Reading Reflection #2

Sunday, April 14, 2019

In her introduction, and first two chapters, Turkle lays out the base of what her book explores. The first part of the book addresses the evolution of robotics, and how human perception of robots has rapidly changed in a couple short decades. Turkle starts with discussing her early experiences and research with human-robot interaction. When computerized robots were first introduced to the general public “computers were intelligent machines; in contrast, people were emotional machines” (Turkle, 2011, p. 30). She continues to describe the shift in the paradigm, particularly in the 1990s, with the introduction of children’s toys such as the Furby and Tamagotchi. Introduction of these robotic toys started to challenge the previous assumption that computers and robots didn’t have feelings. These toys required children to emotionally care for a robot. They were designed to evoke emotions, and mimic human/animal needs. Although humans are aware that these robots aren’t actually alive, and don’t actually have “feelings,” they evoke the sense that they are “alive enough.” Humans feel as though the machine requires their love and affection, and in return the robots are programmed to give us cues that indicated they love us back. The evolution of these robotic toys is a milestone in the paradigm shift of the human-robot relationship, according to Turkle.

I found these chapters incredibly intriguing, mostly because I am part of the same age group that Turkle spent decades studying. I was the age group that the Tamagotchi and Fruby toys were designed for. I owned and operated these toys, and had many similar experiences to those of the children Turkle studied and wrote about. One of the standout points Turkle discusses in her chapter “Alive Enough,” is the ethical dilemma that humans started to develop when robotic creatures such as Tamagotchis and Furbies were created. The Furby toy expressed sounds of pain and distress when treated a certain way, such as being held upside down. Turkle observed a curious human response to this situation. Even though children and adults alike knew that the Furby was a machine, it did “not alter the feeling that you can cause it pain” (Turkle, 2011, p. 47). It was previously assumed that computers only exhibited intelligence, and emotions were strictly a human trait. With invention of robotic toys that seemed to display human emotions, humans started to observe these robots as “alive enough.”

As I read through Turkle’s work, I am constantly thinking about what the implications of this book have on my role as an educator. From what I have read so far, the biggest takeaway for me is understanding what humans expect from technology, and what their relationship is with robotic machines. In my current role as a nursing educator, we use robotic machines to simulate patient experiences. When the students are in simulation, they know that the “patient” isn’t “alive,” but they do have this sense that their actions could have serious consequences. The simulation mannequins have a heart beat, mimic breathing, open and close their eyes, and have vitals signs like a human patient. Students have the sense that if they make a mistake, the could “kill” the mannequin. While this wouldn’t actually cause anyone harm, the emotional effect on the students aligns with the implications from Turkle’s work. The students know they haven’t harmed anyone, but the idea that their actions lead to the “death” of the mannequin is troublesome.

I am looking forward to reading further about Turkle’s reasearch and understanding the implications for my own practice as a nurse and an educator. Here’s a picture of me reading the book on my iPad while enjoying my morning coffee on the deck. It’s interesting to me that my engagement with this book has been 100% electronic. I do not own a paper copy of the book. I either read it on my iPad, or listen to the audiobook. I can listen to it on my work commute, when I’m doing work around the house, or when I’m out for a walk. I think this speaks to the themes of Turkle’s book and what we expect from technology as humans.