Communicating with computers (draft)

In recent times, questions have arisen concerning the relationship between people and their computers. A study in 2003, (Luczak, Roetting, & Schmidt), showed that humans experiencing high periods of stress or strain with a malfunctioning technical device, such as a computer, would often talk to it. A year later, Sundar (2004), suggests that people tend to show preference for a certain computer at a public computer terminal. In support, one recent study (Ruzich, 2008), considers the negative feelings of grief, loss, and anger that accompany an individual shortly after the crash or failure of their computer. These feelings indicate that humans can easily develop an attachment to objects. These recent studies seem to show that humans do, in fact, show strong feelings of attachment not only to their own computer but also to computers that they consistently interact with.

According to the studies of Luczak, Roetting, & Schmidt (2003), most people have talked to their computers at one time or another. Both positive and negative emotions were observed from these interactions. Also, during technological glitches, people were more likely to talk to the device to lessen the amount of anxiety involved. It is also suggested that, positive interaction between humans and computers decreases when the computer is regarded as evil or a servant, etc. Within the next year, a study by Sundar (2004) explored the idea of human loyalty towards computers at a terminal. The study showed that the need for consistency and the anthropomorphizing of computers were nearly equal factors. In turn, this suggested that humans can interact with computers in a human-to-human way just as easily as they can return to the same computer subsequently to fulfill the need of consistency.

To reinforce these ideas, the study of Ruzich (2008) proposes that humans can become interdependent on computers and view them as a so-called “social actor.” Moreover, this relationship between humans and computers is a factor in determining the intensity of emotion an individual shows when their computer crashes. Since the nature of the study could possible involve strong feelings of grief and sadness, a normal life experiment could not be ethically performed. Instead, blogs and help forums were studied to determine the extent to which people would expressed their feelings concerning computer crashes. Through such observances, this study found that people also expressed feelings of anger, rage, depression and denial in the face of computer failure.

Human-computer relationships are being studied more in recent times—and rightly so—since there has been a rise in the number of people who possess their own personal computer. A number of studies have been done to try and explain these relationships between computers and their owners. It is through these various studies and observances that it seems as though humans anthropomorphize their computers; in other words, they give their computers human like characteristics and treat them as if they were human beings.


Luczak, H., Roetting, M., & Schmidt, L. (2003). Let's talk: Anthropomorphization as means to
cope with stress of interacting with technical devices. Ergonomics, 46(13), 1361-1374.

Ruzich, C. M. (2008). Our deepest sympathy: An essay on computer crashes, grief, and loss. Interaction Studies, 9(3), 504-517.

Sundar, S. S. (2004). Loyalty to computer terminals: Is it anthropomorphism or consistency? Behaviour & Information Technology, 23(2), 107-118.