YOUR Social Media Empathy Technology?

Empathy technologies like VR, AR, and social media can transform education..

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The Better Angels of Our Nature, Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker makes the case for reading as a “technology for perspective-taking” that has the capacity to not only evoke people’s empathy but also expand it.

“The power of literacy,” as he argues “get[s] people in the habit of straying from their parochial vantage points” while “creating a hothouse for new ideas about moral values and the social order.”

The first major empathy technology was Guttenberg’s printing press, invented in 1440. With the mass production of books came widespread literacy and the ability to inhabit the minds of others. While this may sound trite, it was actually a seismic innovation for people in the pre-industrial age who didn’t see, hear or interact with those outside of their village. More recently, other technologies like television and virtual reality made further advances, engaging more of the senses to deepen the simulated human experience.

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We are now on the cusp of another breakthrough in empathy technologies that have their roots in education.

Empathy technologies expand our access to diverse literature, allow us to more deeply understand each other and create opportunities for meaningful collaboration across racial, cultural, geographic and class backgrounds. The new empathy technologies don’t leave diversity of thought to chance rather they intentionally build for it.

Demand for these tools originates from educators both in schools and corporate environments who have a mandate around successful collaboration. Teachers who are on the front lines of this growing diversity consider it their job to help students and employees become better perspective-takers.

Our need to expand our circles of empathy has never been more urgent. We as a nation are becoming more diverse, segregated and isolated by the day.

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The high school graduating class of 2020 will be majority minority and growing income inequality has created a vast income and opportunity gap.

Our neighborhoods have regressed back to higher levels of socio-economic segregation; families from different sides of the track are living in increasing isolation from one another.

These new empathy technologies are very different than social media platforms which once held so much promise to connect us all in an online utopia. The reality is that social media has moved us in the opposite direction. Instead, our platforms have us caught in an echo chamber of our own social filters, rarely exposed to new perspectives.

And it’s not just social media, clickbait tabloid journalism has encouraged mocking and judgment rather than the empathy-building journey of a great piece of writing like Toni Morrison or Donna Tartt. In the rich depth of literature, we empathize with the protagonist, and when their flaws are inevitably revealed, we are humbled and see ourselves in their complex, imperfect lives. Research has since proven that those who read more literary fiction are better at detecting and understanding others’ emotions.

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What follows are several examples of empathy technologies in bricks and mortar schools, and online and corporate learning.

Empathy technologies enhance human connection rather than replacing it. Outschool is a marketplace for live online classes which connects K-12 students and teachers in small-groups over video-chat to explore shared interests. Historically online learning has offered great choice and access but at the cost of student engagement and human connection.

Outschool’s use of live video-chat and the small-group format removes the need for that trade-off. Kids and teachers see and hear each other, interacting in real-time like in a school classroom, but with participants from all over the world and from different backgrounds.

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The intentionally of curating a diverse library of content is a key difference between the new empathy technologies and social media.

Newsela is a news platform delivering a bonanza of curated, leveled content to the classroom every day. It’s the antidote to the stale, single source textbook, refreshed once a decade. In the screenshot below, children are exposed to stories about Mexico, gun rights and Black women. Teachers often use Newsela articles as a jumping off point for a rich classroom discussion where respectful discourse skills are taught and practiced.

Business leaders are increasingly touting empathy as a critical leadership trait and using these technologies in their own corporate education programs for leadership and everyday employees. Google’s Sundar Pichai describes his management style as “the ability to trancend the work and work well with others.” Microsoft’s Satya Nadella believes that empathy is a key source of business innovation and is a prerequisite for one’s ability to “grasp customers’ un-met, unarticulated needs.” Uber’s new CEO Dara Khosrowshahi and Apple’s Tim Cook round out a cohort of leaders who are listeners first and contrast sharply to the stereotypical brash Silicon Valley CEO.

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To deepen employees empathy, cutting edge corporations like Amazon are using virtual environments like Mursion to practice challenging interpersonal interactions.

Mursion’s virtual simulations are powered by trained human actors who engage in real-time conversations with employees. I tried it out by role-playing a manager discussing mandatory overtime with a line worker who was struggling to keep two part-time jobs. The line worker described to me how last-minute overtime requests threw his schedule into chaos, put his second job at risk and impacted his childcare situation.

For Mursion and Newsela, empathy-building is an intentional outcome of the product. They are deployed in learning environments where trained educators can use them as scaffolding tools. With Mursion, employees can practice hard conversations and receive feedback from their facilitators and peers. With Newsela, teachers can use the gun rights article as a jumping off point for a richly facilitated group discussion.

Guest Authored By Jennifer Carolan. Jennifer is a general partner and co-founder of Reach Capital. Follow Jennifer on Twitter.

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What the broader tech industry can take away from educators’ adoption of empathy technologies..

Storytelling, elevating common elements of the human condition and taking a humanist approach to building products will help us break out of our tiny echo chambers and by doing so, enrich our own lives..” -JenniferCarolan

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  Post Crafted By:

  Fred Hansen Pied Piper of Social Media Marketing at YourWorldBrand.com & CEO of Millennium 7 Publishing Co. in Loveland, Colorado. I work deep in the trenches of social media strategy, community management and trends.  My interests include; online business educator, social media marketing, new marketing technology, skiing, hunting, fishing and The Rolling Stones..-Not necessarily in that order ;)

Changing Someones Mind On Social Media?

Whenever a major story breaks in the social media age, from the supreme court judgement on article 50 to the news that roast potatoes can apparently cause cancer – it sparks a heated debate..

And in this post-truth world of alternative facts even the US president conducts his battles on Twitter. But what if you’re less interested in just shouting your view and actually want to try to change people’s minds?

The Basics

Is there a way to argue more effectively on social media? Yes, there is, says Sean Jones, an employment and sports law QC, but we might need to change our tactics. He suggests learning from his mistakes. “Before I became a barrister, I was convinced I was brilliant at argument,” says Jones. “I found that a relentless condescension, refusal to concede any point and a tireless determination to prolong the dispute reliably wore out opponents. They walked away leaving me the victor.”

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Sounds like a lot of debate online? That’s not surprising. “Bullying people into silence, as can happen on Twitter, turns out to be a very poor way to persuade them you are right,” he says. “I soon realized that my job was about persuading people.”

To do this, we can to follow a simple formula that works for arguments and then apply it to social media. Lady Helena Kennedy QC says: “I always think the best way to make an argument is to use the acronym Prep. Position, example, reason, repeat position.”

Position

So, first, Jones says, ask yourself what is the point of the argument. “Generally, you want to end up stood together on common ground, so look for what common ground exists and go from there.” Next, lead with your best point. Lawrence Winston, head of litigation at law firm Squire Patton Boggs, says: “Keep it as simple as possible. The more detailed you make it, the more punch you’ll take out of your point.” Once the debate has got going, keep focused and don’t be repetitive. Don’t send 20 tweets saying the same thing.

And don’t get distracted. “Deal with one point at a time. People who feel a pillar of their argument crumbling will leap to another. Make sure a move to a different point is acknowledged,” adds Jones.

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Be prepared to be the one answering questions and justifying your view, ideally with facts and figures. “Many Twitter exchanges begin with an arm-wrestle over who must justify their position,” continues Jones. “If your position is justified, don’t be afraid to accept the burden.” In fact, taking that more confident approach can help, even if you don’t know your facts, according to research.

A study published in the journal Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes suggests people will believe a confident speaker before they believe someone more knowledgeable. However, it is better to engage only when you know your case. “Don’t bluff or seem to be an expert on things you don’t know – you need to have at least some relevant facts or experience,” says Joanne Harris, bestselling author and active Twitter user..

Reason/And Be Reasonable To Others

Make your main point and then add to your argument with short additions to further the debate. Winston says: “Sending bullet points can be more effective than a series of tweets with a longer message and make sure you stay credible.”

If anyone’s reacting badly, remember that they may be misinterpreting you – even if you try and make it clearer by adding emoticons, says Dr Sam Roberts, senior lecturer in psychology at Chester University.

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“The people you are arguing with can’t see your facial expressions or hear the tone of your voice. People can’t always tell if you’re being lighthearted or voicing a serious belief.” So, aim for clarity, he says, and explain what you meant.

Remember, however, that occasionally your opponent will be engaging with you just for a reaction and it goes without saying that you shouldn’t get personal, even if you’re provoked.

“Bear in mind that you may be dealing with someone with mental health issues,” says Harris. “So do no harm. And don’t say anything to anyone that you wouldn’t say to them directly. Shouting on Twitter isn’t the same as shouting at the TV.”

Repeat Position

When you’ve made your points, repeat your position and move on. Much of the debate on Twitter is never resolved and the chances are your exchange will probably end before they have been persuaded. “Be courteous and thank them for ‘talking’. You are more likely to resume constructively,” says Jones. If your debate is not going well, learn to spot when it’s pointless continuing. Harris says: “Bear in mind that however much you try, some people will never listen. Don’t waste too much time with these people.”

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Remember that if someone keeps tweeting you, you don’t have to respond. You could consider blocking them, ignoring them or if all else fails, send them one of Jones’s Error Codes.

Selective Exposure

If you’re serious about being really open-minded, you might need to check your followers. People on Twitter suffer from what researchers call “selective exposure”. In conflicts, users are more willing to share and to communicate with their ideological friends than foes, according to a study from the Pennsylvania State University [PDF]. This is where you are surrounded by those who agree with you and your views become entrenched.

Guest Authored By Joanne O'Connell. Joanne is a freelance journalist who writes for The Guardian and The Observer. Her new book "Homemade Vegan" is out in September. Follow Joanne on Twitter.

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“Follow people who disagree with you and listen to them,” concludes Jones.

“An advocate wants every aspect of their case tested. And you never know, it might be you who’ll ends up convinced..”

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  Authored by:

  Fred Hansen Pied Piper of Social Media Marketing at GetMoreHere.com & CEO of Millennium 7 Publishing Co. in Loveland, Colorado. I work deep in the trenches of social media strategy, community management and trends.  My interests include; online business educator, social media marketing, new marketing technology, skiing, hunting, fishing and The Rolling Stones..-Not necessarily in that order ;)

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