Personalization through personification factors that influence personification of handheld devices

Abstract

In the close future, flexible bending display will emerge, bringing greater degree of freedom for users to personalize their devices. According to theoretical researches, the newly introduced technologies will be personified since people tend to be attracted to things that are similar to them, and treat them as if they were real people. Thus, this paper investigates what variables influence upon the personification of the flexible devices. To find these variables, interview was conducted on 10 individuals, asking how they would personify the device based on Paul Ekman’s six basic emotions, and what kinds of variable influence their emotional change on the devices. As a result, the degree of angle, the speed and continuity of the movement and positioning of the device are the major factors that influence personification of flexible handheld devices.