I stumbled across two presentations given at Melbourne University’s Interaction Design Group seminar last year. They discussed how “Web 2.0″ can be applied to support social interactions for the elderly, and how micro-blogging sites like Twitter effect percieved social support.
The first presentation (by Jeremy Smith) discussed the potential for social networks to aid phatic interactions between elderly people. Phatic interactions are those intended not to convey any particular information, but to simply maintain existing communication channels. For various reasons elderly people have trouble with this type of communication, and there is some potential for applications like Facebook and Twitter to help them overcome this.
Matthew Daniel then talked about how micro-blogging applications like Twitter and Jaiku can effect the perceived social support of those trying to quit smoking. Part of his abstract from the talk reads:
Micro-blogging services such as twitter and jaiku have the potential to offer much in the area of pervasive social support. They may address the issue of temporality (individuals getting support when they need it), allow users to reflect on their progress and keep sources of social support aware of their state, an awareness which may be used to provide direct support.
Refreshing to see some new perspectives and applications for these technologies.
LINKS: Matt Daniel & Jeremy Smith
