Introduction to Persuasive Technology

(Ref: B.J. Fogg, Persuasive Technology: Using Computers to Change What

We Think and Do, San Fransisco, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, 2003.
 Persuasive Technology

“Any interactive computing system designed to change

people’s attitudes or behaviors”

“Using computers to change what we think and do”

 Persuasive Technology

• Persuasion
• Persuasion in the digital age
• Persuasion on the Web
• Beyond the Web
 Objectives

• Recognize when Web sites and computing products are designed to

influence people
• Identify the persuasion strategies the interactive systems use
• Understanding the dynamics behind the persuasive elements in Web
sites and other products
• Identify new opportunities for influence in computing systems
• Create interactive experiences that motivate and persuade people
• Address the ethical issues of persuading people via computing systems
• Predict what the future holds for persuasion via computing products
 Persuasive Technology

• “Captology”: Computers as persuasive technology

• Advantage over traditional media: Interactivity
• Advantages over human persuaders
– Computers are persistent
– Computers allow anonymity
– Computers can store, access and manipulate huge volumes of data
– Computers can use many modalities
– Computer software can scale
– Computers can be ubiquitous
 Levels of persuasion
• Macrosuasion: Where there is an overall intent
– “Taaleem-o-Tarbiat, Naunehal” for nurturing lietrary skills of
children
• Microsuasion: No overall intent to persuade
– image manipulation program, email
 “Captology”: computers as
persuasive Technologies
Captology focuses on the “design, research and analysis of interactive
computing products created for the purpose of changing people’s
attitudes or behaviors”

Computers Persuasion

Web sites Behavior change

Mobile phones
PDAs Attitude change

Captology
Video games
Desktop software Motivation
Chat tools
Smart Change in
environments worldview
Virtual reality
Exercise equipment Compliance
Specialized devices
Kiosks
• Microsuasion on the Web
• Microsuasion in video games
 Persuasive Technology: Domains and applications
Domain Example Persuades users to
application
1 Commerce Amazon.com’s Buy more books and other products
recommendation
system
2 Education, CodeWarriorU.com Engage in activities that promote learning how to
learning and write code
training

3 Safety Drunk driving Avoid driving user the influence of alcohol

simulator
4 Environmental Scorecard.org Take actions against organizations that pollute
preservation

5 Occupational “in My Steps” VR Treat cancer patients with more empathy

effectiveness system
6 Preventive Quitnet.com Quit smoking
healthcare
 Persuasive Technology: Domains and applications
Domain Example Persuades users to
application
7 Fitness Tectrix VR bike Exercie and enjoy it
8 Disease Bronki the Manage asthma more effectively
management bronchiasaurus game

9 Personal FinancialEngines.com Create and adhere to a retirement plan

finance

10 Community CapitolAdvantage.com Get ordinary citizens involved in public affairs

involvement /
activism
11 Personal Classmates.com Reconnect with former classmates
relationships

12 Personal MyGoals.com Set goals and take the needed steps to achieve
management them
and self
improvement
• Captology focuses on attitude or behavior change
resulting from HCI and not from CMC (Computer
mediated communication)
• Captology focuses on planned persuasive effects of
technology, not on side effects
• Captology focuses on endogenous (built-in) intent, not
on exogenous (intent from the user or another outside
resource)
• Captology recognises that technology can persuade on
two levels, i.e; micro and macro
• Activity: Use a few computer-based
products / Web applications to identify the
microsuasions and macrosuasion if any.