Author: anacanhoto

The opposite of trust? 

According to the Oxford Languages dictionary, the opposite of trust is distrust. The two concepts are like two sides of the same coin. However, according to the paper “What Does the Brain Tell Us About Trust and Distrust? Evidence from a Functional Neuroimaging Study”, authored by Angelika Dimoka, trust and distrust are two very different … Continue reading The opposite of trust? 

Recent publications #6

Here is my regular update on the key, written research outputs from the last 12 months. I continued to write mostly about use of technology – both user behaviour and business opportunities.  One of the papers (Snakes and Ladders) is co-authored with a former student, something that I find particularly rewarding. The other two are … Continue reading Recent publications #6

New paper: Online information search by people with Multiple Sclerosis: a systematic review

Last week, I had an health check for the Our Future Health research programme (if you are in the UK, please consider joining this research programme, which aims to “find ways to prevent, detect and treat diseases earlier”). Looking at my blood results, the nurse suggested that I should take some steps to improve my cholesterol level. … Continue reading New paper: Online information search by people with Multiple Sclerosis: a systematic review

[Miscellany] How Norway disrupted sushi, and Americans disrupted pasta and pizza

Two examples of phenomena that we (or, at least, I) think are linked to tradition, but are, actually, manufactured and quite recent. How Norway disrupted sushi  The most popular sushi topping in Japan and, probably, around the world is salmon. Yet, this is not an option grounded on tradition.  According to this article by Ida Eikvag Groth … Continue reading [Miscellany] How Norway disrupted sushi, and Americans disrupted pasta and pizza

September 2023 round-up

September was about going back to routines and tackling life admin – the kiddo was back to school and training; we are back to spending Sundays by the side of an ice-rink; various medical check-ups were scheduled and attended; and so on.  This month, I also joined a life drawing group. I hadn’t done any life-drawing … Continue reading September 2023 round-up

New paper: On your marks, headset, go! Understanding the building blocks of metaverse realms

The hype around the Metaverse may have subsided, but that doesn’t mean that the belief in the potential of this technology for business has decreased. On the contrary, technology research and consulting firm, Gartner, believes that the combination of Metaverse, Web3 and AI (and especially generative AI) technologies offers numerous possibilities for firms.  Nevertheless, there is no … Continue reading New paper: On your marks, headset, go! Understanding the building blocks of metaverse realms

Some reflections on the importance of awareness of algorithmic decision making

You could probably name half a dozen or so instances where you come across algorithmic decision making in your interactions with commercial organisations. There’s the news displayed on your phone, the adverts shown while you are browsing, the content recommendations in your streaming service, or the product suggestions on your online shopping platform, whether your … Continue reading Some reflections on the importance of awareness of algorithmic decision making

If the (self-service) technology broke it, the (self-service) technology should fix it

I have recently come across an interesting paper examining under what conditions customers preferred to interact with a human vs a non-human agent, after a failure with self-service technology (SST). That is, if a customer is using technology to perform a task (say, ordering something online), and something goes wrong, would customers prefer to be … Continue reading If the (self-service) technology broke it, the (self-service) technology should fix it

August 2023 round-up

August was a travelling month. First, to attend a conference. Then, for time out with the family, which included one week with my parents at the beach (it’s been 20+ years since we last holidayed together. Bliss!). There was some work done around these, even if not much was “shipped”. Research The main event, research … Continue reading August 2023 round-up