It's okay, honey... shhh..." - The Media Equation and Computers-Are-Social-Actors-Hypothesis in Acute Care

Technology is indispensable in acute care and is seen primarily as a tool. However, media equation research shows that people also respond socially and naturally to machines as if they were other people. Using qualitative data from participant observations (130 hours) and retrospective interviews (N = 9), we show that technology in acute care settings also elicits reactions as one would typically exhibit towards other people. Based on existing media equation research, we address four aspects: source orientation, specialization, and the computers-are-social-actors hypothesis. Finally, we draw conclusions for qualitative data collection, design, and evaluation of technology in acute care, and discuss how to support human-machine teamwork.