Persuasive Technologies

1. Persuasive Technologies Lynne Hall

2. Definition “a computing system, device or application intentionally designed to change a person's attitudes or behaviour in a predetermined way” Fogg, 1999

3. How does Persuasion Occur? “An interactive technology persuades by increasing a person's abilities, providing users with an experience or by leveraging the power of social relationships”

4. Is it new? • Not introducing new methods of persuasion • Using already established persuasive forms • positive feedback • competition / recognition • The technological setting is new

5. Functional Triad • Interactive Technology viewed as • a tool • a medium • a social actor

6. Functional Triad

7. As a Tool • A computer application or system can provide humans with new abilities allowing people to do things more easily • Computer tools persuade by: • Increasing self-efficacy • By providing tailored information • By leading people through a process

8. As Media • Can convey symbolic content (such as text or icons) • Can convey sensory content (such as virtual worlds and simulations). • Can suggest different pathways to persuasion

9. As Media (continued) • Can influence people by • Providing first-hand experiences • Prompting insights into cause-effect relationships • Allowing cognitive and behavioural rehearsal

10. As Social Actors • Can invoke social response from users • Especially effective when: • Adopting animate characteristics (physical features, emotions and voices) • Playing animate roles (coach, pet or opponent) • Following social dynamics (greetings, apologies and turn taking).

11. As Social Actors (continued) • Persuade people to change their attitudes and behaviours by: • Providing social support • Modelling attitudes or behaviours • Leveraging social rules and dynamics

12. Persuasive Domains • Marketing • Health • Safety • Education

13. Categories • Desk-top • mass audience potential • limits interaction possibilities • Artefacts • portable • potentially expensive / hi-tech requirements • Environment based • incorporated into context • expensive, high maintenance, security

14. Persuasive Approaches • Simulated Experience • Marketing • Surveillance • Environments of Discovery • Virtual Groups • Personalising Information

15. Commercial Persuasion • Branding • Corporate awareness • Similar to advertising • Based on models of buyer behaviour

16. Example: Onsale.com • www.onsale.com • Auction Web site • Commercial with main aim to sell • Aims • Attract people to site • Register at site • Motivate people to purchase at site

17. Onsale.com • People have fun • Get good deals • Fair market price • Addictive… • Users getting into debt

18. Social Persuasion • Often reflect commonly held views • Can be highly educational • Widespread appeal • Address single significant issue

19. Example: Coping With Bullying • CD ROM sponsored by Rotary • Aimed at children • Offers variety of ways to deal with bullying • Allows users to try different approaches whilst in a safe environment • Used in classroom / home as teaching aid

20. Coping with Bullying • “Safe” environment • Decisions have no adverse consequences in real life • Wrong choices can demonstrate negative results that might occur • ”Better” choices result in positive outcomes • Can then be replicated in the real?

21. Persuasive Technology Trends • Most aimed at children and teenagers • Growing adult market • Elective Persuasive Technology • Compulsory Persuasive Technology • Buy-in by those with high socio-economic status

22. Ethics • Are there dangers in Persuasive Technologies? • What are the ethical issues?

23. Conclusions • Persuasive technology increasing in importance • Key domain likely to be commerce • Widely seen on the web and in edutainment style software • Has many positive applications • But… Ethical Issues must be considered