2014 ISRII 7th Scientific Meeting

Information and communication technologies are becoming more present in people’s daily lives. But what is the final purpose of the mass proliferation of digital devices? Are they helpful in fostering personal growth and individual integration? The keynote will suggest that possible answers will be offered by the "Positive Technology" approach: the scientific and applied approach to the use of technology for improving the quality of our personal experience through its structuring, augmentation and/or replacement. First, we suggest that it is possible to use technology to manipulate the quality of experience, with the goal of increasing wellness, and generating strengths and resilience in individuals, organizations and society. Then, we classify positive technologies according to their effects on these three features of personal experience - Hedonic: technologies used to induce positive and pleasant experiences; Eudaimonic: technologies used to support individuals in reaching engaging and self-actualizing experiences; Social/Interpersonal: technologies used to support and improve the connection between individuals, groups and organizations.