Computers Are People, Too- 1 -
Computers Are People, Too
--A New Perspective of Human-Computer Interaction
Introduction
Our interest in human-computer relationships comes from the first author’s personal
experience. My laptop, IBM T40, is my engagement ring. Instead of a diamond ring, I asked for a
good laptop. I have worn my “ring” for three years. I feel I have developed emotional attachment
to it. I will touch its body gently and say some sweet words when I feel it must be very tired. I feel
really uncomfortable when I use other computers. It is like my heart or my brain. However, I treat
my office computer quite differently. Everybody is welcomed to use my office computer while I
never allow others to use my laptop, even my husband. I only start my office computer when I
have to while I only shut down my laptop when I have to. I do not care about whether the office
computer works normally or has viruses, while I update my virus protections on my laptop every
three days manually. My laptop is my dearest friend while my office computer is just an
acquaintance.
Our first author is not alone. Over 70 experimental have shown that people bring to bear a
wide range of social rules and learned behaviors to guide their interaction with, and attitudes
towards computers (Reeves & Nass, 1996). Nass and colleagues concluded that the human-
computer relationship is fundamentally social (Nass et al., 1994). Many social conventions that
guide interpersonal behaviors are also evident in human-computer interaction, even when the
conventions no longer make rational sense in human-computer interaction context (Reeves &
Nass, 1996). However, it is logical to assume that just as not all human relationships are equally
warm and productive so, too, will the outcomes of human-computer relationships vary according
to the quality of the relationship. The present research takes a new perspective of computers as
1
Page 1 of 31 
Convention