EMoTICON – Empathy and Trust in Communicating Online

Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, the Arts and Humanities Research Council, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory and the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure

The EMoTICON – Empathy and Trust in Communicating Online grant commissioned new research to explore how trust and empathy occur in, and subsequently shape, online communities. It will help develop greater understanding of how empathy and trust are developed, maintained, transformed and lost in social media interactions.

Research Grants

  • A Shared Space and a Space for Sharing
    Professor Peter Bath – University of Sheffield
  • Loneliness in the Digital Age
    Professor Mike Wilson – Loughborough University
  • The Trust Map
    Dr Karen Salt – University of Aberdeen
  • Challenging Online Fear and Othering
    Professor Shaun Lawson – University of Lincoln
  • A Taxonomy of UK Crowdfunding and Examination of the Potential of Trust and Empathy in Project Success
    Dr Jo Briggs – Northumbria University

Further information on individual grants will be available shortly. Until then, please contact enquiries@paccsresearch.org.uk

EMoTICON Network

The EMoTICON Network has been established by Professor Mike Wilson of Loughborough University and Dr Aisha Walker of the University of Leeds. It aims to maximize the effectiveness of the EMoTICON projects as a collective set of activities and support the building of capacity both within the lifetime of the projects and beyond around the theme of empathy and trust in online communications.

The objectives of the network are:

  • To build a cross-disciplinary forum for the five research teams to come together, share experiences, ideas and results for mutual support and the intellectual and practical development of the projects, as well as maximizing the use of resources and networks.
  • To engage the wider academic community in the EMoTICON theme with a view to building capacity and new projects through dialogue and exploration.
  • To act as a portal to the wider programme for knowledge exchange with a range of non-academic partners, including existing project partners and new potential partners in order to maximise impact beyond the academic community.
  • To link to other academic networks, such as the Digital Personhood Network and the Social Computing and Mental Health Research Network, for engagement and shared activities.
  • To explore international links for the network with a view to future collaborations and to disseminate the work of the projects more widely.
  • To enhance the collective public engagement of the programme through promotion of the projects and to act as a public portal to the research.

The network will host three key events between 2015 – 2017. Built around these key events will be a series of online engagements, facilitated through the network website, due to be launched in early 2015. These will include discussion forums, webinars, presentations and social media, including events in collaboration with other networks.

For further information about the EMoTICON Network please contact Professor Mike Wilson at M.Wilson2@lboro.ac.uk.