Engendering Interaction With Images

How people interact with images has undergone a change. Historically, people have played the role of spectator and interacted with the image passively. That is, they perceived the image visually and interpreted it emotionally and cognitively, influenced by factors like aesthetics or cultural background. Today, however, due to the influx of interactive media, people play a more active role that entails participating in the production, distribution and consumption of images. Engendering Interaction with Images examines this phenomenon and addresses the following question: What are the consequences of user interaction with images on meaning, communicative effectiveness, and society at large? Bennett argues that active interaction with an image improves users' understanding of the image and potentially their lives. That is, engendering interaction with an image improves the image's communicative effectiveness by enabling the image to convey meaning across cultures and, potentially, make a global impact or positively change individual lives.