Different kind of empathy: chatbot ethnography as another way of ‘being there’
dc.contributor.advisor
Martin, Craig
dc.contributor.advisor
Speed, Chris
dc.contributor.advisor
Oberlander, Jon
dc.contributor.advisor
Wolters, Maria
dc.contributor.author
Fried, Hector Michael
dc.date.accessioned
2025-08-05T09:16:42Z
dc.date.available
2025-08-05T09:16:42Z
dc.date.issued
2025-08-05
dc.description.abstract
This thesis explores the development and deployment of the Ethnobot—a
chatbot co-ethnographer—designed to investigate ethnographic presence in
digitally mediated and algorithmically structured environments. Drawing from
design anthropology, research through design (RtD), and human-computer
interaction, the research traces how conventional ethnographic methods face
limitations in capturing ephemeral, distributed interactions across Internet of
Things (IoT) infrastructures and algorithmic cultures. Originating from fieldwork in
the Smart Transactions in Public Spaces (STiPS) project, the Ethnobot emerged
as a methodological and conceptual response to these constraints. Through
iterative deployments across public festivals, educational initiatives, urban
sensing projects, and service design contexts, the chatbot was co-designed to
elicit participant narratives, facilitate reflective engagement, and document
contextual data. This practice-led inquiry reframes empathy, presence, and co-ethnography by positioning the chatbot as a speculative yet functional research
tool. It examines whether ethnographic engagement can persist without physical
co-presence, and how designed agents can extend the epistemic commitments
of ethnography. By situating the Ethnobot within broader debates on automation,
design ethics, and participatory methodologies, the thesis contributes to
emerging conversations on the future of ethnographic practice in socio-technical
systems.
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dc.identifier.uri
https://hdl.handle.net/1842/43768
dc.identifier.uri
http://dx.doi.org/10.7488/era/6300
dc.language.iso
en
en
dc.publisher
The University of Edinburgh
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dc.relation.hasversion
Tallyn, Ella, Hector Fried, Rory Gianni, Amy Isard, and Chris Speed. 2018. "The Ethnobot: Gathering Ethnographies in the Age of IoT." Proceedings of the 2018 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, April 21–26, Montréal, QC, Canada.
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dc.subject
ethnography
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dc.subject
digital anthroplogy
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dc.subject
AI
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dc.subject
IoT
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dc.subject
co-design
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dc.subject
empathy
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dc.subject
chatbots
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dc.subject
design ethnography
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dc.subject
RTD
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dc.subject
service design
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dc.subject
user research
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dc.title
Different kind of empathy: chatbot ethnography as another way of ‘being there’
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dc.title.alternative
A different kind of empathy: chatbot ethnography as another way of 'being there'
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dc.type
Thesis or Dissertation
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dc.type.qualificationlevel
Doctoral
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dc.type.qualificationname
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
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