Abstract
Interpretations of the concept of “affordances” in HCI are
becoming increasingly diverse, extending well beyond the
original Gibsonian meaning. We discuss some of the key
analyses of affordances in HCI research and make three
related claims. First, we argue that many current
interpretations of the concept are essentially incompatible
with Gibson. Second, we hold that the Gibsonian concept of
affordances, conceptualized as interaction between animals
and their environments, provides some important insights,
but is, in the end, of limited relevance to HCI research.
Third, we call for adopting a mediated action perspective
on affordances as an alternative to Gibson’s ecological
psychology. We outline a view of technology affordances
as possibilities for human action mediated by cultural
means conceived as a relational property of a three-way
interaction between the person, mediational means, and
environment. We conclude with a discussion of prospects
for future conceptual and empirical explorations of the
meditational perspective in HCI research
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