivity to computer interaction may cause the internet to be a cognitively richer
experience.[15J
As for the question of whether the internet offers human emotional value, Second Life users
who celebrate marriage online, earn money, shop, form social bonds, own property and
become celebrities, would argue that the internet offers great emotional value which they
cannot be matched in the real world. But the question remains, what emotion is being
fulfilled. It is escapism or something more profound?
Peter Yellowless, a doctor of psychiatry at the University of California agrees. According to
him, Second Life has made it possible for him to teach students how the world appears to
schizophrenic [16] patients and is the using the programme to teach student doctors about the
complexities of psychiatric illnesses. (2006)
Henry Jenkins, a professor of media studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
believes that Second Life ® is “a world of hypotheticals and thought experiments.” Whilst,
Jaron Lanier, a veteran of virtual-reality experiments believes that Second Life
“unquestionably has the potential to improve life outside.” (2006)
For now, emotional escapism is considered the key motivation for extensive use of virtual
reality software. According to its creator, Philip Rosedale, this programme “does best in
places with bad weather, fast broadband connections and unexciting entertainment options.
He considers British suburbs an excellent growth market.” (2006)
Rich virtual reality software can be addictive and if used compulsively, it can interfere with
the humans “real world” life. But if they are supporting themselves financially and commiting
no crime through their activities online, is it their constitutional right as a valid pursuit of
happiness?
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LITERATURE REVIEW
2008 William Swartout, Lessons Learned From Virtual Humans, Association for the
Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, University of Southern California. Available online
http://ict.usc.edu/files/Publications/Swartout 2284-3252-1-PB.pdf
Swartout and his team have been running a research project at the University of Southern
California on Artificial Intelligence for 10 years. This paper contains valuable information
relating to tacit knowledge, the application of virtual humans, experimental virtual reality
situational tests, creating emotions for virtual humans and how humans respond to virtual
humans.
Reference to the ideas and studies carried out by Swartout and his research team are
referred to throughout this paper, but especially in Chapter 5 which deals with Virtual
Humans and HCI.
2008, Andrew Sears, Julie A. Jacko, The human-computer interaction
handbook: Fundamentals, evolving technologies, and emerging applications, Published by
Taylor & Francis Group, USA
This book offered a rich source of research for this paper. It examines human computer
interaction and focuses particularly on the area of human cognition. It was a valuable
resource for the purposes of this thesis. It is referred to in the Introductory Chapter and again
in Chapter 6.
This book relates to the research carried out on artificial intelligence, basic human emotions
and HCI. Of particular relevance to this thesis is the chapter entitled “Emotion in Human
Computer Interaction” Part 1, Chapter 4, p77 which gives an in-depth scientific exploration of
how the human brain responds to visual stimulus online, theories o f basic human emotion,
difference between emotion and mood and effect of emotions on memory.
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CHAPTER 1
___________ ONLINE DATING - THE VIRTUAL MATCHMAKER___________
Online dating has been made possible by the use of live chat technology, statistics, data
mining and algorithms powered by web server technology. Using traditional online dating
websites, a user can generate the best “match” for their profile by entering search criteria.
HASTHE INTERNET CHANGED HOW WE BUiLDRELATIONSHIPS
Whilst there is no doubt about the value of online dating as a revenue generating business,
the question remains as to whether internet dating can substitute meeting a partner in the
real world.
Can databases and algorithms replace the delicate subtleties that exist between two people?
Subtleties such as body language, voice, facial expression, pheromones and eye contact?
To answer the question "Has the Internet Changed How We Build Relationships” a survey
has been conducted, the results of which appear within this chapter. Primary and secondary
research is used within this chapter to answer the question “Does Online Dating Add Human
Emotional Value”.
THE BUSINESS OF ONLINE DATING
To understand the online dating industry properly, it is important to acknowledge, that it
exists because it generates substantial revenues for its stakeholders. The bottom line is that
online dating is a highly profitable business. This seems unromantic; the supply of a paid-for
commodity which can be reduced to mathematical algorithms.
AD VER TISIN G REVENUE MODEL
PlentyofFish.com and Date.com are two of the most successful online dating
websites on the web and have proved that a free content advertising revenue model
can work very successfully in an emotionally driven industry. Nobody wants to pay
for a date and that is the thinking behind the business models of these sites.
The sites are completely funded by advertisers. Plenty of Fish.com boasts 2.8 million
users who are reported to return to the site on average, 14 times per month. It
provides 100% free service to its members and was ranked the 3rd most visited
dating website in February 2010 (2010). With such a large number of users,
Plentyoffish.com attracts valuable advertisers.
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And because users provide rich demographic information in their profiles, advertisers
enjoy positioning and segmentation opportunities which allow them to target very
specific groups.
PAID SU BSCRIPTIO N REVENUE MODEL
The most popular ebusiness model in the online dating industry is the subscription
revenue model. The user pays a membership fee each month to access the content
of the site. Fees are generally around €20 to €25 per month in Ireland. The user is
sometimes offered 1 month free trial during which time, they may access the content
but may not be able to exchange their contact details with other members until they
gain full membership.
Subscription models rely heavily on the content of their websites being appealing to
paying users. That is why some sites such as “Girlsgofree.com” have positioned
themselves to target users by allowing one gender or the other to use the site for
free, thereby increasing the chances of content appealing to the paying member.
O NLINE DATING INTERM EDIAR Y
As well as serving the B2C market, Match.corns “whitelabelling” enables the company to
profit from B2B initiatives by providing other websites with the technology platform to serve
online dating through their websites. The benefits for those who partner with Match.com are
extensive. They do not need to develop software platforms themselves but instead can
incorporate a proven online dating service provider seamlessly into their portal. In just the
same way that online gaming platforms such as Playtech or Microgaming, enable websites
such as Virgin and The Star to provide Casino services, Match.com enables websites to
provide dating services under their own branding.
Match.com powers online dating on MSN Europe, Asia, the United States, Australia
(NineMSN) and Latin America and for companies such as T-Online, RTL, Wanadoo, Telia
and Tiscali in Europe. Internationally, Match.com is the premier provider of personals on
AOL.com and AOL.co.uk. (2004)
Glamour Magazine has recently partnered Match.com. This is a good move for both
companies. Of the 3 million women who visit Glamour.com, 70 percent are single or
divorced. (Kelly. C, 2010)
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ONLINE DATING TURNOVER AND GROWTH FIGURES
Does online dating work? In 2007, that became the $900 million question. Online dating
websites in the USA turned over $900 million in that year, a figure that is expected to
increase to $1.9 billion in 2012. (Dinnocenzo. E, 2007) In 2001, the online dating industry in
American alone earned USD $72 Million. The industry grew 400 percent in 2002 with
revenues of USD $302 million. There were 16.3 million people registered on online dating
sites in 2002 according to Jupiter research.[45] The revenue earned by online dating sites
accounted for 63 percent of online content spending in 2002. (Smith. A, 2005).
NICHE ONLINE DATING
As an ebusiness marketing strategy, online dating sites can maximise revenue by targeting
niche markets. Creating niche markets is about narrowly defining customer groups who are
seeking a distinctive mix of benefits or values. (Kotler et al). Whilst niche marketing is a
strategy traditionally used by lower budget firms, big companies such as Match.com and
eHarmony are increasingly turning to niche marketing to gain competitive advantage.
Niche areas for online dating include the economically buoyant “Grey Economy”. With more
disposable income and time on their hands, more senior citizens are turning to online dating
sites, than any group. Online dating for single seniors has also seen a substantial increase in
recent times. According to the latest dating data poll from a website called
SeniorPeopleMeet.com, 43% of single seniors named the internet as the best transformation
in regards to dating and communication. ( Brooks.M, 2010)
ONLINE DATING NICHE SEGMENTS
This section examines some of the niche areas where online dating is enabling human
relationships online. In many of the niches outlined, it is unlikely individuals would ever have
the chance to meet each other. And so, the internet has expanded the chances of love for
those minorities whose romantic escapades may have been never have been realized.
Niche Target Group
Website Title
motorcycles
Bikerkiss.com
Gothic
Gothic Match
Latinos
Amigos
People who have an STD
Positive Singles
Military
Military Friends
17
Lesbians
PinkCupid
Gay Men
GayCupid
Christian
ChristianCupid
Single Parent
Single Parent Love
Senior Citizens
Senior Friend Finger
Overweight People
BigCupid
Vegetarians
Green Friends, Veggiedate.com
Age
AgeMatch.com
Deaf
Deafs.com
Equestrian horse lovers
Equestriancupid.com
Rich and Beautiful
Millionaire Match
Millionaires
WealthyMen
Farmers
FarmersOnly.com
Computer
Geek to Geek
Star Trek
Trek Passions
Golf
Golf Mates
Wealthy
Millionaire Mate
Fig 5.0 Niche Internet Dating Website (Online Dating Magazine, 2010)
ONLINE DATING WEBSITE FIGURES
Online dating is big business. The leading online dating websites enjoy enormous profits. It
is only possible to estimate how much income is being generated by examining the
advertising budgets of the top online websites. The top advertiser among online dating sites
in the USA in 2008 was eHarmony. Through the first three quarters of 2008, the site spent
$93.3 million[451, almost twice as much on advertising as Match.com, who came second on
the list ($47.6 million). Match’s sister brand - Chemistry.com -w as third with $28.3 million in
ad expenditures. (2009)
In the UK Match.com is also the biggest dating site (Nielsen Net ratings, April 2009). It
claims to have 15 Million subscribers with localized portals for Germany, Austria, Belgium,
Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Netherlands, Portugal, United
Kingdom, Sweden and Switzerland. Match.com is quoted on NASDAQ under the name
lAC/lnterActiveCorp has recently become the outsourced dating platform for Yahoo!
Personals, a contract estimated to be worth €500 million.
18
Niche dating sites such as BlackSingles.com, which matches African-American singles,
nearly doubled its ad spend in 2008 and the morally dubious Ashley Madison Agency, which
promotes extramarital affairs, spent four times as much ($243,000) on advertising through
September 2008. (Neilsons, 2009)
Rank
Jan 07 to Sep
07
Site
Jan 08 to Sep
08
1
E HARMONY WEBSITE-DATING SVCS EHARMONY.COM
2
MATCH,COM WEBSITE-DATING SVCS
-1,17 O.ES-O
47,607.049
J
CHEMISTRY WEBSFE-DA'ING SVCS CHEMISTRY.COM
12,125.65-5
28,232.073
4
CUPID.COM WEBSITE-DATING SVCS
1,067.142
B47.231
0.000
822.042
BLACKSINGLES.COM WEBSITE-DATING SVCS
272.96*
510.251
ADULTFRIENDFINDER.COM WEBSITE-DATING SVC
0 ODD
243.553
S9.S77
243.-S20
15
6
7
b
NOCHEATERSDATE WEBSITE-DATING SVCS
NOCHEATERSDATE.COM
ASHLEY MADISON AGCY WEBSITE-DATING SVC
; 79,019.631
53,255.171
ASHLEYI.1ADIS0H.C0I.1
I
9
CIAOROSSANO.COM WEBSrTE-DATING SVCS
OODO
212.750
10
CHRISTiANMIN3LE.COM WEBSITE-DATING SVCS
0.000
201.213
I
g 6.0 [,9) Online Dating Website Usage Figures 2007 (Neilsons, 2009)
According to a report published on ComScore (Lipsman. A, 2010) in March, the online
dating industry had clear and defined areas of highest usage. The report shows that France
has the highest proportion of internet dating users over UK and USA sites.
ONLINE DATING AND CULTURAL CHANGE
Thomas Enraght, CEO of Match.com believes that his company has led a cultural shift that
has changed the way people connect, communicate and find love. He believes that applying
technology to one of the most important decisions people can make, is a great fit. (Enraght,
T, 2005).
PRIMARY RESEARCH - ONLINE DATING STIGMA IN IRELAND
As part of the primary research carried out for this thesis, a mix of 26 Irish male and female
subjects were surveyed about their feelings towards meeting a partner online.
When asked if they would speak openly about meeting a partner through online dating, 88%
said yes, they would speak openly about how they met, if they met their partner online. 11 %
said no, they would not speak openly about how they met.
19
But when 20 male internet members of the website PlentyofFish.com were asked if they
believed that there was stigm a attached to online dating in Ireland, 50% of them said yes
and 50% said no. This would indicate that even online dating website members
themselves, believe that online dating is not yet a fully acceptable way of meeting a
partner in Ireland. However, it does not discourage them from using it.
Dr. Norval Glenn, a sociologist at the University of Texas at Austin, says, "There is a stigma
associated with online dating. He believes the stigma has lessened, but it is still there to
some extent. He tells us that internet dating may replace traditional ways of meeting which
have broken down in recent decades. But even in the US where the internet has been
around for the longest time, stigma exists. [20]
P R IM A R Y R E SE AR C H - O N LIN E DATING S U R V EYS
PLENTY OF FISH .C O M - TR A D ITIO N A L RULES OF DATING ONLINE
To find out if traditional rules of dating apply online, 20 male Irish users of an online
dating website were asked to answer some questions about online dating in Ireland.
W hen asked if men approach women first online, 89.5% said yes, men generally
contacted women first in online dating websites. This would indicate that som e of the
traditional rules of dating apply online and that even though, the technology has evolved,
internet users still adhere to the culturally accepted norms about dating.
The next question asked the 20 male online dating users if they would like if a woman
pursued them online. This question was designed to determine if male attitudes to online
dating were traditional or not and to determine if they saw being contacted online as
intrusive. A staggering 90% of the Irish male dating site users said they would like if a
female pursued them online. This would indicate that, Irish men are not as traditional
when it comes to online dating, as women and that men are still the aggressors in the
online dating arena.
20
1.
In general, do men send m essages to w om en firs t o nline or not?
Yes
Response
Percent
Response
Count
89.5%
17
10.5%
2
answ ered question
19
2. Would you like if a woman pursued you online?
R e sp o n se
Percent
R e sp o n se
Count
Yes
9 0 .0 *
18
Mo
10 .0 *
2
a n sw e re d question
20
.3 Do you think there is stigma attached to online dating in Ireland?
Response
Percent
Response
Count
C
50.0*
10
Ho I—— •
M.0*
10
Yes
Fig 7.0 Survey Monkey Entitled “Do Traditional Rules of Dating Apply Online?"
IRISH ATTITUDES TO O NLINE DATING
To examine attitudes about online dating in Ireland, 16 female and 9 males between the
ages of 18 and 50 were surveyed. They were asked a number of questions relating to online
dating. Only 30% said they had made a date through an online dating website and none of
the subjects were still dating the person they met for a date through the internet after 1 year.
When asked if they knew anyone who was in a relationship as a result of online dating,
54.5% said they had heard of someone, but didn’t know that person personally. 45.5% said
they personally knew someone who was in a relationship as a result of online dating.
21
When asked if they would be open to meeting a partner through internet dating, 42.3% said
yes they would be open to meeting a partner online. 11.5% said no, they would not be open
to meeting a partner online. And 46.2% are undecided about their feelings about meeting a
partner through online dating.
The Irish men and women were then asked if they had any reservations about meeting a
partner through an online dating website. 64% said no, they would not have any reservations
and 36% said yes they would have reservations about dating online.
~DOES ONLINE DATING ADD HUMAN EMOTIONAL VALUE
But the question still remains “Can Online Dating Provide Human Emotional Value”. Without
a doubt, the answer to this is yes. Statistics show that more and more couples are meeting
through the internet.
But online dating is about to undergo a massive revolution. The next generation of online
dating will be a virtual reality platform similar to Second Life . It will allow rich human
interactions to occur in cyber space such as meeting in a 3D virtual cafe or for dinner. This is
known as virtual dating or Online Dating 2.0 and already a number of providers e x is t.[44]
In Ireland, research carried out for this paper shows that, even though stigma is attached to
online dating, thousands of people use it as a way to meet new people. The reassurance
that there is "Plenty of Fish” is one reason why so many people are attracted to this form of
dating. Therefore, even if they do not meet the love of their life, internet dating creates a
certain amount of emotional value, for the user.
22
CHAPTER 2
BUILDIN G E M O TIO N AL R E LA TIO N S H IP W ITH BRANDS ONLINE
Because of the internet, business marketing is becoming more personal. It’s about
customizing the message to the consumer, grabbing their attention, speaking their language
and being their “Facebook Friend”. This means that traditional marketing practices are being
challenged.
Marketing professionals must re-think how campaigns are designed and adapt their
strategies. For those who understand and utilise the potential which social network
marketing offers, the rewards are great. Many social networking sites like Facebook, provide
the opportunity to target millions of users. The cost is comparatively low but the secret to
success lies in how the interaction is presented. [17]
This chapter examines how brands are becoming more “human” and how they are
communicating with their market segments in a more personal, honest and transparent
ways.
FACEBOOK STATISTICS IRELAND
May 2010
Facebook Users
1.58m monthly active Users
Average Number of Friends on Facebook
124
Users who access Facebook via Mobile
467,000
Fig 8.0 Facebook User Statistics (2010)1,81
BUILDING BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS WITH FACEBOOK
Facebook claims that it has over 500 million users with an average of 130 friends each. [18]
Using Facebook enables companies to reach their customers in a personal more human
way. Popular brands are given the opportunity to reach out and be amongst their
consumers. Devising strategies which can be applied to online communities can result in
lucrative business relationship development, but the challenge lies in understanding what
works and what does not.
23
HOW TO CONN EC T USING FAC EBO O K
M egan O' C onnor, D ire c to r of D igital M arke ting fo r Levis b e lie ves th a t one key
lesson th a t com pan ies w ho use Facebook should learn is to focus its a d ve rtisin g
w ith in a sh o rt period o f tim e. She belie ves th a t a cam paign should run in te n s e ly
o v e r a w eek instead of sp re a d in g out over a lo n g e r tim e period in o rd e r to
in cre a se or trig g e r viral c irc u la tio n of its m essage. Those who try to gain
lo n g e v ity lose the risk of lo sin g the a tte n tio n of F ace book users. (E ldon.E ,
2 010 ).
L e v i's + F a n s
J u s t Fans
Levi's Now that the Fort is over, get your rocker style at levi.com, 3096 off
our favorite jeans? Today is the East day.
I ® a b o u t an ho ur a g o
Com m ent
Like
View T e e d b jc k (1 3 0 )
S haie
Fig 9.0 [211 Levis Post E ve n t P ro m o tio n on F aceb oo k L e v is /F a d e r p age.
FACEBOOK & MASLOWS HIERACHY OF NEEDS
It has been sugg este d th a t consu m e rs m otivated by som e co m b in a tio n of
M a s lo w ’s H ie rarchy of N eeds are m ore ta rg e ta b le th ro u g h Facebook cam paigns.
(T h re a d a w a y et al, 2 01 0). P ro d u cts related to hum an b io lo g ica l and
p h y s io lo g ic a l needs such as food, drink, s h e lte r, w a rm th , sex and sleep may
th e re fo re be e a sie r to prom ote th ro u g h social n e tw o rk m arke ting than more
s o p h is tic a te d produ cts. 1221
Fast food com panies who o ffe r food and drink w hich is low cost and low
m onetary risk are very s u c c e s s fu l on Facebook. B u rge r King, D om inos Pizza
and Pizza Hut in ve st h e a v ily in th e ir F acebook cam paigns and the results are
im p re ssive .
24
E m a rke tin g p ro fe s s io n a ls m ust, th e re fo re , c o n s id e r the type o f pro d u ct they are
s e llin g before e m b a rkin g on e xp e n sive F ace book cam p a ig n s. For exam ple,
p ro fe s s io n a l se rvice s such as B2B e n te rp ris e re so u rce pla n n in g so ftw a re w hich
re q u ire s high in ve stm e n t, m any m onths o r years to build and se n s itiv e
n e g o tia tio n may not be as s u ita b le to onlin e so cia l n e tw o rk m a rke ting as a fa st
food p ro d u ct which co sts v e ry little and is consum ed q u ic k ly w ith low fin a n c ia l
risk.
A
Self-actualisation
personal growth and fulfilm ent
Esteem needs
achievement, status, responsibility, reputation
/
.... - ....... -....y
~
Belongingness and Love needs
family, affection, relationships, work group, etc
Safety needs
protection, security, order, law, limits, stability, etc
Biological a ltd Physiological needs
basic life needs - air, food, diink, shelter, warmth, sex, sleep, ebc.
Fig 8.0 1211 M aslo w s H ie ra rc h y of Needs
FACEBOOK - PIZZA HUT DELIVERY - IRELAND
Although Ireland did not qualify for World Cup 2010, Pizza Hut has found a way to use this
event to maximize sales. They have created a unique campaign which enables Facebook
members to log on and claim a free pizza for every goal scored against France. The first 350
customers receive a free pizza for each goal. In the first week of the world cup 12,000 new
members have joined Pizza Huts Facebook page. The World Cup Facebook campaign cost
€75,000.
When a goal was scored against France, a code appeared on the customised “scoreboard"
which had been created by Pizza Hut and appeared on their Facebook page.
25
Fig 9,0 : PizzaHut World Cup Scoreboard Fig: Pizza Hut Facebook Home Page 1231
In order to receive updates of when goals against France were scored, Facebook users
clicked the "Like" button.
This demonstrates how a brand can create a very human connection with their customers.
They know that Irish soccer fans feel strongly about losing to France and have found a way
to sympathies with them and still promote their brand. Facebook campaigns like this are
about “leveling". It’s about creating an emotional bond between the brand and the customer
that goes beyond the product.
DOMINOS P IZ Z A -T A S T E BUD BOUNTY - SUMMER 2010
Dominos Pizza "Pizza Hold Out” campaign rewards Facebook users who encourage their
friends to try various Pizza flavours by offering free vouchers which are automatically
emailed to an elected Facebook contact. If the referred contact redeems the voucher, the
user receives points which add up to free prizes.
This works on the principle that people respond to content which creates an impact on them
emotionally. When a user gets a free pizza, they want their friend to enjoy the same great
deal and so they spread the message and experience the taste together.
26
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27
FACEBOOK FRIENDS VS REAL FRIENDS
Many people who are friends on Facebook may not be “friends" in the real world. These
people may rarely or never speak. As an experiment undertaken for this project, a Facebook
page was created. The aim was to establish how many friends could be collected in 1
month. The page created had over 500 Facebook friends in one month, proving the
irrelevance of many connections made through Facebook.
The RichPick Facebook page
current number of friends is 564 1471
Tomas
Chamorro-Premuzic, an
Associate
Professor of
Psychology at
Goldsmiths,
University of London has a theory about those who have very high numbers of Facebook
friends. He suggests that people who are less popular or charismatic in the real world may
somehow "compensate" for their lack of charm by over-indulging in virtual social networking
sites. They may therefore, have literally 1000s of Facebook Friends and very few in the real
world.
(C ham orro-Prem uzic, T, 2010)
Burger King has made a point of showing its attitude to this behavior. It understands its
customers irritation towards unrealistically high numbers of Facebook Friends and has used this
idea to create an emotional bond, which is then used as a promotional hook.
The Facebook Whopper Sacrifice Application incentives people to “drop" 10 friends or more by
offering them a voucher for a Burger when they complete the cull.
The application sends a message to the person who had been dropped telling them that
they were less important to the user than a Burger Kinger Whopper. The designer of the
application has been criticised for causing offense. In response to this, Crispin Porter and
Bogusky said that it would appear to be anti-social at first. But infact, it would actually give
those friends something to talk or laugh about and may even cause them to become closer.
(Crispin. P, 2010)
BURGER KING - W HOPPER SACRIFICE APPLICATIO N
28
Fig 11.0 Burger King Whooper Sacrifice Facebook Page [25]
G eolocation “Check In” Facebook Campaign - M cDonalds -
2010
Location based social networking is the future. It is thought that Facebook is hedging its
bets on new GEOIocation targeting functionality. [26] GEOIocation technology relies on the
use of mobile Smartphone’s such as the iphone or Blackberry. Using methods of “checkingin” it is possible to know, not just what your friends are doing, but where they are.
McDonalds is so confident of the imminent popularity of GEOIocation targeting that it has
become the first to adopt the Geolocation technology introduced by Facebook. The two
companies have partnered to create a Facebook Application which will reward customers for
"checking in" at McDonalds restaurants across America. Facebook has 100 million active
users who use mobile technology. (2010) In the future, loyalty cards may be replaced by
GEOIocation "checking in” which will encourage and incentivise customers to build strong
repeat behaviour patterns and be rewarded with points and discounts. McDonalds may soon
be able to notify customers of their proximity to its nearest restaurant within a 10 mile radius
by SMS. Privacy issues have yet to be agreed and laws established relating to GEOIocation
targeting. [48]
HOW TO HUMANISE BRANDS
1. Consider the product - Is it trust orientated, luxury, B2B or B2C. What are the risks
associated with buying the product for the customer. This will determine if the product
can be sold in a light hearted fun way or if it will require a more serious selling
strategy.
2.
Marketing Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning - Use personas to humanise
a target audience. Define what they enjoy doing, where they go, how they live and
what other products they use. Personas are used by companies more and more to
understand different market segments so that they can target and build relationships
with them online.
3.
Define Goals For The Facebook Page - Know what the value proposition is for the
Facebook campaign. Be clear about what the page will do for the brand. A Facebook
page should achieve one or two clear goals. It should not be all things to all users.
Examples of popular goals are :
a) Increase brand awareness and sales during the activity
b) Convert telephone ordering customers into online ordering customers.
29
c) Measure and gather information about current customers interests and habits
through analysis of Facebook users habits, beliefs, random comments, links and
interests. This information enables further targeting.
d) See and know the user through photographs posted publicly.
e) Empathise with the target customer and enhance their life in a meaningful way.
f)
Breakthrough the noise of everyday marketing messages to enhance the
customers experience in a meaningful way.
g) Re-Inforce Brand Image - Social media campaigns can be used to strengthen a
particular aspect of the brand. But this must be carefully considered before
creating a Facebook page.
h) Create referrals - encourage the user to refer your product to others by "refer a
friend” buttons and forwarding links.
4. Test the Campaign among a controlled sample - Before going live, a viral
campaign which involves interaction or personal opinions should be tested amongst
a number of consumers or within a focus group to gain feedback and avoid potential
damage being caused to the brand.
5. Tracking & Analysis of Goals - A common method to track a Facebook page is to
link it to the brands website portal. Using free tracking software such as Google
Analytics, information such as visits, pageviews, bounce rate, average time on site,
new visitors versus returning, traffic sources are recorded as metrics.
EMOTIONAL BUSINESS BRANDING
CAN THE INTERNET ADD EMOTION TO BRANDING
Humans react and identify with ideas which they believe to be true but which may not be the
general consensus. This idea has helped brands such as Burger King, Pizza Hut and
McDonalds to engage with their customers on a more emotional level.
Through its World Cup 2010, campaign, which incentivized Facebook users, for goals
scored against France, Pizza Hut Ireland has grown its Facebook members to over 15000.
30
CHAPTER 3
V IR A L M AR KETIN G -
W ORD OF WEB
Viral marketing or "word of web" is about creating a buzz surrounding a product online so
that the customer actually carries the message to other potential customers. Using the
relationships of others, viral marketing makes it possible for messages to infiltrate personal
networks of people who know and trust one another. The offline version of this form of
relationship marketing is known as “word of mouth”.
Viral marketing is about creating content in the form of email, video or an event that is so
infectious that customers will want to share it with friends. Because the information comes
from a friend or someone whom the receiver has a relationship with, they are more likely to
read it. (Kotler.P, Armstrong.G, 2010) Viral marketing makes use of consumer to consumer
relationships and communications, however the full implications of this type of marketing is
not fully understood as it is a relatively new form of promotion. (Clarke. I, Flaherty. T, 2005)
Consumers have grown immune to promotional advertiser. Now advertisers must learn to
delight their customers in order to retain their interest and support. (Rigby, Siddle and Chu,
2000)
VIRAL MARKETING CAMPAIGNS
Some companies have achieved iconic status with their ingenious viral marketing tactics.
They have succeeded in creating information which ordinary people willingly circulate
amongst their friends and contacts via email. Viral marketing can be less expensive and
more believable than standard ads but making it work requires hard work, risk and luck.
One of the very first users of viral marketing was Hotmail who had 500,000 users in 1996.
They spread the popularity of their free email service by including a small advert at the
bottom of each email sent. (Altoft.P, 2008)
"All viral means ... is that you've created a message that people want to share. It's proof that
your message is resonating," says Gregg Spiridellis of Brewer Anheuser-Busch an award
winning advertising agency with clients like Budweiser. (Howard. T, 2005) Gregg Spiridellis
and his brother Evan created one of the first truly successful viral campaigns in 2004. “This
31
Land” is a YouTube viral campaign depicting President George W. Bush and Senator John
Kerry in a political animation parody. During the animation, Heinz Tomato Ketchup enjoys
two scenes of product placement. The video has been seen by 80 Million people worldwide.
I
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Fig 12.0 This land includes subtle product placement the Heinz Tomato iconic ketchup b ottle1271
For marketers, viral marketing is an ideal way for message circulation, because it stops any
concerns a company may have about sending unsolicited or potentially annoying emails to
its customers.
BURGER KING - VIRAL CAMPAIGN - SUBSERVIANT CHICKEN
1 Ci>ito#fil»LWr»
| Suggtfled Srtci
4*
Q
Fig 13.0 Subservient Chicken - Burger King12'1
32
Otfcw bo
Burger King has proven itself to be a leading early adopter of internet viral marketing
opportunities. In 2004, it launched the “Subservient Chicken” campaign which shows a
human dressed up a chicken. There is a command line underneath and a submit button.
Inspired by adult sites, the tagline reads onimously “Get Chicken Just The Way You like it.
Enter a Command Here”. The user enters a command and the chicken performs it. For the
purposes of research “do the splits”, "hand stand” "do yoga” and “take off your mask” were
entered. The chicken obeyed all but the latter. Instead he approached the screen and shook
his finger in a warning gesture.
Underneath there is a convenient link which enables the viewer to email this campaign on.
This campaign has received 46 million views to date and is still active 6 years later. "People
have grown increasingly skeptical of packaged, canned, Madison Avenue-speak," says Russ
Klein, Burger King's chief marketing officer. (Howard. T, 2005). This campaign combines viral
marketing and artificial intelligence. Part of the intrigue, is whether or not, there is a real
person, behind the chicken mask. It is likely that the chicken responds to keywords, which
are programmed to perform certain actions. For example, the use of the words “calm” and
"yoga” result in exactly the same action being performed and he performs the “warning
gesture" when asked to do anything which he does not want t o . [28]
AN ONYM OUS YO UTUBE CAM PAIGN - DECEMBER 2009
One of the industries which has suffered huge losses as a result of online file sharing
technology and illegal downloading, is the music industry. But now, artists are starting to use
viral marketing to hit back.
In 2009, a covert 55 second YouTube clip was emailed to several music websites and blogs.
The mysterious clip used an anonymous pseudonym “iamamiwhoiam”. Soon after, a second
clip was posted and then a third one. To date, “ia m a m iw h o ia m has released eleven
videos, varying in lenght. Shortly after its release, music journalists and MTV became aware
of the clip and speculation began as to who it could be. [29]
The music is a digital futuristic sound and the accompanying videos show a surreal forest
and a mysterious blonde female figure. Music video experts agree that the big budget used
on this video would rule out art students or indie bands and that this viral music campaign
could only be the work of a high profile artist with plenty of financial backing and production
expertise behind th e m .[49]
33
Already the campaign has had 100,000 hits and the anticipation and buzz surrounding this
mysterious artist is building every day. (Elan, P.2010) On 15 March 2010, an Official
application appeared on iTunes sold by iLike, inc which enables the purchase of this
anonymous artists music online.
The motivation to view such as YouTube video is emotive. Curiosity and intrigue are created
in a way that few traditional marketing campaigns could hope to achieve.
Y o u im
r o
i
| Sta rc h
The big reveal: lamamlwhoaml Is JonnB Lee (100% proc.f
a u w a te tF o fu m ft
41 videos s=
Browse
■y ' v
Sunst/ic*
Fig. 14 According to YouTube speculators, the artist is Jonna Lee a Swedish musician who matches the description
of the girl in the videos. '3Q|
Campaigns like this one prove that the internet can generate publicity and intrigue at a
fraction of the cost of traditional promos by employing the right online viral marketing tactics
combined with clever use of blogs and communities. But the potential of this new found form
of promotion lies in how it is harnessed in the future. Originality is key as internet users have
a notoriously low attention span.
E L F Y O U R S E L F .C O M - NOVEMBER 2007
34
One of the most popular viral campaigns ever made is the Christmas themed,
“ElfYourself.com app” which was created by OfficeMax in 2007. The ElfYourself.com website
has received 193 Million visits and numbers grow every year. In America alone, Office Max
have received free publicity from CNN, ABC World News Tonight, Fox News, The New York
Times, The Today Show, and Good Morning America.
To receive this level of publicity through advertising, they would need to invest millions of
dollars. But Office Max invested just 350,000 dollars into building 20 Christmas themed apps
in the hope that one would gain popularity among bored office workers.
The beauty of this campaign is that it resurfaces every year which means that Office Max
can look forward to a very happy Christmas for many years to come. 33% of those who
visited the website said the campaign incentivised them to shop at OfficeMax and another
33% said the the application increased their opinion of the company in a positive way.
.(Kotler.P, Armstrong.G, 2010)
H AR N ESSIN G HUMAN EM O TIO NS TO SPREAD A M ESSAG E
1. Create Intriguing Content which the consumer is compelled to share with others.
2.
Ensure your target market are web s a w y and have a sense of humor.
3. Don’t try to control what is said about the brand too much. Once the message
goes viral, there is no way to control it. "Advertisers are not nearly in control of their
brand message as they think they are," says Klein. "When you are out there living in
that world, they are not always going to say nice things about you. You can't get too
uptight about how you manage the conversation.”
4. Keep them Guessing - Ensure that promotion is not the focus of the campaign. In
“This Land” the receiver is not fully aware of the purpose of the animation and
therefore enjoys it for what it is.
5. Allow the user to interact - When a user gets involved in an activity, they forget
that the creator has a promotional goal. Therefore viral campaigns which distract the
user by getting them to take action are more likely to be spread to friends and
contacts.
6. Introduce some mystery - It has been proven that intrigue is an emotion which
encourages users to spread viral marketing messages.
35
HAS VIRAL MARKETING AFFECTED THE HUMAN RELATIONSHIP ONLINE?
According to a 2003 study by DeBruyn & Lilien, customers engage in word of mouth
communication when they are either highly satisfied or highly dissatisfied or when they are
committed to a brand or when the idea is novel. Therefore, the reasons why humans
circulate viral marketing stem from an emotive response to the content. Online marketing
taps into peer networks that are a dynamic, self expanding form o f human activity. A
company using viral marketing attempts to use the "distance between people" to spread its
message. (Krishnamurthy, 2005)
It has also been suggested that word of mouth occurs when the element of surprise is used.
(Clarke. I, Flaherty. T, 2005). The mysterious anonymous music videos by the artist known
only as IAMAMIWHOIAM become more and more seductive when it is discovered that
nobody knows the true identity of the singer. That element of mystery deepens the feeling
that the user has “found” something that nobody else knows about. They have uncovered a
secret and feel impelled to share their experience with others. Cultivating mystery continues
to be one of the more classic means to generate buzz (Bourdard’hui. M, 2007)
Humans like to share ideas and experiences with others. The emotive human need to
communication is manifested online, in the forwarding of humourous, mysterious, surprising,
entertaining or interesting content to others in a social group. In this way, viral marketing can
harness the human emotional need to share information, with others in their social group.
They continue to share their emotions with others through content provided, for them, by
companies, who ultimately are promoting a product.
36
CHAPTER 4
THE FUTURE OF ONLINE HUMAN INTERACTIO N
Andrew Grove was chairman of Intel from 1979 to 2005. During his time he saw many
changes and advancements in technology. He summed up technological advancement in
one succinct phrase. “ What can be done, will be done" . [32]
Fig 33.0 Tom Cruise - Minority Report 20021221
In this age of exponential technological growth, ideas once only dreamed of by movie
producers and sci-fi writers, very quickly become state of the art technology. Demand drives
supply and the IT industry has the ability to keep up. The only limitations are that of the
imagination. Martin Cooper, chief engineer at Motorola , Time Magazine Best Inventor 2007
and creator of the first ever mobile phone known as “The Brick” claims that his inspiration for
the hand held communication device came from watching episodes of Star Trek as a boy.
(2006, Cooper. M). What this tells us, is that ideas which seem far-fetched can very quickly
become reality. And what starts as science fiction can soon become science.
In an age when technology is inspired by science fiction, anything is possible. Therefore, this
final chapter is devoted to the future of human computer interaction. Using the philosophy of
Andy Grove that anything is possible, this chapter will explore the most progressive models,
37
projects, thinkers and creators to discover what exists or may shortly exist to facilitate
advanced levels of human interaction online.
E M ER G IN G HCI - M IC R O S O FT SU R FAC E
In 2002, a movie called Minority Report featured a futuristic interface where the user panned
his hand and body to move projected icons to interface with an operating system. Five years
later, Microsoft released Surface, a similar interface. Steven Spielberg said that the concept
for the device came from communication with Microsoft before the release of MS Surface. The
MS Surface interface “responds to natural hand gestures and real-world objects" (2010).
Fig 16.0 Microsoft Surface [34]
The new MS Surface interface does not require a mouse or keyboard. The user touches the
screen with their finger to drag information around the screen. Items placed on the screen
are also detected. Downloading images can be done by placing phones or cameras directly
onto the surface. Microsoft describes the product as more intuitive and fun than any other
interface.
The technology uses cameras and image recognition in an infrared spectrum to recognise
the different objects which it comes into contact with. Items placed on the surface can be bar
38
coded, which will enable further information to be expanded about that object. In
demonstrations, a wine glass has been used. It is possible for the user to learn more about
the product, where it came from, what year it is and how much it costs. This bar-coded
information pulling functionality could facilitate complicated product sales. Because MS
Surface can respond to multi-touch, it is ideally targeted towards the hospitality sector where
many users may pull information at one time. It can respond to as many as 52 touches at
onetim e. (2010)
In the future, all itransactions on the internet may be carried out in a similar way. Instead of
entering credit card details which takes time, a purchase transaction could be deployed as
soon as the interface detects that a credit card has been placed.
TH E FU TU R E OF HU M AN C O M P U T E R IN TE R FA C E
Whilst its possible to shrink keyboards and other output devices to their smallest possible
size, human evolution has not kept pace with the rate at which interfaces are evolving.
(2008, Sear & Jacko)Therefore, its feasible to suggest that wearable devices will shortly
become a thing of the past. When technology allows it, HCI outputs may no longer be worn
on the body, but instead form part of the body.
One idea about how this could work comes through examining a biomedical device, currently
used to cure Parkinson’s disease. Advancements in this system could make it possible to
implant a device in the users brain which allows access to functionality by detecting the
electrical signals caused by "thinking”. Therefore, the device is controlled by "thinking” about
the required function. The question remains about whether such technology is possible and
if so, when it will be available.
DEEP BR AIN S IM U LA TIO N & TH E H U M AN C Y BO R G
A Cyborg is a hybrid of man and machine. It has some biological parts and some organic tissue.
Under this definition, many cyborgs wander are planet today.[35] Doctors are using a method
known as Deep Brain Simulation to treat neural disorders such as Parkinson disease. This
involves implantation of a man made electronic device into the brain which sends electrical
signals to the neural networks commanding them to correct the effected neural paths signal. The
treatment has proved effective for Parkinsons and other neural disorders and has been approved
by the FDA as a successful and recognised medical device. (2009)
39
Fig. 19 Diagram of the negative and positive contact points of a Deep Brain Simulation Device (2010, Erwin.B
Montgomery. JR)
In cases where the device has moved very slightly during surgery, patients have experienced
changes in personality and increased impulsiveness. It has been suggested that Deep Brain
Simulation may be used in the future to implant online enhancement devices which would enable
the person to access information from GPS, Maps, Stock Exchanges just by thinking about it. It
may even be used to treat depression or compulsive thinking.
O P TO G E N E T IC BRAIN IN PU T/O U TPU T DEVIC E
In the future interfaces may become obsolete. If technology and dependence on the internet
continue to grow at an exponential rate, then humans may interact with the internet using
biotechnology such as optogenetics. This would enable the connection to the web to become
fluid and constant and the device would form part of the brain.[36'
Optogenetics links a computer and the human brain. Therefore, it may be possible to access the
internet with the human brain. It is a fusion technique which could allow human brains to interact
seamlessly with machines. (2009 Chorost. M)
Optogenetics works by inserting an algae gene into the brain. This makes neurons fire when
exposed to blue light. Another gene stops the neuron from firing when exposed to yellow light. In
theory, a small additional device emitting blue and yellow light may allow access to the internet to
occur inside the brain. (2009, Newitz.A)
This type of device poses a question relating to human evolution. At what point do humans stop
being human and start becoming machines? More research is required to fully develop that
40
hypothesis. However, if it was possible for the brain to function seamlessly and be supported by
artificial intelligence devices, the physiological design of the brain may begin to change.
C H AN G E S IN O N LIN E HU M AN IN TE R AC TIO N IN TH E FUTURE
History has proven that far-fetched scientific theory and ideas are often closer to reality than
we are ready to accept. Countless examples exist. Probably the most well documented is
that of Galileo (1564) who first proclaimed the world was a sphere. He was called a heretic
and a madman. Darwin was snubbed and asked which of his grandparents were closer to an
ape, when he first put forward his theory of evolution. But science would prove both were
right. They were, however, years ahead of their time.
Another scientist who could also be years ahead of his time is Ray Kurzweil, a scientist and
pioneer of artificial intelligence and nanotechnology[37] He believes that it may be possible to
achieve human immortality in just 20 years time. He cites that technology linking human cells
and computer technology is accelerating at an incredible rate. By reprogramming
microscopic nano cells with the body, he believes it is possible to instruct the body to reverse
the aging process and return to youth forever. This theory is called the Law of Accelerating
Returns. [50]
Another of his theories related to immortality. He believes it may soon be possible to "download"
the human brain onto a purpose built biomedical server, insert it into an avatar and allow the
mind to live once the body has expired. Based on his ideas, the mind constitutes the human
person, not the body and so, through a complex bioMedically created brain, immortality may be
available within the near future.1381
41
CHAPTER 5
______V IR T U A L H U M A N & H U M A N C O M P U T E R IN T E R A C T IO N (H C I)
Meet Ramona (V4.0), a life-like Avatar virtual human which has conversational abilities.
Ramona is designed to simulate online chat. (2010, Kurzweil. R) It is possible for the user to
adjust her personality by changing the level of “nerdiness” or "whimsicality” using the chat
interface. Ramona’s ability to chat is based on natural language processing. It is possible
that software programmes like Ramona V4.0 will shortly become the face of online customer
service. Ramona is version 4.0 of an Artificial Intelligence project which is pioneered by the
futurist Ray Kurzweil. A vatars are virtual hum ans o r com puter-generated interactive
characters that look and a ct like people.
Chat with Ramona 4.0 (circa 2009)
Even a virtual person likes to chat. Just answer Ramona's qu
Cm
you
;t!£ u ith
sonietklig
Does Vie meditation help you to be me.
Say:
|
Hespontf
Fig 16.0 Ramona artificial intelligence 1391
A R T IF IC IA L HUM ANS IN BU SIN ESS
Although not as sophisticated and human-like as Ramona V4.0, leading web companies
such as Ebay, Apple, IBM and SFR Vodafone Division, are already using virtual agents to
provide customer services on their websites. (2009,Gaydos.M)
42
Company
Virtual Conversations Per Month
SFR (Vodafone Division)
750,000
Ebay
200,000
(2009,Gaydos.M)
Social Interaction with virtual humans is an area where research is being carried out and not
surprisingly, when consideration is given to the financial savings on human resources which
could result. In September of 2010, IBM will devote a one and a half day conference to the
subject of Social Interactions with Virtual Humans. The conference entitled “Research
Symposium on Human-Computer Interaction and Software Engineering” will enable enthusiasts
to see demonstrations, and discuss emerging topics in these areas. (2010). Only through
research programmes like this one can the full application of virtual human potential be explored.
HUMAN COMPUTER INTERACTION & VIRTUAL HUMAN INTERACTION
HCI is the study of interaction between computers and people. Since HCI focuses to enhance the
user experience, it is connected to social behaviour and so the study of how humans react to
programmes like Ramona V4.0 gives inordinate information about the success of these
programmes and their potential to influence human experiences online.
One study shows that humans, who interact with artificial chat software which appears to be real,
are likely to forget easily that the mechanism is not human. In a recent study entitled “The Effect
of Avatar Realism of Virtual Humans on Self Disclosure in Anonymous Social Interactions” (2010,
Hwa.S & Gratch. J), the primary findings showed that humans are likely to reveal more
information about themselves when interacting with a virtual human than they are when
communicating with a real person.
They also found that video conference images similar to Ramona V4.0 produce the most realistic
artificial humans and that avatar realism is judged on visual appearance and behaviour attributes
such as blinking, body movement and facial gestures.
HCI FACTORS FOR VIRTUAL HUMANS -TH E EMOTIONAL MACHINE
Studies have shown that Human Computer interaction is enhanced, when the user can see a
visual character on the interface. This increases the feeling of being connected and enhances
the desire to continue conversations with the virtual human. (2010, Hwa.S & Gratch. J). Virtual
humans should look and act like real people. They should have the ability to react and respond to
situations using human verbal and non-verbal communication and they should show emotion at
43
appropriate times. Therefore, they must be highly sophisticated interfaces where audio and
visual outputs are seamlessly synchronised.
The science of creating emotional machines is discussed by William Swartout in his paper
entitled "Lessons Learned from Virtual Humans". In studies carried out by his team at the
University of California relating to Artificial Intelligence, findings indicate that people will credit the
virtual human with emotional motivations regardless as to whether the system has been
designed to exhibit emotions or not.
Therefore, he uses a psychological model known as the appraisal theory to apply an emotional
dimension to his virtual humans. The theory states that people form emotions by comparing
external events to their internal goals, beliefs and desires. When the desired result is achieved,
they are happy. When it is not, they are not happy. The degree of importance of the goal, will
dictate the emotional output. Other variable factors are also assessed including desirability,
expectedness, controllability, inevitability and casual attribution. Using this theory, values are
assigned to each variable and equations are created which can be programmed into the system.
In simple terms, a combination of variables may propagate an artificial emotional reaction, in this
A P P R A IS A L T H E O R Y - C R E A TIN G V IR T U A L HU M AN P S Y C H O LO G Y
Variable
Virtual Output Response
Non-Verbal Communication
undesirable + not controllable +
Fear
Shaking, Frowning
Pleasant surprise
Raised Eyebrows, Smiling
uncertain
desirable + unexpected
Fig 17.0 Swarts Appraisal Theory for creating virtual human psychology (411
When similar principles were applied to a negotiation programme know as Stability and Support
Operations Simulation and Training (SASO-ST), which allows army trainees to practice
negotiations with virtual humans who were designed to act emotively based on trust, familiarity
and believability, findings showed that many trainees failed initially because “did not spend
enough time on initial trust-building small talk and thus ran into difficulty when they needed to
make hard demands later in the scenario”. (2010, Swartout. W). Virtual humans may have more
to teach real humans than could ever be anticipated. By programming them to mirror standard
behaviour, it is possible to learn to deal with and understand, the complexities that make humans
act and react the way they do in everyday situations. We can learn that even a machine
programmed to react in a human way, can cause frustration. Therefore, we must learn to change
44
our human ways first. This mirroring of our human reactions helps us to see, where we can go
wrong and change it. Perhaps we can “take criticism” better from inanimate avatars, as we know
that they only behave as we made them.
"POTENTIAL USES OF VIRTUAL HUMANS IN T A C lfT ^O W L E D G E TRAINING ~
The benefits of virtual agents like Ramona are impressive. They provide 100% accuracy
24/7, require no training, do not require salaries, healthcare or days off. And according to a
report by Forrester, 28% of online users in the USA prefer to contact companies via their
website than email or telephone. (2009,Gaydos.M) IBM already uses a virtual human agent
called Watson.
Therefore, virtual humans are likely to become standard software applications for online
customer service, chat support, product information, manufacturer demonstrations, training and
more. But these uses are only the beginning. Avatars have many more uses which are not yet
fully explored.
A Virtual human known as Star currently provides career guidance to army recruits in the US.
The National Science Foundation and Boston Museum of Science are creating virtual humans
which will act as tour and information guides. They have the ability to answer questions
accurately and factually on thousands of scientific subjects. Trainee doctors are using virtual
humans who have been programmed with standardised symptoms, to help them practice
diagnoses on virtual patients in a virtual environment. They train doctors to know what questions
to ask when diagnosing complex illnesses. These studies continue although the cost of research
is prohibitive in many cases.
One study which has been funded by the US National Institute of Health (NIH) since 2009 has
shown that avatars have the ability to train and teach children with higher functioning autism.
They can teach more efficiently and achieve greater results than human teachers as they are not
prone to frustration through repetition. The training prepares children with tacit knowledge skills
through experiential situations such as social interaction and events. There is even evidence that
avatars can help those who suffer from autism to develop and hold eye contact, an omitted ability
of the autistic brain.[42]
In a virtual environment, it is possible to make mistakes, practice and correct behaviour. This
negates the effect of negative re-enforcement learning by reducing the risk of rejection or
negative reactions to bad behaviour from peers and contemporaries. The NIH hopes to introduce
virtual reality social skills software to its programme for autism but it also expects that the
research will prove to be effective for a large range of disorders including Attention Deficit
Disorder and behaviour problems. The virtual human teachers exhibit levels of patience and
45
consistency that are difficult to achieve for human teachers in situations of tacit knowledge
training.
Therefore, these programmes could form part of the course for schools, clinics and homes for
children with behavioural disorders. Over the next year 40 autistic children and 40 comparison
children will be studied using virtual teachers by a team at University College Davis and Stanford
University. (2009,Del Ray, M.)
?l *
G I
i
Fig. 17.0 Ada and Grace are virtual humans at Boston Science Museam who act as tour and Information guides1431
MATCHING VIRTUAL HUMANS TO CULTURES
Marina Del Ray believes that artificial agents should exhibit cultural characteristics which will
make them appear more familiar to the user. They should exhibit rules of behaviour taken on by
different cultures and behaviour appropriate to different cultures. (2009, Del Ray, M.)
BROAD CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
•
Different Appearance
•
Different Behaviour
•
Different Meanings
•
Behaviour mapping & context
•
Frequency of Behaviour
SUBTLE CULTURAL BEHAVIOUR DIFFERENCES
•
Turn-taking
•
Greetings & gestures
•
Sequential interactions - Number of times it may take to turn down before accepting an
offer
•
Grounding behaviour, boasting & downplaying
46
But not enough study exists in social science to create the rules and variables that would be
required to create realistic artificial intelligence. Therefore, a bridge exists between computer
science and social science research. Large amounts of study have been conducted by the
computer science sector but not enough input has been received from social science research in
order to create virtual humans which exhibit culturally convincing characteristics. When the
research is done, the resulting virtual humans could allow training to be carried out on interaction
with different cultures, recognising different cultures and also using the virtual human as a
microscope under which to examine theories about cultures and consequences of actions taken
within those cultures. (2009,Del Ray, M.) Potentially, these avatars could lead to a world where
understanding and acceptance of other cultures is integrated into every child’s early educational
experience. In effect, virtual human intelligence could change the world, avoid war and cultural
misunderstandings from occurring, aid diplomatic exchange and help us see our own irrational
behaviour for what it is.
FIN D IN G S : CR EATIN G HUMAN A R T IF IC IA L IN TE LLIG E N C E
1. Virtual Story Relevance: When an individual can relate to a story or situation in a
virtual environment, they are more likely to remember it and the impact of the lesson
learned has a longer lasting effect. This was exemplified by William Swartout when he
created a military training model which was based in Bosnia. It was found that the army
personnel who had been positioned in Bosnia responded best to the programme and
took a greater interest in it than those who had not been there. (2010, Swartout. W)
2.
Integration of Technology & Expertise Building a virtual human is more complex than
creating software. The human must exhibit seemingly irrational emotion at times. This
behaviour must follow a rational algorithm. The mix of social science research and
computer science required and the seamless integration of the two pose one of the
greatest challenges for the development of virtual humans. But integration of resources is
a key to success. Calling on the skills of computer programmers is not enough. In order
to get a believable level of realism, there must be input from psychologists, linguistics
experts, animators and behavioral scientists. (2010, Swartout. W).
3.
Emotional Expectation
When humans encounter virtual humans they expect them to behave emotionally.
Therefore the avatar must exhibit emotional responses. Using the appropriate
psychology model, such as the appraisal model as explained in this chapter, is one way
47
to programme an emotional dimension into the virtual human’s personality. (2010,
Swartout. W).
4. Hybrid Architecture In his experience with virtual human architecture, Swartout and his
team at The Institute for Creative Technologies found that the best results are achieved
when combinations of the varied options are used. He compares this to how film makers
use live actors for close up shots and simulated animation for dangerous action scenes.
By combining the best of both, he believes that the most realistic results are achieved
when creating virtual humans.
C O U LD V IR T U A L HU M AN S C H A N G E H U M AN IN TE R AC TIO N
Based on the research and hypothesis of Marina Del Ray of the University of California, (2009,
Del Ray, M.), avatars could lead to a world where understanding and acceptance of other
cultures is integrated into every child’s early educational experience.
In effect, virtual human intelligence could change the world by helping us to avoid war and
cultural misunderstandings from occurring, aid diplomatic exchange and help us see our own
irrational behaviour for what it is.
In the future our children could undertake “diplomatic” training. They could be thought to
appreciate cultural differences through contact with avatars. Those avatars would react as a
person from the culture in question. As emotional stimulus is better remembered, the child learns
immediately. Such training would give them fundamental insights into other cultures, religions
and politics. Equipped with such skills, the world could develop and progress towards a more
unified human race.
48
CHAPTER 6
__________________________ T H E H11 S T H Y P O T H E S IS _________________________
Due to its anonymous quality, the internet has become a place where anyone can explore
their ideas, without exposing themselves and suffering social stigma as a result. Therefore,
the internet may provide a new platform where emotional human needs can be fulfilled
without embarrassment or ridicule. The implication for expression and growth and human
development are exponential.
Information and emotional support can be found online for problems which are too private to
discuss with traditional support networks. People who have no support in their immediate
family may also benefit.
IN TE R N E T T H E R A P Y
It is possible that human interactions concerning deeply emotive issues such as redundancy,
dismissal, divorce, separation and death, cause increased levels of stress when the
message is received through a virtual medium. This idea was brought forward by Walter
Kern in his 2001 Novel Up In The Air in where an executive commits suicide after being
exposed to a new virtual “dismissal” system, in its testing phase. This hypothetical situation
ignited the notion that some experiences, when performed online, will exacerbate stress
levels and some other experiences, when performed online, can reduce stress levels for the
user. That is the underlying concept of the HIIST theory created for this paper.
US D E FE N C E P R O V ID E S O N LIN E T H E R A P Y TO RED U C E PO ST T R A U M A T IC
S TR ES S D IS O R D E R S
In 2009, the US Department of Defense began to use a portal known as American Well, to
provide online mental health services to soldiers. Members of the military can undergo
assessments, counseling sessions, and psychotherapy and medication management in
the privacy of their own home. "There has been a stigma that's associated when one
seeks behavioural health care when they are a strong warrior," Mr. McIntyre said. It has
been thought that this stigm a barrier has stopped m any soldiers who suffered trauma,
from coming forward for the help they needed. (2009, Miller.C)
49
WHY DOES ONLINE THERAPY REDUCE STRESS?
According to a published work by Wood and Smith (2010, Wood. F, Smith. J) There are a
number of reasons which contribute to the attractiveness of the internet as a therapy
platform.
a) Unlike “ Self-Help” books and cassettes, the internet enables humans to receive
feedback and even a virtual relationship with a therapist.
b) In much the same way that Gamblers Anonymous is run by Ex-Gamblers, blogs
and online health forums allow the sufferer to get better guidance and support
from each other. Experiences and weaknesses can be discussed in a non
judgmental detached space.
c) Taboos such as alcoholism, drug addiction, disability, sex addiction, eating
disorders and HIV are topics which can be opened discussed online affording the
sufferer complete confidentiality.
d) No medical records are kept and the sufferer may seek out the help they need
without exposing themselves to a potentially embarrassing situation at the local
GPs office or medical center, where they risk their problem of being exposed or
meeting someone they know in the community.
e) Jewellery and designer clothing are removed from the interaction, and so the
sufferer feels the socio-economic balance is restored, allowing communication to
flow easier.
f)
Mentally challenged children and other personal problems can cause frustration
among parents who feel too guilty to discuss their feelings with traditional support
networks such as family, friends and spouses. (2010, Wood. F, Smith. J)
NEGATIVE HUMAN INTERACTION ONLINE
INTERNET ADDICTIO N DISO RD ER (IAD)
Whilst the internet may offer a private space which can be used in a positive way for many
people, it may also become destructive and anti-social for others. Arguments exist over
whether Internet Addiction Disorder exists and if it should be categorised as a mental illness
by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The disorder continues to be
debated and researched as it is not yet a recognised form of mental illness. The term IAD
was put forward in 1995 by Ivan Golding. Although Internet Addiction Disorder may not exist,
evidence brought forward by Professor David Greenfield (1999. Greenfield.D) suggests that
50
net compulsions can exist and are demonstrated by excessive compulsive online behaviour,
which may become harmful if not monitored. Examples of net compulsions which may
become habitual are:
•
Online gambling
•
Online shopping/spending
•
Online chatrooms
•
Pornography
•
Social Networking
•
Blogging
•
Gaming addiction (War Craft, Second Life)
•
Emailing
•
Online video gaming
SYMPTOMS OF NET COMPULSIONS
In his book, Virtual Addiction, (1999. Greenfield.D), David Greenfield, a professor at
the Center for Internet Behavior in the USA puts forward the theory that use of the
internet can provide psychologically addictive properties such as time distortion,
instant gratification and escapism. According to Dr. Kimberly Young, (Young.K.S,
1998) the first American psychologist to identify “Internet Addiction” symptoms of
internet addiction may include the following:
• Failed attempts to control behaviour in relation to internet use
• Heightened sense of euphoria while involved in computer and Internet activities
• Neglecting friends and family
• Neglecting sleep to stay online
• Being dishonest with others
• Feeling guilty, ashamed, anxious, or depressed as a result of online behaviour
• Physical changes such as weight gain or loss, backaches, headaches, carpal tunnel
syndrome
• Withdrawing from other pleasurable activities
Dr. Kimberly Young believes that internet addiction is an emerging disorder with serious
implications for the sufferer which may affect employment, relationships, education, finances
and mental health. (Young.K.S, 1998)
51
INTERNET ADDICTION IN USA
According to a report published in The New York Times (2009), games such as “World of
Warcraft” are creating emotional problems for many people. Dr. Cash, a therapist at the
American Addiction Center believes that internet addiction can be as harmful as drugs and
alcohol. The Addiction Center offers a recovery programme known as Re-Start where those
affected can rebuild their lives.
Dr. Hilarie Cash believes that the internet is more addictive than stimulates as it is so difficult
to avoid. It is almost compulsory for many careers, travel and universities. (2009)
INTERNET ADDICTION IN ASIA
A study by Stanford university in 2009 concluded that 13% of the Chinese population under
the age of 18 are addicted to the internet and that 30% of South Koreans under the age of
18 are at risk of becoming internet addicts (2009, Mooley.D). In China, internet addiction is
taken very seriously. Infact, it is a national concern, with over 200 military style bootcamps
offering treatment for unhealthy internet use. (2009, Reuters). Youths are banned from using
internet cafes by the government. As early as 2005, China reported that large percentages
of its youth population were exhibiting aggressive addictive behaviour. The reason for this
large increase in addicts per capita is thought to stem from the pressure which Chinese
teenagers are under to perform well at school. The internet offers a world of "escapism1’
where they can express their feelings and vent frustrations through violent internet video
games and chat rooms. In 2005, a judge in Beijing stated that 90% of crime in the city was
internet related. (Sebag-Montefiore, 2005)
HUMAN INTERNET INTERACTION STRESS TEST (HIIST)
Considering the ideas brought forward throughout this paper, a hypothesis entitled Human
Internet Interaction Stress Test Theory is proposed in this chapter. This hypothesis, aims to
prove, that human interaction with the internet can either cause or reduce stress. Thereby
proving that the internet can effect human emotions.
To evaluate the Human Internet Interaction Stress Theory, human reactions to stressful
experiences were divided into the following two categories and a survey was created;
52
Personal Situation
Private Social Situation
Addiction
Redundancy
Eating Disorder
Divorce
Disease
Negative Appraisal
Bankruptcy
Death of a loved one
Human Internet Interaction Stress Test (HIIST)
Dismissal
Job Interview
Appraisal
Bad News
Redundancy
Death
Seperation
Divorce
Sensitive Issues
Sexual Preferences
Mental Health Issues
Private Interests
Extreme Political Ideas
Religious Views
when experienced
virtually
_ii_i i l l
l
when experienced
virtually
I*
Fig. 17.0 Fundamentals of HISST Theory
TESTING THE HUMAN INTERNET INTERACTION/STRESS THEORY
__
The HIIST test has been devised for the purposes of this thesis, to understand the
relationship between situational online human interaction and stress levels. The HIIST aims
to prove a connection between human emotion and internet communication. The theory
aims to prove that if the situation relates to a private social matter the stress levels
experienced are increased if a message is relayed online. This pertains to matters such as
53
job, finance, marriage or home (death of a partner). When the situation in question relates to
a personal private matter, such as health, eating disorders, disability, or disease, the stress
levels experienced will be reduced by virtual communication because the sufferer does not
experience the added stress of face to face contact.
THE HIIST TEST S U R V E Y ”
The HIIST test asked individuals to answer 2 questions to help rate their potential levels of
stress when confronted with two different situations. In the first situation, the HIIST test aims
to prove that levels of stress are increased by certain instances of online communication. In
the second question, the HIIST test aims to prove that levels of stress are decreased by
certain forms of online communication. Interviews of 20 internet users showed the following
results.
O NLINE HUMAN IN TE R N E T IN TE R AC TIO N S W HICH INCREASE STRESS
HIIST Question 1. The aim of this question was to establish a link between online
communication and emotion levels in humans?
Subjects were asked if the levels of stress increased, when a message of a personal private
nature was communicated via Skype, MSN, Email or SMS.
RESU LTS O F H lT s T
The results show that the majority agree with the theory, that YES, stress levels are indeed
increased when messages of a personal private nature are communicated online instead of
via face to face communication.
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54
57.9% said that they would experience an extreme increase in stress if divorce, was
communicated with them virtually. 10% would be extremely affected by negative appraisal
feedback from their employer, being communicated online. 63% would experience an
extreme increase in stress from being notified about the death of a loved one via the
internet. This shows that the more personal the matter, the more stress is created if bad new
relating to it, is communicated in an impersonal way.
Results Question 1:
This research shows that 40% of those surveyed would experience an extreme increase in
stress resulting from important or personal notifications being sent to them online, instead of
via human face to face interaction. But 63% of those surveyed would experience extreme
increases in stress, if the news of the death of a loved one was communicated to them via
the internet.
ONLINE HUMAN I NTERNET INTERACTIONS WHICH DECREASE STRESS~
HIIST Question 2. This question is designed to evaluate if certain communications, when
conducted online, can lead to reduced levels of stress.
The results show that the majority experienced some level of reduction from having the
option to communicate about very personal problems, through the detached anonymous
platform of the internet.
It is important to note that the sample studied for this survey, are not, sufferers of any of the
problems below. Perhaps, if the study was carried out on people who had experience the
problem, first hand, the results would be more dramatic.
55
2. In your opinion,what level of stress would be reduced for the sufferer in
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having the option to access informatiomcouncelling privately online as apposed to face to face, with an
expert/fam iy GP.
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in stre ss
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Fig 19. Results of HIIST - Question 2
____
___________O V E R A LL HIIST THEORY F I NDINGS____________________________
People will never become de-sensitised to their emotions, therefore machines must become
more emotional. They must be able to read facial expressions, body language and interact
with humans through the use of cultural linguistic norms. Only then, can human interaction
online add real emotional value to the human experience.
From research and information explored in this paper, humans will begin to interact better
with computer interfaces, once artificial intelligence is developed to a point where computer
interfaces can recognize human emotions
56
THESIS CONCLUSION
Dascher Keltner, a professor at Berkley University, believes technology is depriving us of the
opportunity to develop key communication skills, therefore online human communication is
causing humans to “de-evolve” emotionally. (Keltner, D. 2010) But for brands like Pizza Hut
Ireland, who created a World Cup Facebook campaign in 2010, that rewarded goals scored
against France, 15000 people responded emotionally and joined its page.
In 2007, online dating websites in the US alone, turned over $900 Million, a figure that is
expected to increase to $1.9 billion in 2012. (Dinnocenzo.E, 2007). For those users, there is
clearly some emotional benefit resulting from these colossal expenditures. Very soon
Internet Dating 2.0 technology will emerge. This will allow visually rich 3D dating in a virtual
world. There is no doubt that even more users connect emotionally by using this software; or
at least, they will believe they have.
Already, people like Tesla Miles, the virtual celebrity shoe designer who gave up her “day
job” in the real world, because she could generate more money in Second Life, are
undeniably emotionally attached to their “in-game11existence.
For the patients of Dr. Peter Yellowless, a doctor of psychiatry at the University of California
who is using Second Life to teach other doctors how schizophrenic [16] patients see the
world and therefore creating understanding of mental illness, the impact and emotional value
being created by the internet is immeasurable for his patients and their families.
For the parents and teachers of autistic children who will shortly have the ability to teach
their children tacit knowledge skills and develop eye contact abilities through avatar lead
training, the emotional value being created by the web is significant and offers hope of a
better future for their children.
In the future, the impacts could become more significant. According to Marina del Ray,
diplomatic training through interaction with avatars could give children early appreciation of
cultural acceptance. Equipped with such skills, the world could develop and progress
towards a more unified human race. Immortality may be possible by downloading the brain
to a biomedical server, before death according to Ray Kurweil.
People will never become de-sensitised to their emotions, therefore machines must become
more emotional. They must be able to read facial expressions, body language and interact
57
with humans through the use of cultural linguistic norms. Only then, can human interaction
online add real emotional value to the human experience.
From research and information explored in this paper, humans will begin to interact better
with computer interfaces, once artificial intelligence is developed to a point where computer
interfaces can recognize human emotions.
58
FUTURE WORK
A theory called technological singularity, predicts that technological advancements will
happen at an exponential rate, but only when the human brain can catch up with that of
computers. (Ehrlick.P, 2008). From the research undertaken for this paper, a major gap
exists between social science and computer science. To fully complete emotional human
interaction online, more study is required. This study should focus on projects which link
social science and computer science and also those who create emotional artificial
intelligence. They should include extensive input from computer scientists but for the first
they should also include equal input from psychologists, linguistics experts, animators and
behavioral scientists.
59
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/6217676/Immorta1ity-only-2Q-years-awaysays-scientist.html
http://www.kurzweilai.net./
http://mvw.isi.ediL/natural-language/people/hovy/papers/06AI-Mag-VHUMAN.pdf
http://ict.usc.edu/files/publications/Swartout_2284-3252-1-PB.pdf
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18236-avatars-gaze-illuminates-social-brain.html
http://v\Tww.mos. org/interfaces/
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
21.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
3 7.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
65
44. http://www.time.eom/time/business/article/0.8599,1580609.00.html
45. http://www.consumer-action.org/news/articles/2003Jail anniversary_partv/
46. http://blog.nielsen.com/melsenwire/consumer/online-dating-and-advertising-prove-to-be-agood-match/
47. http://www.facebook.com/people/Rich-Picli/100000560880968
48. http://www.fur/ongpr.com/mcdonald s-signs-up-for-facebook s-geo-targeting-service
49. http://www.youtube,com/watch ?v=NOBsl8R4izO
50. http://www.kxirzweilai.net/theAaw-of-accelerating-returns
'
66
APPENDICES
1----------------------------------------------------------------
Top Personals Sites in the U.K.
Total Unique Visitors (000), Age 15+ *
December 2006
Total U.K. - Home and Work Locations
Source: comScore World Metrix
Web Properties
Total Unique Visitors (000) Dec-06
Total Web Users in U.K. (Age
29,788
1 5 *)
,
Personals Category Total
5,836
DATINGDIRECT.COM
1,427
LOOPYLOVE.COM
960
GIRLSDATEFORFREE.COM
618
Match.com Sites**
510
in t e r r o d a t e .c o .u k
45
* Excludes traffic from public computers such as Internet cafes and access from mobile phones or
PDAs.
_____
** . Excludes
traffic from sites powered by M atch.com ______________
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Top Personals Sites in France
Total Unique Visitors (000), Age 15+ *
December 2006
Total France - Home and Work Locations
Source: comScore World Metrix
Web Properties
Total Unique Visitors (000) Dec-06
Total Web Users in France (Age
15+)
24,409
Personals Category Total
5,317
MeetIC**
2,258
Easyrencontre
724
c a p f r ie n d s .f r
369
2BECOME1-FR.COM
337
MSN Dating & PersonalsA
29
* Excludes traffic from public computers such as Internet cafes and access from mobile phones or
PDAs.
** Excludes traffic from co-branded sites Powered by Match.com
r
--------------------------------------------------------------- — ------- ---- —-- ----
Top Personals Sites in the U.S.
Total Unique Visitors (000), Age 15+ *
December 2006
67
Total U.S. - Home, Work, University Locations
Source: comScore Media Metrix
Web Properties
Total Unique Visitors (000) Dec-06
Total Web Users in the U.S. (Age 152,350
15+)
Personals Category Total
20,555
Yahoo! Personals
4,153
Match.com Sites**
3,970
TRUE.COM
3,086
Spark Networks
2,504
SINGLESNET.COM
2,173
* Excludes traffic from public computers such as Internet cafes and access from mobile phones or
PDAs.
** Excludes traffic from sites powered by Match.com, such as Love@AOL (1.0 million unique visitors)
and MSN Personals (635,000 unique visitors).
Online Dating - Industry Leader Company Profile
C om pany: Match.com
Service Providers: B2C and B2B
Ranking: UKs Biggest Dating Site
(Nielsen Netratings, April 2009)
Users: 15 Million Subscribers
Localisation Sites: USA, Germany. Austria. Belgium. Denmark. Spain. Finland. France. Ireland.
Italy. Norway. Netherlands. Portugal. United Kingdom. Sweden. Switzerland
68
Ht Create Chart
1. Have you ever made a friend, business contact or date through the internet?
t
Download
Response
Percent
Response
Count
34,6%
9
14
No
C
i
Q
ii —
ill
3
34,6%
9
Other (please specify)
0
answered question
26
skipped question
0
vw
E J h a e e D n o k j K ic n PICK
4*
1
30 8%
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1. Have you ever made a Inend. business contact or date through the internet?
■Wl
No
70
Create Chart ♦ Download
Response
Percent
Response
Count
34.6%
9
53.8%
14
30.8%
8
34.6%
9
Other (please specify)
0
answered question
26
skipped question
0
Do Traditional Rules of Dating apply online?
1. In general, do men send messages to women first online or not?
Yes
|
No I
□
..
Response
Response
Percent
Count
89.5%
17
10.5%
2
answered question
19
skipped question
1
Response
Response
Percent
Count
|
2. Would you like if a woman persued you online?
Yes
|
no
i
|
:
90.0%
18
10.0%
2
answered question
20
skipped question
0
3. Do you think there is stigma attached to online dating in Ireland?
Response
Response
Percent
C ount
Yes
I
50.0%
10
No
I
50.0%
10
answered question
20
skipped question
0
1 of 1
The HIIST Test
1. In your opinion, what would be the increase in stress caused by the
following being communicated to you virtually ( example via
skype,MSN,email or text)as apposed to via face to face human
communication.
Same
S ligh t
High Levels
Cause
Norm al
Increase in
of
Extreme
Rating
Response
level of
Stress
Unnecessary
Increase
Average
C ount
stress
level
Stress
in Stress
Redundancy
31.6% (6)
5.3% (1)
31.6% (6)
31.6% (6)
Divorce
10.5% (2)
5.3% (1)
26.3% (5)
57.9%
2.63
19
3.32
19
2.00
19
3.32
19
(11)
Negative Appraisal Feedback
36.8% (7)
36.8% (7)
15.8% (3)
Death of a loved one
10.5% (2)
10.5% (2)
15.8% (3)
10.5% (2)
63.2%
answered question
19
skipped question
1
2. In your opinion,what level of stress would be reduced for the
sufferer in having the option to access information/councelling
privately online as apposed to face to face, with an expert/family GP.
Slight
Big
Extreme
reduction
decrease
decrease
in stress
in stress
in stress
31.6% (6)
36.8% (7)
21.1% (4)
10.5% (2)
2.11
19
Eating Disorder
31.6% (6)
42.1% (8)
21.1% (4)
5.3% (1)
2.00
19
Disease(HIV,STD)
21.1% (4)
31.6% (6)
42.1% (8)
5.3% (1)
2.32
19
Financial bankruptcy
36.8% (7)
36.8% (7)
26.3% (5)
0.0% (0)
1.89
19
Same level
of stress
Addiction - Gambling, Alcohol,
Drugs
1 of 1
Rating
Response
Average
Count
answered question
19
skipped question
1
Has the internet Changed How W e Build Relationships
1. Have you ever made a friend, business contact or date through the
internet?
Yes, A business contact
Yes, A Friend
I
I
Yes, A Date
No
I
I
□
I
Response
Response
Percent
C ount
34.6%
9
53.8%
14
30.8%
e
34.6%
9
Other (please specify)
0
answered question
26
skipped question
0
Response
Response
Percent
Count
2. How many years ago did you make this contact?
1 year
2 year
3 years
52.9%
9
j ....
29.4%
5
|
23.5%
4
35.3%
6
answered question
17
skipped question
9
More than 3 years
1 of 4
3. Are you still in touch with this person?
Response
Response
Percent
C ount
No, We are not in touch
0.0%
0
We com m unicate via email
52.9%
9
We are facebook friends
41.2%
7
We SMS each other
11.8%
2
We telephone each other
29.4%
5
We meet in person
47.1%
8
We chat on MSM or skype
17.6%
3
We are dating
0.0%
0
All of the above
5.9%
1
answered question
17
skipped question
9
4. Do you know anyone who is in a long term relationship as the result
of meeting online?
Response
Response
Percent
C ount
I am
0.0%
0
Someone I know personally
45.5%
10
54.5%
12
answered question
22
skipped question
4
S om eone I have heard about but
|----------------------------------------------.
dont know
2 of 4
5. Would you be open to meeting a partner online?
Yes
|
|
Response
Response
Percent
Count
42.3%
11
No
11.5%
3
Maybe
46.2%
12
answered question
26
skipped question
0
6. If you met your partner through a dating site, would you speak openly
about how you met?
Yes
|
13
Response
Response
Percent
Count
88.0%
22
12.0%
3
answered question
25
skipped question
1
No
7. Would you trust someone you met on a dating website less than you
would trust someone you met through an introduction?
Yes, I would trust them less
No, I would not trust them less
Q
ItiiNiri
I would trust them the same
|
3 of 4
Response
Response
Percent
Count
33.3%
7
9.5%
2
57.1%
12
Other (please specify)
6
answered question
21
skipped question
5
8. Do you have reservations about personal relationships formed
online?
Yes
|
No
□
□
1
Response
Response
Percent
Count
32.0%
8
68.0%
17
an sw ered question
25
skipped question
1
9 . 1am
•
Male
|
|
Female
□
Response
Response
Percent
C ount
36.0%
9
64.0%
16
answered question
25
skipped question
1
Response
Response
Percent
Count
1 0 .1 am aged between:
18- 30
|
|
30 - 5 0
□
Over 50
4 of 4
20.0%
5
80.0%
20
0.0%
0
answered question
25
skipped question
1