Uncomfortable interactions

Benford, Steve, Greenhalgh, Chris, Giannachi, Gabriella, Walker, Brendan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9000-0554, Marshall, Joe and Rodden, Tom (2012) Uncomfortable interactions. In: Proceedings of the 2012 ACM Annual Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - CHI '12. ACM, pp. 2005-2014. ISBN 9781450310154. [Book Section] (doi:10.1145/2207676.2208347)

Abstract

We argue for deliberately and systematically creating uncomfortable interactions as part of powerful cultural experiences. We identify the potential benefits of uncomfortable interactions under the general headings of entertainment, enlightenment and sociality. We then review artworks and performances that have employed discomfort, including two complementary examples from the worlds of entertainment and performance. From this, we articulate a suite of tactics for designing four primary forms of discomfort referred to as visceral, cultural, control and intimate. We discuss how moments of discomfort need to be embedded into an overall experience which requires a further consideration of the dramatic acts of exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and dénouement. Finally, we discuss an ethical framework for uncomfortable interactions which leads us to revisit key issues of consent, withdrawal, privacy and risk.

Actions (login required)

View Item

Statistics

DownloadsShow export options

Export as CSVXMLJSON

Activity Overview

6 month trend

0Downloads

6 month trend

510Hits

Additional statistics are available via IRStats2.