What Research is There on Technology, Communication, and Empathy?

January 14, 2016 12:31 PM

I've been thinking a lot about empathy and the way we communicate on the Internet. What research, studies, books, articles, etc. should I be reading? Special snowflake requirements: I studied Psych 101, so it's gotta be on my damn fool BA in English level of understanding.
posted by SansPoint to Education (5 answers total)

Best answer: Joseph Reagle's Reading the Comments is on my to-read pile. I read his book on Wikipedia called Good Faith Collaboration and found it very readable and interesting. You should also subscribe to the newsletter of The Coral Project.
posted by jessamyn at 12:45 PM on January 14, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: "Virtually You" is an interesting look at the personalities we construct on the Internet (that often are not very empathic)
posted by KateViolet at 1:31 PM on January 14, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Seems like anything by Sherry Turkle merits a glance. "Alone Together" is a great entry point, as is this TED talk.
posted by thenewbrunette at 1:38 PM on January 14, 2016 [2 favorites]

Did you see this recent post over on the blue?
posted by ropeladder at 2:48 PM on January 14, 2016 [2 favorites]

I'll have to consider this more - it was a substantial part of my BA program, so I should know more - but the first thing that comes to mind is Marshall McLuhan's work on "reflexivity." It's specific to mass media (one-to-many communication) but interesting and accessible.

Sherry Turkle, as thenewbrunette says, is also a good source.
posted by sibilatorix at 3:31 PM on January 14, 2016