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Emotions and Technoethics

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Emotions in Technology Design: From Experience to Ethics

Part of the book series: Human–Computer Interaction Series ((HCIS))

Abstract

The relationship between emotions and ethics has been debated for centuries. The act of understanding emotions through the framework of ethics involves accepting that emotions are to some extent culturally dependent. By linking emotions in design to larger ethical discussions, it may be accepted that ethics and design are both technological constructions designed to shape a collective worldview. While both are cultural constructions, they are in constant dialogue with one another through social discourse and individualistic cognitive–affective appraisal processes. This chapter presents an account of technoethics that challenges ideas of ethical values embedded within technology, drawing attention to the role of human intentionality as a definitive ethical factor in human–technology relationships. The chapter problematises simplistic views of ethics and emotional technology experience to reveal the ambiguous and dynamic nature of cognitive–emotional–cultural interdependencies in technology experience.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Facebook’s controversial ‘Sophia’ (see https://www.facebook.com/realsophiarobot/) is one of the social media’s first public campaigns to integrate AI and seek public acceptance. Controversy regarding its development ranges from the role of personal data in its development to accounts of Facebook ‘staging’ Sophia’s intelligence in a Wizard-of-Oz (puppetry) type manner.

  2. 2.

    It could be argued that technology always mediates human interactions, for example, via computer systems, in the context of architecture (classrooms, schools, homes, etc.) or commerce (cafes, restaurants, shopping malls). Yet in this instance, we are referring to the unfiltered, direct means of communication from one individual to another.

  3. 3.

    Nicholas Salas (2013) provides an interesting account of the development of Volkswagen from Hitler to the US market. See https://thevisualcommunicationguy.com/2013/07/03/how-adolf-hitlers-ideal-car-became-an-american-favorite-a-visual-analysis-of-the-volkswagon-beetle/.

  4. 4.

    Hammurabi was the sixth king of the first Babylon dynasty (Prince, 1904). He was a god-fearing yet powerful soldier. He ensured his people’s well-being by developing an infrastructure and societal order via rules and laws. These laws instilled an understanding among his people that they should treat others how they would want to be treated.

  5. 5.

    The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) begins to influence this practice at the design level through interventions such as cookie consent banners. Yet, arguably from an ethical perspective, more can be done in terms of increasing user awareness of what cookies are and why consent is important.

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  1. University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland

    Pertti Saariluoma

  2. University of Jyväskylä and Gofore, Jyväskylä, Finland

    Rebekah Rousi

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  1. Faculty of Information Technology, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland

    Rebekah Rousi

  2. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd, Tampere, Finland

    Jaana Leikas

  3. Faculty of Information Technology, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland

    Pertti Saariluoma

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Saariluoma, P., Rousi, R. (2020). Emotions and Technoethics. In: Rousi, R., Leikas, J., Saariluoma, P. (eds) Emotions in Technology Design: From Experience to Ethics. Human–Computer Interaction Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-53483-7_11

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