Persuasive user experiences in behaviour change support systems:avoiding bottlenecks along the way to full potential of persuasive technology

Abstract Behaviour Change Support Systems, an area of persuasive technology, aim at creating behaviour change in a broad range of domains in everyday life from better health to more eco-friendly lifestyles without using coercion or a hidden agenda. Research and development in this field has learned to use knowledge of human behaviour, user experience and interaction design methods to better systems designed for behaviour change — yet attrition rates can be high, and the effectiveness of these systems could be better. The present dissertation comprises five studies into identifying and understanding potential pitfalls and bottlenecks where persuasive systems may fall short of their full potential. The perspectives discussed consider social factors (study II), person specific factors (studies I, II, IV and V) and system factors (interaction design) (studies III and V), and how they contribute to user experiences that support behaviour change. These studies employ both quantitative and qualitative methods, aiming at revealing perspectives on design necessities that would help advance the effectiveness and user experience of persuasive systems. The findings add to the general scientific knowledge base in the field of persuasive technology through new insights. Key findings involve a) the effect of context and social roles on individuals’ information processing (study II), b) the role of self-image in how persuasive messages are received and how persuasive systems are involved in the construction and maintenance of an individual’s self-concept (studies IV and V), c) how information processing styles manifest in persuasive message handling (study II) and how persuasive message delivery strategy can affect the fluency of message intake (study I), and d) how system and user experience design play an important role in ensuring effective and unobstructed message delivery (studies III and V). Overall, the dissertation forms an empirically studied picture of how distractions, interruptions and user experience design/implementation can create bottlenecks in the fluency of delivering persuasive messages to a system user. The studies also illustrate the potential of utilising knowledge regarding self-image and supporting self-image construction as means of adding fluidity to persuasive message acceptance and adding to understanding the importance of personal relevance.Tiivistelmä Käyttäytymisen muutoksen tukijärjestelmillä voidaan avustaa oman käyttäytymisen muuttamista useilla arkielämän osa-alueilla aina terveyskäyttäytymisestä ekologisempiin elämäntapoihin. Alan tutkimus ja tuotekehitys hyödyntävät käyttäytymistieteitä, käyttäjäkokemustutkimusta sekä käyttöliittymäsuunnittelun menetelmiä, mutta silti käyttäjät usein luopuvat tällaisten tietojärjestelmien käytöstä kovin nopeasti. Myös järjestelmien toimivuudessa on vielä parantamisen varaa. Väitöskirja koostuu viidestä tutkimuksesta, joissa tunnistetaan ja pyritään selittämään käyttäytymisen muutoksen tukijärjestelmien pullonkauloja ja ongelmakohtia. Työssä käsitellään sosiaaliseen kanssakäymiseen liittyviä tekijöitä (tutkimus II), käyttäjäkohtaisia tekijöitä (tutkimukset I, II, IV ja V) ja järjestelmätekijöitä (tutkimukset III ja V) sekä sitä miten nämä vaikuttavat käyttäytymisen muutosta tukevaan käyttäjäkokemukseen. Tutkimuksissa on käytetty sekä määrällisiä että laadullisia menetelmiä. Tavoitteena on löytää sellaisia tärkeitä järjestelmäsuunnittelun piirteitä, joiden avulla tietojärjestelmien vaikuttavuutta sekä käyttäjäkokemusta voidaan parantaa. Löydökset lisäävät sekä vaikuttavan teknologian tutkimuksen ja suunnittelun erikoisosaamista että laajemman yleisön ymmärrystä aiheesta. Keskeiset löydökset liittyvät a) kontekstin ja sosiaalisten roolien vaikutukseen yksilöiden tiedon prosessoinnissa (tutkimus II), b) minäkuvan rooliin vaikuttavien viestien käsittelyssä ja siihen, miten vaikuttavat järjestelmät ovat mukana yksilön minäkuvan rakentumisessa ja ylläpidossa (tutkimukset IV ja V), c) miten yksilön tiedon prosessoinnin tyylit näkyvät vaikuttavien viestien vastaanottamisessa (tutkimus II) ja miten vaikuttavan viestin välitysstrategia voi vaikuttaa viestin vastaanottamisen sujuvuuteen (tutkimus I), sekä d) millaisessa asemassa tietojärjestelmät ja käyttäjäkokemuksen suunnittelu ovat silloin kun pyritään mahdollisimman sujuvaan viestinvälitykseen (tutkimukset III ja V). Kokonaisuutena väitöskirja tarjoaa empiirisesti tutkitun kuvan siitä, millaisia pullonkauloja häiriötekijät ja käyttökokemuksen puutteellinen suunnittelu ja toteutus voivat saada aikaan vaikuttavan viestin välityksessä. Tutkimukset osoittavat myös yksilön minäkuvan hyödyntämisen ja minäkuvan rakentumisen tukemisen potentiaalin silloin kun pyritään henkilökohtaisen relevanssin parempaan hyödyntämiseen ja etsitään keinoja sujuvoittaa vaikuttavan viestin vastaanottamista

Developing a gamified behavior change support system

Abstract This paper describes the development process of a gamified mobile Behavior Change Support System for increasing its users’ fruit and vegetable consumption. The system was based on the principles of implicit association measures as the behavioral feedback for reflection. The project used the Persuasive Systems Design (PSD) together with gamification principles and the Implicit Association Test (IAT). The present paper describes the background and process of implementing IAT in a gamified form for a mobile device platform. Key outputs from the process include perceiving such a system to be built of a basic BCSS core which is then gamified, and identifying a system to have segments that each have their own relevant persuasive features

Contributing or receiving:the role of social interaction styles in persuasion over a social networking platform

Abstract In this paper, the use of the social network platform Twitter is explored in relation to behavior change (BC) for health. We studied the effect of participation style (tweeters vs. non-tweeters) on perceived health behavior change through the constructs “social influence,” “efficacy,” and “pre-test health behavior.” In the experiment (N = 30), participants were given a basic health message, and the tweeters were then asked to actively search, think up, and share tips and guidance with non-tweeters. Results indicate that for both tweeters and non-tweeters, efficacy and social influence were positively related, but that efficacy and perceived health behavior change are only positively related for non-tweeters. From this, we concluded that participation style can impact the effect of efficacy on target behavior. To understand the information processing in the two groups in terms of higher or lower need for cognition, we also studied the participants’ thought elaboration. We found that tweeters were more distracted from elaboration on the health message, in particular those tweeters presenting a higher need for cognition. From this, we concluded that taking an active content creating role in peer-to-peer e-coaching systems may lead (a) to higher efficacy appraisal without a positive impact on BC and (b) to reduced attention on the intended behavior change message. In other words, the position of producing content may not translate into better intake of that content. In conclusion, there is a need for investigating strategies for overcoming the distracting nature of an active sharing role in e-coaching systems presented by a social network platform

Persuading peers in the web:social influence and tweeters vs. non-tweeters

Abstract The present paper describes an experiment into the effects of sharing vs. receiving roles in a behavior change intervention over a social platform, Twitter. The purpose of the experiment was to explore the possible difference in how participation styles (tweeting vs. non-tweeting) affected the participants’ perceived health behavior. Participants (N=30) in two groups were either to encourage healthier eating by tweeting, or to read these messages in a Twitter feed. The findings from PLS-SEM analysis suggest that the different roles lead to different perceived health behavior outcomes. Social influence factors appeared to boost the tweeting group’s efficacy appraisals, but that efficacy was not seen to influence the perceived health behavior. For the non-tweeting group, efficacy appraisal influenced perceived health behavior. These observations led to the conclusion that the tweeting role may affect one’s perception of one’s actual health behavior, and that for non-tweeters receiving peer support over social media supports health behavior

Tailoring persuasive technology:a systematic review of literature of self-schema theory and transformative learning theory in persuasive technology context

Abstract Groundwork for understanding persuasion in human behaviour change through the human-computer environment has been laid by the socio-psychological paradigm and theories, and an acknowledged key element in behaviour change is the role of attitude in the intention-behaviour gap. The said gap is explored in the present paper by means of a systematic literature review of how theories of self-schema and transformative learning have been used thus far in researching behaviour change support systems. Tailoring content and persuasive strategies to some end-user traits is an acknowledged avenue in the persuasive technology field, but what identifiable traits beyond needs, interests, personality, or context can be identified and used in the pursuit of systems that are increasingly more relevant to their users? Various databases were searched for peer-reviewed articles, and the research contributions were analysed against the Persuasive Systems Design Model and Outcome/Change Design Matrix. The results show that neither theory has been used extensively for researching behaviour change support systems; yet, a closer look at the records offers feasible approaches for addressing the intention-behaviour gap. Both SST and TLT emerge as worth investigating as regards identifying and influencing attitude and self-perception level factors in persuasion

Systems supporting occupational health behavior change:a systematic literature review

Abstract Occupational health interventions for behavior change have potential to reduce or prevent health risks, such as influencing absenteeism. This systematic literature review concentrates on searching for and presenting interventions in occupational health settings with the focus on targeting behavior change. Lack of descriptions of the actual intervention features and implementations, lack of results, and coercive (rather than persuasive) elements led to the exclusion of several studies from the analysis. Persuasive software feature examples were identified from the included studies with the help of Persuasive Systems Design Model. The recognized software features can be utilized in the planning and development of occupational health support systems for behavior change

Fifth international workshop on behavior change support systems (BCSS 2017):proposal 1a

Abstract This workshop aims at connecting multidisciplinary researchers, practitioners and experts from a variety of scientific domains, such as information sciences, psychology, human-computer interaction, industrial design and medicine. This interactive workshop will act as a forum where experts from multiple disciplines can present their work, and can discuss and debate the pillars for persuasive technology. Topics for submissions include the design & development and evaluation of behaviour change support systems. For more information see: https://bcssworkshop.wordpress.com/ This workshop is the result of the merger of two proposals, to be found below

Gamifying a BCSS:rehearsal and reflection in reinforcing a health message response

Abstract A gamified approach to promoting reflection and to engaging users in rehearsing decision-making in a dietary context was studied. The game was based on the principles of the Implicit Attitude Test, but was not a complete IAT in itself like the original test at projectimplicit.net: by categorising food items under positive or negative associations the players gained points according to their categorisation speed but the score was merely indicative of attitudinal alignment with the target response. Showing the scores was a vehicle for reflection, and repeated playing constituted response rehearsal. Research questions: (1) does a gamified process of drawing attention to implicit attitudes evoke self-reflection and (2) does gamification of response rehearsal contribute positively to behaviour change? We expected the exposure to one’s own choices in the game to heighten the awareness of personal food choices. Experiment participants (N = 58) played the game over a five-day period. Constructs of Rehearsal, Reflection, Perceived Persuasiveness, and Perceived Health Behaviour Change were analysed using PLS-SEM. The findings point to rehearsal having a role in how reflection and perceived persuasiveness are connected. Reflection was involved in the self-reported behaviour change, and perceived persuasiveness can promote behaviour change. Open-ended questions showed awareness of choice having a behavioural effect