Thanatosensitivity
Encyclopedia
Thanatosensitivity describes an epistemological-methodological approach into technological research and design that actively seeks to integrate the facts of mortality
, dying, and death
into traditional user-centred design. First coined by Michael Massimi and Andrea Charise from the University of Toronto
in a joint paper presented at CHI
2009, thanatosensitivity refers to a humanistically-grounded approach to human-computer interaction (HCI) research and design that recognizes and engages with the conceptual and practical issues surrounding death in the creation of interactive systems. The term thanatosensitive is derived from the ancient Greek
mythological personification of death, Thanatos
((Greek: Θάνατος (Thánatos), "Death"), which is itself a term associated with the notion of the death drive common to twentieth-century post-Freudian thought. This inter
- or multi-disciplinarity
is crucial to thanatosensitive investigation because, unlike many areas of HCI research, studies of death and mortality are rarely amenable to laboratory
study or traditional fieldwork approaches. As Massimi and Charise argue, the critical humanist
aspect of thanatosensitivity effectively offers “a non-invasive strategy for better understanding the conceptual and practical issues surrounding death, computing, and human experience.”
has rarely considered the issues pursuant to the death of the user
. However, Lindley et al note, “[s]hifts in the field of HCI (Human-Computer Interaction) coupled with the growing maturity of interactive technologies is leading researchers and designers to consider issues relating to mortality”. The proliferation of digitally-mediated
(and often password-protected) personal data and online identities
, as well as biometrical practices, “routinely assume a living body for access,” which makes access to data following death increasingly problematic for individuals and relatives, as well as institutions and corporations, that may have claims to or stakes in such materials. A 2004 news story describes how Yahoo!
denied the family of Justin Ellsworth, a deceased US marine, access to his email
, preventing them from accessing information necessary for handling the aftermath of the account owner’s death. Determining how digital information and artefacts “can be bequeathed, inherited, and appropriately repurposed” while accounting for the complexity of privacy concerns presents a new horizon of human-computer interaction research. “At a fundamental level, such issues are becoming increasingly prominent as technology companies decide how to handle email accounts or webpages belonging to people who are now deceased.”. Recent scholarship in this area has called for the development of more purposive applications for facilitating the inheritance of digital materials.
Moreover, the ways in which people use technology in practices concerning mortality, dying, and death are areas of HCI research that have historically received little attention. Although technological artefacts that address issues of the end of life are increasingly common (e.g. online memorials), academic research in this area is at an early stage. Such "thanatechnologies" seek to meet numerous needs, including memorialisation, bereavement support and communication, archiving, access to information and resources, and so on. While many thanatechnologies exist, relatively few are the product of a thanatosensitive design process; rather, they are appropriations of general purpose technologies. For example, forum management software is not explicitly concerned with the mortality of its users; however, online forums are a common place for the bereaved to communicate regarding loss in the form of formal and (more commonly) informal online memorials.
Mortality
Mortality is the condition of being mortal, or susceptible to death; the opposite of immortality.It may also refer to:* Mortality rate, a measure of the number of deaths in a given population...
, dying, and death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
into traditional user-centred design. First coined by Michael Massimi and Andrea Charise from the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
in a joint paper presented at CHI
CHI (conference)
The ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems series of academic conferences is generally considered the most prestigious in the field of human–computer interaction. It is hosted by ACM SIGCHI, the Special Interest Group on computer–human interaction. CHI has been held annually since...
2009, thanatosensitivity refers to a humanistically-grounded approach to human-computer interaction (HCI) research and design that recognizes and engages with the conceptual and practical issues surrounding death in the creation of interactive systems. The term thanatosensitive is derived from the ancient Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
mythological personification of death, Thanatos
Thanatos
In Greek mythology, Thanatos was the daemon personification of death. He was a minor figure in Greek mythology, often referred to but rarely appearing in person...
((Greek: Θάνατος (Thánatos), "Death"), which is itself a term associated with the notion of the death drive common to twentieth-century post-Freudian thought. This inter
Interdisciplinarity
Interdisciplinarity involves the combining of two or more academic fields into one single discipline. An interdisciplinary field crosses traditional boundaries between academic disciplines or schools of thought, as new needs and professions have emerged....
- or multi-disciplinarity
Multidisciplinarity
Multidisciplinarity is a non-integrative mixture of disciplines in that each discipline retains its methodologies and assumptions without change or development from other disciplines within the multidisciplinary relationship....
is crucial to thanatosensitive investigation because, unlike many areas of HCI research, studies of death and mortality are rarely amenable to laboratory
Laboratory
A laboratory is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. The title of laboratory is also used for certain other facilities where the processes or equipment used are similar to those in scientific laboratories...
study or traditional fieldwork approaches. As Massimi and Charise argue, the critical humanist
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
aspect of thanatosensitivity effectively offers “a non-invasive strategy for better understanding the conceptual and practical issues surrounding death, computing, and human experience.”
Conceptual and Practical Applications
Historically, design and research in the computer sciencesComputer Sciences
Computer Sciences can refer to:*The general field of computer science*Computer Sciences Corporation, the Fortune 500 Information Technology company...
has rarely considered the issues pursuant to the death of the user
User
User may refer to:* User , one who employs the services provided by a telecommunication system* User , one who uses drugs* User * End-user, one who uses a product in economics and commerce...
. However, Lindley et al note, “[s]hifts in the field of HCI (Human-Computer Interaction) coupled with the growing maturity of interactive technologies is leading researchers and designers to consider issues relating to mortality”. The proliferation of digitally-mediated
Digital
A digital system is a data technology that uses discrete values. By contrast, non-digital systems use a continuous range of values to represent information...
(and often password-protected) personal data and online identities
Online identity
An online identity, internet identity, or internet persona is a social identity that an Internet user establishes in online communities and websites...
, as well as biometrical practices, “routinely assume a living body for access,” which makes access to data following death increasingly problematic for individuals and relatives, as well as institutions and corporations, that may have claims to or stakes in such materials. A 2004 news story describes how Yahoo!
Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
denied the family of Justin Ellsworth, a deceased US marine, access to his email
Email
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
, preventing them from accessing information necessary for handling the aftermath of the account owner’s death. Determining how digital information and artefacts “can be bequeathed, inherited, and appropriately repurposed” while accounting for the complexity of privacy concerns presents a new horizon of human-computer interaction research. “At a fundamental level, such issues are becoming increasingly prominent as technology companies decide how to handle email accounts or webpages belonging to people who are now deceased.”. Recent scholarship in this area has called for the development of more purposive applications for facilitating the inheritance of digital materials.
Moreover, the ways in which people use technology in practices concerning mortality, dying, and death are areas of HCI research that have historically received little attention. Although technological artefacts that address issues of the end of life are increasingly common (e.g. online memorials), academic research in this area is at an early stage. Such "thanatechnologies" seek to meet numerous needs, including memorialisation, bereavement support and communication, archiving, access to information and resources, and so on. While many thanatechnologies exist, relatively few are the product of a thanatosensitive design process; rather, they are appropriations of general purpose technologies. For example, forum management software is not explicitly concerned with the mortality of its users; however, online forums are a common place for the bereaved to communicate regarding loss in the form of formal and (more commonly) informal online memorials.
External links
- HCI at the End of Life http://www.dgp.toronto.edu/~mikem/hcieol/
- Death and the Digital (open discussion group) http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=181240051615&v=wall