Interacting with smart environments to promote wellbeing: an active inference account

How does social interaction mediated by digital technologies impact on individual well-being? The aim of this project is to offer a theoretical and formal model that draws on Dr Ridderinkhof's work on network analysis of wellbeing and Dr. Hipólito's extensive neurocomputational modelling experience (in collaboration with Prof Karl Friston) of how technological tools and smart environments can positively and negatively affect wellbeing. A theoretical and formal model of interaction with digital technologies will be developed building on Dr. Hipólito's work on Bayesian active inference. This theoretical and modelling work will deliver a conceptual toolbox that policy makers, psychotherapists, modellers and digital designers can use. The planned studies are cross-disciplinary and will involve close collaboration between the Urban Mental Health project based at AMC, the ILLC, the psychology department and the IAS.

The project aimed to investigate how our interactions with digital technologies impact our well-being. The team developed a theoretical and formal model, using network analysis of well-being and Bayesian active inference, to understand how smart environments and technological tools can positively or negatively affect well-being. The project involved collaboration between various departments and produced a conceptual toolbox for policymakers, psychotherapists, modellers, and digital designers. The research will explore the intersection of technology and well-being in a cross-disciplinary approach.

Main findings include a theoretical and formal model of how social interaction mediated by digital technologies impact individual well-being, an understanding of the positive and negative effects of smart environments and technological tools on well-being, and a conceptual toolbox that can be used by policymakers, psychotherapists, modellers, and digital designers. Additionally, the cross-disciplinary approach of the research provided insights into the complex relationship between technology and well-being.