This concise volume presents for the first time a coherent and detailed account of why we experience feelings of being present in the physical world and in computer-mediated environments, why we often don't, and why it matters - for design, psychotherapy, tool use and social creativity amongst other practical applications.

This concise volume presents for the first time a coherent and detailed account of why we experience feelings of being present in the physical world and in computer-mediated environments, why we often don't, and why it matters - for design, psychotherapy, tool use and social creativity amongst other practical applications.

The experience of using and interacting with the newest Virtual Reality and computing technologies is profoundly affected by the extent to which we feel ourselves to be really ‘present’ in computer-generated and -mediated augmented worlds. This feeling of 'Presence’, of “being inside the mediated world”, is key to understanding developments in applications such as interactive entertainment, gaming, psychotherapy, education, scientific visualisation, sports training and rehabilitation, and many more. This edited volume, featuring contributions from internationally renowned scholars, provides a comprehensive introduction to and overview of the topic of mediated presence - or ‘tele-presence’ - and of the emerging field of presence research. It is intended for researchers and graduate students in human-computer interaction, cognitive science, psychology, cyberpsychology and computer science, as well as for experienced professionals from the ICT industry. The editors are all well-known professional researchers in the field: Professor Giuseppe Riva from the Catholic University of Milan, Italy; Professor John Waterworth from Umeå University, Sweden; Dianne Murray, an HCI Consultant and editor of the journal “Interacting with Computers”.

Most research on the psychological impact of computers and the Internet has focused on the negative side of technology – i.e. how the use (abuse) of interactive systems and videogames can negatively affect mental health and behavior. On the other hand, less attention has been devoted to understanding how emerging technologies can promote optimal functioning at individual, group, and community levels. Integrating Technology in Positive Psychology Practice explores the various roles that technology can play in the development of psychological interventions aimed at helping people thrive. Exploring the ways in which ICT can be utilized to foster positive emotions, promote engagement in empowering activities, and support connectedness between individuals, groups, and communities, this timely publication is designed for use by psychologists, IT developers, researchers, and graduate students.

Technology and Health: Promoting Attitude and Behavior Change examines how technology can be used to promote healthier attitudes and behavior. The book discusses technology as a tool to deliver media content. This book synthesizes theory-driven research with implications for research and practice. It covers a range of theories and technology in diverse health contexts. The book covers why and how specific technologies, such as virtual reality, augmented reality, mobile games, and social media, are effective in promoting good health. The book additionally suggests how technology should be designed, utilized, and evaluated for health interventions. Includes new technologies to improve both mental and physical health Examines technologies in relation to cognitive change Discusses persuasion as a tool for behavioral and attitudinal changes Provides theoretical frameworks for the effective use of technology

This book equips readers with the knowledge required to improve diagnosis and treatment and to implement integrated prevention programs in patients with eating and weight disorders. It does so by providing a comprehensive, up-to-date review of research findings and theoretical assumptions concerning the interface and interactions between body image and such disorders as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, other specified feeding and eating disorders, orthorexia nervosa, overweight, and obesity. After consideration of issues of definition and classification, the opening part of the book examines the concept of body image from a variety of viewpoints. A series of chapters are then devoted to the assessment of the multidimensional construct “body image”, to dysmorphophobia/body dysmorphic disorder, and to muscle dysmorphia. The third part discusses body image in people suffering from different eating disorders and/or overweight or obesity, and two final chapters focus on body image in the integrated prevention of eating disorders and obesity, and cultural differences regarding body image. The book will be of interest to all health professionals who work in the fields of psychiatry, clinical psychology, eating disorders, obesity, body image, adolescence, public health, and prevention.

This book explores how our lives and social interactions have become split between two intertwined, but not integrated, realities: the physical and the digital. Our sense of presence in the here and now has become fragmented, and yet earlier design approaches reinforced the problem, rather than leading to improvements. The authors address these issues by laying out a new human computer interaction (HCI) design approach – human-experiential design – rooted in a return to first principles of how people understand the world, both consciously and unconsciously. The application of this approach to the design of blended reality spaces is described in detail. Examples and scenarios of designing them to overcome the problems inherent in a variety of mixed reality settings are provided. Human-Experiential Design of Presence in Everyday Blended Reality will appeal to undergraduate and graduate students and researchers in interaction design, psychology, HCI and computer application studies, as well as practicing interaction designers and computer professionals. It will also be of interest to communication, media and urban design students, and to all readers with an interest in the technology-mediated future.