Persuading Students for Behavior Change by
Determining their Personality Type
Muhammad Adnan, Hamid Mukhtar
School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
National University of Science and Technology
Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Email: 10msitmadnan@seecs.edu.pk, hamid.mukhtar@seecs.edu.pk
Abstract—Our research integrates human personality with
Fogg Behavior Grid. We believe that human personality layer
surrounds Fogg Behavior Grid. To prove our statement an exper-
imental study was carried out on graduate students comprising
of two surveys. The first survey was carried out to determine
students personality types while in the second survey students
were asked to recommend different study behavior options.
Our survey results revealed strong association between students
personality types and their study behavior. After the two surveys,
a prototype mobile application was developed and tested with
an aim to facilitate and persuade students in further increasing
their study behavior in the right direction keeping in view
their personality types and study behavior preferences. Different
persuasion strategies through mobile application were applied
on students with different personality types and study behavior.
At the end it was concluded that Fogg Behavior Grid which
suggests fifteen behavior types could be made more systematic
and detailed if humans personality types are considered first.
Subsequently humans can be persuaded more effectively in
achieving their target behavior if their personality types are
considered first.
Index Terms—Computer and mobile persuasion, captology,
smart phones, behavior, personality types, study behavior, Mea-
surement, persuasive design
I. I NTRODUCTION
Stanford University professor BJ Fogg first articulated the
term Captology in CHI 97 conference, which means using
computers as persuasive technology. The meaning and differ-
ent perspective of persuasive technology was first introduced
and defined in CHI 97 conference.
Persuasion means influencing people behaviors, attitude and
intentions without any deception or coercion [9] [13]. Persua-
sion uses information and sensation to change person behavior
about particular object or perception.
Persuasive technology is a technique used in human computer
interaction(HCI) which uses human psychology and pompos-
ity to change person or persons behavior or attitude. Persuasive
technology are mainly used in business, politics, education,
health, environment and public relationship. To make the
process of persuasion more systematic and organized BJ Fogg
has recently developed a simplified version of Fogg Behavior
Grid that details fifteen way of changing human behavior [10].
We in this paper argue that Fogg Behavior Grid can further be
enhanced by adding human personality factor to it. To prove
978-1-4673-2252-2/12/$31.00 ©2012 IEEE
Muhammad Naveed
Department of System Engineering
University of Engineering and Technology
Peshawar 25000, Pakistan
Email: aabbithegreat@hotmail.com
our statement we conducted a survey that finds relationship
between students personality types and study behavior. Sub-
sequently a prototype mobile application was developed that
guide and persuade graduate students in increasing their study
behavior in order to perform well in exams. This paper is
organized as follows. Section one is about introduction to
Fogg Behavior Grid and human personality measurement tool
called Mayer’s Brigg’s Type Indicator (MBTI). Section two
detail the areas of persuasive technology where it is extensively
used. Section three gives detail about our study design process.
Section four explains the working of our mobile application
that persuades students to increasing their study behavior.
Section five list future directions and concludes our research
work.
A. Fogg Behavior Grid
Stanford University professor BJ Fogg has recently de-
veloped a simplified version of Fogg Behavior Grid which
suggests fifteen types of behavior change [10]. According to
Fogg Behavior Grid, a person can do new or familiar behavior.
Further a person can increase or decrease the intensity of
particular behavior. Finally a person can completely stop
a particular behavior. The above types of behavior can be
performed one time, for specified amount of time or can
be done indefinitely. Furthermore, BJ Fogg have developed
online behavior wizard, that guides humans in selecting one
specific cell in Fogg Behavior Grid for behavior change [8].
The problem is that Fogg Behavior Grid is very generic
and does not considers human personality before suggesting
behavior change option. For example, consider a customized
Fogg Behavior Grid presented in Figure 1 that guides graduate
students in performing study or co-curricular behavior in one
of fifteen different ways. BJ Fogg suggested that different
persuasion strategies would be required for different behavior
change options. Persuasion strategies for a person who want
to do new behavior would be different from a person who
want to decrease or increase a particular behavior. As human
personality factor is not considered in Fogg Behavior Grid
so we argue that this type of Fogg Behavior Grid is too
abstract and generic and does not fits for all students with
different personality types. We also argue that different people
with different personality types requires different persuasion
strategies to more effectively change their behavior for positive
results. With the inclusion of human personality we can make
Fogg Behavior Grid more detailed and complete. Systematic
approach to behavior change will be more effective in design-
ing persuasive technology. Referring back to figure 1, we have
an option related to student studying for two hours early in the
morning. We may persuade and suggest students to adopt this
behavior everyday with exception of holidays thus making it
a path behavior for them. Now studying two hours early in
the morning behavior would be easy for those students who
follow strict study plan in which they like to do things on
time. Their study plan could include studying for two hours
early in the morning but students who are not particular about
doing their study on one particular time may find this early
morning study behavior difficult to perform. They may feel
comfortable in studying for two hours throughout the day
where they divide their study time in chunks of thirty minutes.
Here it is important to mention that some students follows tight
study plan where every activity is performed on time whereas
some students are not particular about their study hours and
study on that time which they feel is more comfortable and
suitable for them throughout the day. This study behavior
difference is because of difference in the personalities and
nature of students. Our study first finds relationship between
students personalities and students study behavior. After that
different mobile persuasive techniques and strategies are used
in our prototype Android mobile application. The purpose of
these persuasive techniques and strategies is to guide students
in bringing positive change in their study behavior.
B. Mayer’s-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
Our research study will use Mayer’s-Briggs Type Indicator,
a psychometric questionnaire comprising of about 75 questions
for determining students personalities [22]. MBTI is currently
the world most popular and known personality assessment
indicator and for the last forty years many studies have prove
MBTI both valid and reliable [26] [6] [28]. MBTI can be used
to guide mass population in carrier counseling, knowing their
preferences and likings, knowing how to communicate with
and understand other people, decision making and personality
testing. Byne and Pittenger (Bayne, 1994; Pittener, 1993)
indicated that MBTI would be the future potent tool and
guide in team building, decision making, improving customer
relations, conciliating group differences, career planning and
guidance, adapting to change behavior and attitude, employees
management in an organization and in conflict resolution
[12]. In our study target behavior type would be suggested
according to particular student personality type and different
persuasion strategies would be used through mobile phones
for achieving those target study behaviors. But before delving
study design it is important to know the origin of MBTI,
what are the sixteen different MBTI personality types and how
MBTI divides human personality into sixteen different types.
Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers
explored the work of Carl Gustav Jung, a swiss psychiatrist,
which resulted in human personality determining questionnaire
and was first published in 1962 [23].
MBTI divides personalities into 16 different types which are
ISTJ, ISFJ, INFJ, INTJ, ISTP, ISFP, INFP, INTP, ESTP, ESFP,
ENFP, ENTP, ESTJ, ESFJ, ENFJ and ENTJ. Every combina-
tion is abbreviation of four words. For example ISTJ stands for
Introversion(I), sensing(S), Thinking(T) and Judging(J). Each
combination is outcome of four bipolar discontinuous scales
which were introduced by Jung’s theory [16]. These scales are
introversion vs Extraversion, Sensation vs Intuition, Thinking
vs Feeling and Judging vs Perceiving. Any combination from
these scales results in one particular personality type. For
example a person who is more introvert than extravert, more
sensor than intuitive, more thinker than feeler and more judger
than perceiver would be categorized as introversion, sensation,
thinking and perceiving (ISTP). MBTI is now becoming more
popular in universities for guiding graduate students about
their career options, building leadership qualities, business
management, personal development, doing effective communi-
cation and how difference in perceptions among people can be
reduced and eliminated. Currently MBTI is focus of extensive
research and there are substantial evidence that MBTI is valid
and reliable [5]. Our research first determine students MBTI
personality types and then persuade them accordingly through
mobile phone application in achieving their study behavior
goals.
II. R ELATED W ORK
The domain of Persuasive technology and its application
is broad with health, safe driving, education, eco-friendly
environment and physical exercise as its primary domain [9].
Currently mobile applications, games and social networking
websites like Facebook are being used to persuade people to
do certain behavior. In health alone many mobile applications
have been developed that motivates people to remain healthy
and active by adapting certain preventive measures.
Chick clique [29], a mobile application motivates teenage
girls to avoid harmful means to reduce weight and to do
daily physical exercise in group having social interaction with
friends.
Similar to Chick clique is a mobile application called
Flowie [2] that uses the idea of virtual coach to encourages
elderly people to maintain and increase their exercise level
and avoid age related problems as a result.
Authors in [30] have used another approach by developing a
mobile application that unconsciously motivate and persuades
user to walk, making it a fun activity. Authors in [17] have
used Theory of Planned Behavior [1], Theory of Meaning
Behavior, and Personality Theory that tries to find the factors
behind teenager motivation to adopt behaviors related to
physical activities.
Applications like StepMatron [11] also exist that creates
competition through online social networking. As a result
significant increase was found in the physical activeness of
different players.
Heath and regular exercise is not only the sole target of
persuasive technology. There exist systems and studies that
 Fig. 1. Customized Fogg behavior Grid that suggests 15 types of study and co-curricular activities behaviors

TABLE I
apply persuasive technology in the area of adapting eco- P ERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS BELONGING TO DIFFERENT PERSONALITY
friendly environment [4],doing regular toothbrushing [24], TYPES
safe driving [20] [19], reduce watching television [18] etc. Personality Types N Percent
Few studies and mobile applications exits in literature that ISTJ 5 6.85%
tries to find relationship between human personality and their ISFJ 8 10.96%
INFJ 5 6.85%
desired behavior. The work done in those studies are related to 5
INTJ 6.85%
health promoting mobile applications. For example, authors ISTP 2 2.74%
in [14] have revealed that there is a strong relationship ISFP 2 2.74%
between human personality and different persuasive INFP 6 8.22%
INTP 3 4.11%
strategies. In their online survey, they allowed different 2
ESTP 2.74%
users to select their desired persuasive strategy depicted on ESFP 3 4.11%
online storyboard representing different persuasive strategies. ENFP 7 9.59%
Thereafter, another online survey was carried out in order to ENTP 5 6.85%
ESTJ 4 5.48%
determine personalities of those different users using Big Five 5
ESFJ 6.85%
Inventory(BFI) [15]. As a result significant relationship was ENFJ 9 12.33%
found between human personalities and different persuasion ENTJ 2 2.74%
strategies.
Similarly, authors in [3] tries to motivate teens and adults to
adopt long term active physical behavior in order to abstain
oriented. Students will be persuaded to better understand their
from diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases. Contrary
learning strengths, know their weaknesses and subsequently
to other mobile applications their mobile application first
work towards removing those weaknesses, better manage the
determine user personality using Big Five Inventory and then
study time and course objectives.
recommend different exercise and games options related to
their personalities.
So far, up to best of our knowledge, no research study or III. S TUDY D ESIGN
mobile application exists that takes persuasive techniques and
strategies before encouraging graduate students to study in We believe that human personality layer surrounds Fogg
the right environment and direction. With the help of newly Behavior Grid. Therefore, its is important to know human per-
developed Android mobile application our research study will sonality, preferences and desired options before recommending
try to persuade, motivate and encourage graduate students and persuading them for any target behavior to achieve. For
in making their study activities more effective and result example in our study a student may prefer to study with the
help of Moodle or video lectures in a quiet environment rather

Fig. 2. Persuasion strategies for people with different preferences and
personalities
than studying with classmates in group. In this case persuasive
strategies for students who wishes to study alone in quiet
environment using Moodle or video lectures would be different
from those students who prefer to study in group. This idea
is represented in figure 2.
A. Survey Design
To elicit students information about personality types and
study behaviors, two online surveys were conducted using
google forms. Services of 80 students (60 males and 20
females) belonging to BIT-11A and BIT-11B batch of School
of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science(SEECS) of
National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad,
were taken. In the first survey, students were first briefed
about MBTI and were then requested to fill online google
form consisting of 75 MBTI questions so that information
about students personalities could be elicited. In the second
survey, same students were requested to fill another online
google form consisting of questions related to student per-
ceptions about different study preferences and habits. Both
online surveys lasted for two hours. All students form re-
sponses were thoroughly scrutinized and analyzed for any
mistakes and ambiguities. Out of 80 form responses, seven
were discarded due to incomplete and delayed form feedback.
Table I shows the percentage of different students belonging
to different personality types. The second survey consisted of
seven questions similar to study behavior options presented in
figure 1. Every question further consisted of two parts for
which students have to answers in terms of yes or no to
express their liking or disliking about that particular study
behavior. Identity of every student was revealed from their
email address as they submitted both the forms. Finally data
from both the forms were examined and scrutinized for errors
and understanding. Data from both the forms representing
students personalities and study behaviors was co-related and
interestingly strong association was revealed between students
personalities and their study behaviors. It was observed that
students with different personality types does prefer to have
different study environment and behavior. Thus there is a need
of different persuasive strategies and techniques for differ-
ent students with different study preferences and behavior.
Based on these results, a simple prototype Android mobile
application was developed and tested with an aim to guide,
persuade and encourage students in increasing their study
behavior. Details of this mobile prototype will be discussed
later. Tables II, III, IV, and V summarizes correlation between
students personality types and study behavior preferences.
B. Survey Analysis
In this section, we discuss correlation results between stu-
dents personality types and their study behavior.
1) Introverted Sensing Thinking Judging (ISTJ): It was
noticed that ISTJ have mixed up reaction towards combine
study behavior. This may be due to the fact that they know
advantages of combine study but they do it very few in a
week and feel comfortable in understanding and memorizing
subject concepts alone in silent and peaceful environment.
Strong correlation was revealed for timely study plan, studying
alone and studying using Moodle whereas negative correlation
was observed for studying with teachers notes and concerns
course books. This shows that they enjoy following their study
plan, enjoys extra things apart from their study and likes to
have few reliable friends with which they want to share their
course ideas and experiences.
2) Introverted Sensing Feeling Judging (ISFJ): Like ISTJ,
ISFJ showed similar associations towards combine study be-
havior. Knowing the apparent advantages of combine study,
still they showed negative association towards studying in
group and felt that combine study is more distracting and
does not generates study interest. Referring to table II, ISFJ
showed positive correlation for following timely study plan,
study alone in room or library, studying using Moodle and
consulting extra tutorials and web during study whereas nega-
tive correlation was observed for following only teacher notes
and course books during study.
3) Introverted iNtuitive Feeling Judging (INFJ): Apart
from combine study and consulting websites, tutorials etc,
INFJ showed strong positive correlation for all other study
behaviors. Similar to ISTJ, INFJ were having mixed reaction
to combing study behavior due to apparent advantages of
combine study but not always prefer to do combine study
as they prefer to have silent environment for their rational
and logical thinking about any topic or concept. They showed
strong association and tendency towards planned study right
from the beginning of every semester doing every activity
related to study on its right time.
4) Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging (INTJ): The re-
sults of INTJ in table II showed that they are more attuned
towards studying alone, following timely study plan, studying
using Moodle and understanding only ideas rather then going
in the depth of every topic. Similar to ISTJ, ISFJ and INFJ
they does not showed any interest in doing combine study
regularly and find it more distracting and perturbing.
 TABLE II
C ORRELATION BETWEEN STUDENT STUDY BEHAVIOR PERCEPTIONS AND ISTJ, ISFJ, INFJ, INTJ STUDENTS PERSONALITY TYPES
Students Study behavior
Study behavior Perceptions ISTJ R(5) value ISFJ R(8) value INFJ R(5) value INTJ R(5) value
options
Student learns better +0.413 +0.512 +0.237 +0.345
Combine study behavior
Helps in doing class assignment -0.224 -0.345 -0.387 -0.451
Following proper time Effectively organizes study +0.625 +0.695 +0.571 +0.552
table University should follow strict
+0.572 +0.551 +0.490 +0.732
rules regarding time
Students avoids many unnecessary
Studying alone and +0.298 +0.643 +0.365 +0.487
activities
staying reserved in class
Concentrate more while studying +0.342 +0.674 +0.678 +0.592
Gathering lots of facts for Gives good results +0.459 +0.489 -0.354 -0.587
problem solving Prepares well for exams +0.567 +0.571 -0.489 -0.523
Learn more in short time -0.254 -0.298 +0.291 +0.441
Understanding just ideas
Is more effective -0.342 -0.334 +0.427 +0.598
Studying only teachers Prepares well for exams -0.356 -0.452 +0.309 +0.679
notes and course books Student learn fasters -0.276 -0.234 +0.65 +0.621
Consulting websites, Increases knowledge many fold +0.599 +0.414 -0.269 +0.227
tutorials, moodle during Learns extra things
+0.498 +0.678 -0.474 -0.267
study

TABLE III
C ORRELATION BETWEEN STUDENT STUDY BEHAVIOR PERCEPTIONS AND ISTP, ISFP, INFP, INTP STUDENTS PERSONALITY TYPES
Students Study behavior
Study behavior Perceptions ISTP R(2) value ISFP R(2) value INFP R(6) value INTP R(3) value
options
Student learns better +0.265 +0.245 +0.354 +0.289
Combine study behavior
Helps in doing class assignment -0.227 -0.456 +0.451 +0.210
Following proper time Effectively organizes study -0.699 -0.698 -0.212 -0.435
table University should follow strict
-0.712 -0.790 -0.341 -0.563
rules regarding time
Students avoids many unnecessary
Studying alone and +0.478 +0.465 +0.456 +0.556
activities
staying reserved in class
Concentrate more while studying +0.698 +0.559 +0.492 +0.672
Gathering lots of facts for Gives good results +0.440 +0.690 -0.237 -0.562
problem solving Prepares well for exams +0.377 +0.519 -0.451 -0.341
Learn more in short time -0.452 -0.441 +0.378 +0.421
Understanding just ideas
Is more effective -0.331 -0.321 +0.440 +0.551
Studying only teachers Prepares well for exams -0.229 +0.581 +0.311 +0.4521
notes and course books Student learn fasters -0.367 +0.267 +0.369 +0.467
Consulting websites, Increases knowledge many fold +0.431 +0.765 +0.200 +0.356
tutorials, moodle during Learns extra things +0.576 +0.558 +0.265 -0.254
study

5) Introverted Sensing Thinking Perceiving (ISTP): Nat-
urally, ISTP always are interested in implementing ideas
and likes to gain practical experience of whatever they have
learned [21]. It was revealed that ISTP are open minded with
changing their study plan very rapidly. They showed strong
negative correlation towards doing study on any specific time
on daily basis. They feel comfortable in studying in chunks and
doing many other extra thing during their study time. Apart
from study alone and study with the help of Moodle, they
showed strong negative correlation for almost all other study
behaviors.
6) Introverted Sensing Feeling Perceiving (ISFP): ISFP
living style are oriented internally with keen interest in the way
new things looks, taste, sound, smell and felt [21]. Table III
showed their negative correlation towards those study behavior
where there is some kind of time constraint like following
timely study plan. Their results showed that they will study at
any time which suit there mood and preferences. Apart from
studying only course books and teacher lectures they love to
search for other materials on Internet that facilitates them in
their study. Like other students with introverted feelings they
are interested in doing combine study but not on regular and
daily basis.
7) Introverted iNtuitive Feeling Perceiving (INFP): Very
minor difference was found in thinking of INFJ and INFP re-
garding their study behavior options. Like ISTP, INFP showed
negative association for doing study on one particular time
on daily basis. They showed positive correlation for group
study as well as for studying alone. This might be due to
their compassionate and friendly behavior towards their close
colleagues with whom they are interested in sharing their ideas
and experiences.
8) Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Perceiving (INTP): INTPs
primarily live in their own minds and thoughts taking little sug-
gestions and guidance from other colleagues [21]. The are able
to analyze and solve difficult problems and gives detail logical
explanation for any problem. Their result showed negative
correlation towards timely study and looking extra material
 TABLE IV
C ORRELATION BETWEEN STUDENT STUDY BEHAVIOR PERCEPTIONS AND ESTP, ESFP, ENFP, ENTP STUDENTS PERSONALITY TYPES
Students Study behavior
Study behavior Perceptions ESTP R(2) value ESFP R(3) value ENFP R(7) value ENTP R(5) value
options
Student learns better +0.679 +0.873 +0.811 +0.819
Combine study behavior
Helps in doing class assignment +0.824 +0.769 +0.698 +0.811
Following proper time Effectively organizes study -0.367 -0.493 -0.698 -0.398
table University should follow strict
-0.489 -0.784 -0.712 -0.332
rules regarding time
Students avoids many unnecessary
Studying alone and -0.665 -0.651 -0.432 -0.542
activities
staying reserved in class
Concentrate more while studying -0.780 -0.590 -0.599 -0.564
Gathering lots of facts for Gives good results +0.672 +0.599 -0.357 -0.543
problem solving Prepares well for exams +0.723 +0.437 -0.475 -0.244
Learn more in short time -0.471 -0.200 +0.478 +0.465
Understanding just ideas
Is more effective -0.589 -0.295 +0.712 +0.369
Studying only teachers Prepares well for exams -0.551 -0.378 +0.616 +0.665
notes and course books Student learn fasters -0.673 -0.451 +0.783 +0.459
Consulting websites, Increases knowledge many fold +0.789 +0.699 +0.323 -0.267
tutorials, moodle during Learns extra things
+0.479 +0.672 +0.234 +0.435
study

TABLE V
C ORRELATION BETWEEN STUDENT STUDY BEHAVIOR PERCEPTIONS AND ESTJ, ESFJ, ENFJ, ENTJ STUDENTS PERSONALITY TYPES
Students Study behavior
Study behavior Perceptions ESTJ R(4) value ESFJ R(5) value ENFJ R(9) value ENTJ R(2) value
options
Student learns better +0.876 +0.912 +0.884 +0.602
Combine study behavior
Helps in doing class assignment +0.892 +0.984 +0.713 +0.887
Following proper time Effectively organizes study +0.657 +0.792 +0.487 +0.712
table University should follow strict
+0.678 +0.774 +0.459 +0.833
rules regarding time
Students avoids many unnecessary
Studying alone and -0.492 -0.556 -0.582 -0.228
activities
staying reserved in class
Concentrate more while studying -0.581 +0.211 -0.694 +0.322
Gathering lots of facts for Gives good results +0.389 +0.445 -0.201 -0.375
problem solving Prepares well for exams +0.490 +0.592 -0.236 -0.287
Learn more in short time -0.344 -0.396 +0.467 +0.589
Understanding just ideas
Is more effective -0.471 -0.482 +0.678 +0.461
Studying only teachers Prepares well for exams +0.659 -0.210 +0.779 +0.627
notes and course books Student learn fasters +0.769 -0.449 +0.655 +0.763
Consulting websites, Increases knowledge many fold +0.498 +0.622 -0.219 -0.224
tutorials, moodle during Learns extra things
+0.592 +0.773 -0.354 -0.368
study

like web and tutorials during their study whereas positive
correlation was shown towards studying alone, studying using
Moodle and studying only relevant study material throughout
semester. Similar to other introverted students there interest in
doing combine study was not very strong and do it rarely with
close friends.
9) Extraverted Sensing Thinking Perceiving (ESTP):
ESTPs are active, more sociable, out directed and open to
everybody [21], [27]. ESTPs showed strong correlation for
studying in group on daily basis with no specific time and
venue. As expected, Negative correlation was shown towards
studying alone, following strick time table for studies and
following specified lectures and notes. The reason for this neg-
ative correlation towards these study behavior could be time
constraints and less interest and motivation during studying
alone as compared to studying in group.
10) Extraverted Sensing Feeling Perceiving(ESFP): ESFPs
are softhearted, optimist fun loving people [21]. They are
very helpful to others and consider other people feelings
before making any decision. Table IV revealed that ESFPs felt
very comfortable in doing combine study with colleague on
regular basis. Their results showed positive correlation only
towards doing combine study whereas negative correlation
was observed for following timely study plan, studying alone,
following strick time table and consulting only course books
during their semester study. Their result showed that they loves
to have social interaction with friends everyday and are more
oriented towards activities where there is people involvement.
11) Extraverted iNtuitive Feeling Perceiving (ENFP):
ENFPs are source of inspiration, full of potential and always
looking for help and goodwill of others [21]. Regarding their
study behavior they showed strong tendency towards group
study where everybody shares their knowledge and ideas. It
was revealed that their study habits are very much similar
to ESTPs showing negative correlation for studying alone, or
studying in silent places like library, studying using Moodle
and do not prefer to bound themselves under time constraints.
12) Extraverted iNtuitive Thinking Perceiving (ENTP):
ENTPs are confident speakers, good decision makers, and
enjoy verbal conversation with others [21]. They love to
generate new ideas and express them with others. Their result
in table IV showed strong positive correlation towards studying
in group where they believe that they can learn more in short
span of time. Like other extraverted students, ENTPs students
also showed that they feel reluctant to study alone in quite
environment following timely and strict study plan during the
whole semester.
13) Extraverted Sensing Thinking Judging (ESTJ): ESTJs
likes to maintained discipline, take every step with reason
and logic with focusing their energies outwards [21]. Their
results in table V showed that they prefer systematic way of
life where every thing is done on time with full dedication and
motivation. They showed positive association towards combine
study, doing new experiments and activities and studying
regularly on specified time.
14) Extraverted Sensing Feeling Judging(ESFJ): ESTJs are
friendly people who enjoys living together with their family
members and colleagues all the times [21]. They are source
of inspiration for others and never let anyone annoyed and
helpless. Their survey result in table V showed that they prefer
to do study in organized and structured way where every
activity is performed with perfection and on time. Table V
also showed that ESFJ have strong positive correlation towards
doing combine study, following timely study schedule and
doing regular study early in the morning. Strong association
towards doing combine study revealed that they always en-
courage others in doing combine study and voluntarily helps
others in solving their problems.
15) Extraverted iNtuitive Feeling Judging (ENFJ): EN-
FJs are people focused individuals with great passion for
understanding, motivating, encouraging, helping and guiding
others [21]. As expected, their result in table V showed
their interest in doing combine study, following study plan,
doing every activity on time and encouraging others to take
interest in studies. Our survey also revealed that ENFJs follows
specific study materials and shows no interest with topics that
are out of course.
16) Extraverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging (ENTJ): Their
positive correlation towards timely study plan in table V
showed that they are very much particular about time and
discipline. Like other extraverted students, ENTJs also showed
strong positive association towards doing combine study where
everybody is involved and contribute equally. Their positive
correlation towards following only course books and teachers
notes revealed that their study approach is very focused,
specific and targeted where out of course study materials are
not valued much.
IV. M OBILE A PPLICATION
Our survey result showed that students personality types do
have impact on their study behaviors. For example, students
with introvert nature prefer to study alone in a quite envi-
ronment doing combine study very rarely whereas students
with extraverted personality type like to do combine study
regularly with no attention to external noise or disturbance.
Similarly students with high sensing capabilities study breadth
wise trying to consult every book, lecture, tutorial and other
course related material on web for their examinations and
class tests. On the other hand students with high intuitive
nature likes to do study depth wise utilizing their natural
logical reasonings and intuition and consulting specific books
for their examinations. Based on our survey observations,
results and analysis, a prototype Android mobile application
was developed and tested by thirty selected students (twenty
five male and five female students) involved in study behavior
survey. Of course the aim of Android mobile application
was to encourage, facilitate, persuade and motivate student
in further enhancing their study behavior effectively. Differ-
ent persuasion strategies [25] regarding study behavior were
applied on students with different personality types through
mobile application.
A. Mobile Application Working
A very simple user friendly interface was designed for An-
droid mobile application requiring minimum interaction from
user side keeping in mind not to overburden the users with a
lot of input data. Mainly the Android mobile application was
divided into two modules. Upon the launching of application,
module one is loaded first consisting of MBTI personality test
for determining student personality type. Upon completion of
personality test, a specific code was given and stored for a
particular student based on his/her personality type. The first
module is launched only the first time with the sole purpose
of determining student personality. After that students are
directed to game like study activities based on the stored code
related to their personality types. Self explanatory figure 3
shows the flow chart of our mobile application working.
In order to make our Android mobile application more attrac-
tive and flexible, students were not constraint to interaction
with only a single mobile activity. After the personality test,
students are presented with list of game like study activities
based on his personality from which a student can select any-
one which s/he desires. For example, students with extraverted
thinking are presented with activities like
• Inviting friends for doing combine group study.
• Making video of any topics and sharing it with friends
group.
• Rating friends videos or topics shared for encouragement
and recognition.
• Viewing other colleagues study progress and time studied
thus creating social competition among students.
Figure 4 shows the interface of Android mobile application
depicting MBTI test, while figure 5, 6 shows students video
ratings and weekly study reports of their colleagues.
It was deemed that different persuasion strategies [7] for
different personality types students would be more effective
in bringing positive change in their study behavior. Cooper-
ative and competitive type mobile application activities that
facilitates students in increasing their study behavior would
be more suitable for students with extraverted thinking and
nature whereas mobile application with animated teacher that
apply authoritative and intrinsic type persuasion techniques
 Fig. 3. Flow chart of Mobile application working
would be more suitable for students with introverted nature
in motivating and guiding them towards increasing their study
behavior. Similarly, a mobile application that persuade and
motivates students to better manage their study time and
do less absentees from class would be more appropriate for
students with perceiving thinking.
It was observed during survey that students with introverted
nature rarely do group study and prefer to have a silent
environment where they can concentrate well during their
study time. Therefore, we included an animated mobile teacher
in our mobile application that can encourage and motivate
introverted thinking students in increasing their study behavior.
Sweet and motivational phrases were shown to students if it
was observed that student are not giving adequate time to their
studies. Example of some of those motivational messages are
• One Hour. It will make your time easy in exam days.
• Yours study time is less than of your colleagues. Lets
study for two hours every day this week to surpass them.
• Your study time graph this week is very good and upright.
Keep studying on the same phase.
• Lets give one hour for revising important concepts that
you have already understood.
Similarly, mobile activities for students with sensing type
nature were different than intuition type students. More
logical and rational type tests were presented for sensing type
students on weekly basis in order to help them perform better
in examination. Figure 7 shows an animated teacher that
persuade sensing type students to take weekly test in order to
improve their logical reasoning abilities. For creating social
competition among students, test scores of other students
were presented in a graphical form to students with low test
score which might encourage them to study and prepare well
 Fig. 6. Weekly student study report along with friends study performance

for weekly tests and final semester examination.

Fig. 4. MBTI test interface in our mobile application for determining student
personality
Students tested our Android mobile application for twenty
days and at the end they were requested to give feedback about
our mobile application working. It was very encouraging to
see positive response from students side about our mobile
application. Some of the interesting feedbacks from students
with different personality types are listed below.

• My classmates remarks about my teaching style during

combine study was always encouraging for me.
• I never felt that I study alone in my room.
• Due to this mobile application I tried my best to study at
least for two hour every day.
• Weakly numerical reasoning test improved my logical
thinking capabilities
• My classmates study progress report always boosted my
morale to study more.
• I felt that my teacher is always with me looking after my
study progress twenty four hours a day.

V. C ONCLUSIONS AND F UTURE W ORK

We tried to demonstrate that Fogg Behavior Grid is very
generic and in its initial stage. Fogg Behavior Grid can be
make more systematic and complete by inclusion of human
personality factor. We believe that a particular behavior like
increasing students study behavior could be made more easy
and effective if students study preferences which are related
to students personality are considered first. To prove this, a
survey was carried out on graduate students regarding their
Fig. 5. Video rating activity for creating social competition personality types and study behavior preferences and likings. It
was revealed that strong relationship do exist between students
personalities and their study habits. Different students with

Fig. 7. Animated mobile teacher persuading student to take weekly test
different personality types showed different study habits and
preferences. As a result an Android mobile prototype applica-
tion was developed containing list of game like activities which
were presented to students in order to assist and facilitate them
in increasing their study behavior. The idea of Android mobile
games were included so that students does not got bored by
our mobile application thus making it a fun activity.
In future many improvements and enhancement could be made
to our mobile application like integrating mobile application
with Moodle and Facebook. By integrating mobile application
with Moodle, students would be able to directly access their
semester attendance record and teacher lectures. This could
help them in reducing their absentees and to stay up to date
with the class. Similarly integrating our mobile application
with Facebook could increase its audience spectrum in which
more friends would be involved in viewing students study
behaviors and giving any useful tips and guidance regarding
improving his/her study behavior.
So far we have showed that how human personality types
effect fifteen different types of behaviors presented in Fogg
Behavior Grid. We tried to persuade and motivate students
in increasing their study behavior by using our mobile ap-
plication. For other types of behavior increase like increas-
ing physical exercise activity time and increasing business
activities similar kind to mobile application could be design
and developed which could persuade users in increasing and
achieving their target behavior.
For achieving green (new behavior), blue (similar behavior),
purple (increase behavior), gray (decrease behavior ) and
black (stopping behaviors) behavior all presented in Fogg
Behavior Grid, different kind of mobile and web applications
would be needed. Considering user personality type first and
then recommending behavior change options and suggestion
would surely increase chances of achieving a particular target
behavior.
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