The Interpersonal/Health interest group explores issues of how interpersonal communication over the life span influences one's knowledge, attitudes and behaviors regarding health.
These projects include:
- Producing messages and interactive videos and evaluating their effectiveness in reducing risky behaviors (e.g., unsafe sex),
- Training seniors to use computers to increase contact with family members and seek health information, and
- Determining how television portrayals of health issues, including tobacco use, HIV/AIDS, cancer detection and bioterrorism threats influence interpersonal communication, and result in changes in beliefs and attitudes.
Faculty in the area also examine how new communication technologies, such as games and haptic interfaces, impact communication processes. Faculty are working on the interdisciplinary development of new socially oriented communication technologies. Some create virtual interacting agents, possessing realistic communication patterns, with the aim of enhancing interpersonal training and learning. Research concerns virtual environments in medical simulation and training.