Developing Theory for Evolving Socio-cognitive Systems (TESS)
EPSRC/ESRC funded Foresight Cognitive Systems Project
What's the TESS project about?
Computer technology changes the way we work and live, yet we have little understanding about how it influences social processes and collaborative work, for good or ill. The TESS project is investigating how Information Technology influences the evolution of working practices and social interaction, by synthesising and applying Dunbar's Social Brain Theory with Small Group Theory to research the behaviour, performance and affect of work-motivated and socially-motivated groups. The role of technology in mediating interaction and supporting work is being researched to provide insight into the requirements for future generations of Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) and Computer Supported Collaborative Work (CSCW) technology.
TESS in a nutshell
- It's about blue skies theory-based research to understand why people like to exist and work in groups
- It's based on Robin Dunbar's Social Brain Theory that explains the evolutionary origins of human social behaviour
- It's developing Holly Arrow's Complex Adaptive Systems Theory to analyse how and why groups succeed or fail
- It will investigate how technology (internet, mobiles, blogs, chat) effects social relationships for better or worse
- It's relevant to the social capital research agenda
Principal investigator
- Prof Alistair Sutcliffe (Principal Investigator), Manchester Business School, University of Manchester
Co-investigators
- Robin Dunbar, School of Biological Sciences, University of Liverpool
- Prof Stephen Payne, Manchester Business School, University of Manchester
- Prof Andrew Howes, Manchester Business School, University of Manchester
- Will Reader, Department of Psychology, Sheffield Hallam University
Consultant
- Dr Holly Arrow, Department of Psychology, University of Oregon
Project associates
- Jack Carroll and Mary-Beth Rosson, School of Information Science and Technology, Penn State
- Bob Kraut, Carnegie Mellon University
- Gary Olson and Judy Olson, School of Information, University of Michigan
- Sandy Pentland, MIT
- Didier Sornette, UCLA, and CNRS
Industrial partner
- Kenton O'Hara, Hewlett Packard, Bristol
