Digital Inclusion in the Context of Social Anxiety Disorder

Contrary to the frequently held premise that digital media fundamentally enable social participation, the project seeks a more differentiated approach: Digital media can also be used specifically to bring about self-chosen exclusion, as their use always represents an interplay of inclusion and exclusion processes. It assumes that people with social anxiety disorder use digital media competently and purposefully to avoid specific social situations. Nevertheless, the existing interest in media should also be used in an inclusive way and invites people with social anxiety disorder to reconnect digital media to the physical space and its social contexts.

The aim of the project is to investigate the broad and quite heterogeneous group of people who suffer from social anxiety disorder, have difficulties in socialising and use media in this context. Particular attention will be paid to the social needs in the context of (especially digital) media, which can be appropriated to alleviate a perceived level of suffering or as a means of avoidance, self-control or self-monitoring. Another aim is to enable people with social anxiety disorder to experience a feeling of greater social inclusion and participation through media.

This is to be achieved by the participants testing and developing innovative media environments that are not limited to digital media, but always combine physical and digital spaces. To this end, a makerspace will be installed in which the participants will meet their social and digital needs creatively and collaboratively by developing technical prototypes in multiple fields of technology (in particular VR/AR, robotics/chat bots, Internet of Things).

In order to do justice to this interdisciplinary approach, the project team is made up of scientists with a background in psychotherapy, media and Informationswissenschaften and Interface Design.

The project is being carried out in cooperation with the nationally active Bundesverband der Selbsthilfe Soziale Phobie (VSSP) gem. e.V. (Federal Association for Social Phobia Self-Help). The association supports the project in particular by networking with the various stakeholders in the field of social anxiety disorder (sufferers, experts, self-help groups, other institutions). This includes supporting the initiation of contacts for the realisation of the media usage studies and the acquisition of participants for the makerspace activities.