Persuasive Technologies
>> The goal of persuasive technologies is changing people’s behavior for their own benefit
- How can technology help?
o Providing a specific solution to a specific problem
Lecture 2 – Understanding Human Behavior
>> What is behavior?
- A behavior is an action, activity or process which can be observed and measured
- A behavior occurs in response to internal or external stimuli
Properties of behavior
Consciously Unconsciously
Simple Complex
Effort Change
Familiar Unfamiliar
Voluntary Involuntary
Innate Learned
Def: Innate Behavior
➢ Genetically hardwired in an organism
➢ The actor performs in response to the cue without prior experience
o Reflexes
Def: Learned Behavior
➢ One that an organism develops as a result of their experiences
➢ Some behaviors have both innate and learned elements
Habits
- Is a repeated behavior that is triggered by cues in our environment
- Habits can occur outside of conscious control and we may sometimes not even be aware
of them
- Control over our behavior is outsourced to cues in the environment, so our conscious
minds are free
,Habits: Conditioning
1 = Classical Conditioning
- Learning to associate a neutral stimulus with an involuntary response by:
o Repeatedly paring the neutral stimulus with something that causes the
involuntary response.
- Example:
-
2 = Operant Conditioning
- Learning to associate a voluntary behavior with a consequence.
o Through rewards and punishment
A reinforcement is any event that increases the likelihood that the same behavior will occur
again
A punishment is any event that reduces the likelihood that the behavior will occur again
Reinforcements have two types:
1. Positive reinforcement: Adding something desired – Presenting a positive stimulus
a. An award for outstanding efforts
2. Negative reinforcement: Removing Something undesired – Removing a negative stimulus
, a. The beeping sound in a car stops once the seat belt is used
Punishments also have two types; But now it is in the way of adding and removing
1. Positive punishment: Adding something undesired (+/-)
a. Assigning a child extra household chores
2. Negative punishment: Removing something desired (-/+)
a. Grounding a teenager for bad behavior
Reinforcement can be divided into intervals, if these are irregular intervals, this is called:
➢ Intermittent Reinforcement
o This is the most effective form of encouraging behaviors through rewards
Same is with punishment, there are two rules
1. Positive punishment is most effective when given immediately and consistently
2. However, most of the time reinforcement strategies should be preferred over
punishment to avoid fear and avoidance tendencies
Habits: Theory – Drive-Reduction Theory
>> Organisms strive for homeostasis, a balanced state
➢ If we are not in homeostasis, we experience tension = Unpleasant state
Over time, we learn which behaviors can reduce tension and restore homeostasis
➢ E.g. eating food to reduce tension from hunger
Strategies to correct behavior can have side-effects
We should not reinforce behaviors that can reduce an individual's awareness of their needs,
preferences and bodily sensations
Theory – Learned Helplessness
➢ When an individual is repeatedly faced with a negative situation that they have no
control over, they will no longer try to change their circumstances even when they have
the control back
What is or is not considered motivation?
‘The bell is not the motivator to eat. The appetite is’
➢ To say that because people do something, they must want to do it is little more than
animistic thinking. It is like saying that because a plant grows it wants to grow.
, o Do not make assumptions based on what people do without knowing their
context
Theory – Fundamental Attribution Error
➢ When we explain our own behavior, we are more likely to consider out situation
➢ When we explain the behavior of others, we are more likely to blame their personality
and disregard their situation
o Approach behavior change from a place of empathy, not from biased
assumptions
Motivation: Goal-Setting
➢ Goal-striving is related to motivation, but it is referred to as volition
➢ A motivation is a dynamic state which can be aroused by a situation
Def: Arousal
>> A medium level of activation is optimal for performance and interest
- Arousal is a personal state of activation. It describes a variation in the readiness of an
organism to react
- Arousal low
o Bored or sleepy
- Arousal high
o Stressed, anxious or overwhelmed
Def: Incentives
- Anticipated affective states
o The expectation of experiencing a positive emotion can be an incentive as well as
the expectation that a negative emotion can be avoided through a certain action
- Intrinsic Incentives
o Driven by the enjoyment of an activity
- Extrinsic incentives
o Tied to external goals or purposes
Def’s: Approach and avoidance motivation
➢ Approach motivation refers to someone who is motivated by the prospect of a positive
outcome
➢ Avoidance motivation is being strongly motivated by doing something to avoid a negative
outcome
>> The goal of persuasive technologies is changing people’s behavior for their own benefit
- How can technology help?
o Providing a specific solution to a specific problem
Lecture 2 – Understanding Human Behavior
>> What is behavior?
- A behavior is an action, activity or process which can be observed and measured
- A behavior occurs in response to internal or external stimuli
Properties of behavior
Consciously Unconsciously
Simple Complex
Effort Change
Familiar Unfamiliar
Voluntary Involuntary
Innate Learned
Def: Innate Behavior
➢ Genetically hardwired in an organism
➢ The actor performs in response to the cue without prior experience
o Reflexes
Def: Learned Behavior
➢ One that an organism develops as a result of their experiences
➢ Some behaviors have both innate and learned elements
Habits
- Is a repeated behavior that is triggered by cues in our environment
- Habits can occur outside of conscious control and we may sometimes not even be aware
of them
- Control over our behavior is outsourced to cues in the environment, so our conscious
minds are free
,Habits: Conditioning
1 = Classical Conditioning
- Learning to associate a neutral stimulus with an involuntary response by:
o Repeatedly paring the neutral stimulus with something that causes the
involuntary response.
- Example:
-
2 = Operant Conditioning
- Learning to associate a voluntary behavior with a consequence.
o Through rewards and punishment
A reinforcement is any event that increases the likelihood that the same behavior will occur
again
A punishment is any event that reduces the likelihood that the behavior will occur again
Reinforcements have two types:
1. Positive reinforcement: Adding something desired – Presenting a positive stimulus
a. An award for outstanding efforts
2. Negative reinforcement: Removing Something undesired – Removing a negative stimulus
, a. The beeping sound in a car stops once the seat belt is used
Punishments also have two types; But now it is in the way of adding and removing
1. Positive punishment: Adding something undesired (+/-)
a. Assigning a child extra household chores
2. Negative punishment: Removing something desired (-/+)
a. Grounding a teenager for bad behavior
Reinforcement can be divided into intervals, if these are irregular intervals, this is called:
➢ Intermittent Reinforcement
o This is the most effective form of encouraging behaviors through rewards
Same is with punishment, there are two rules
1. Positive punishment is most effective when given immediately and consistently
2. However, most of the time reinforcement strategies should be preferred over
punishment to avoid fear and avoidance tendencies
Habits: Theory – Drive-Reduction Theory
>> Organisms strive for homeostasis, a balanced state
➢ If we are not in homeostasis, we experience tension = Unpleasant state
Over time, we learn which behaviors can reduce tension and restore homeostasis
➢ E.g. eating food to reduce tension from hunger
Strategies to correct behavior can have side-effects
We should not reinforce behaviors that can reduce an individual's awareness of their needs,
preferences and bodily sensations
Theory – Learned Helplessness
➢ When an individual is repeatedly faced with a negative situation that they have no
control over, they will no longer try to change their circumstances even when they have
the control back
What is or is not considered motivation?
‘The bell is not the motivator to eat. The appetite is’
➢ To say that because people do something, they must want to do it is little more than
animistic thinking. It is like saying that because a plant grows it wants to grow.
, o Do not make assumptions based on what people do without knowing their
context
Theory – Fundamental Attribution Error
➢ When we explain our own behavior, we are more likely to consider out situation
➢ When we explain the behavior of others, we are more likely to blame their personality
and disregard their situation
o Approach behavior change from a place of empathy, not from biased
assumptions
Motivation: Goal-Setting
➢ Goal-striving is related to motivation, but it is referred to as volition
➢ A motivation is a dynamic state which can be aroused by a situation
Def: Arousal
>> A medium level of activation is optimal for performance and interest
- Arousal is a personal state of activation. It describes a variation in the readiness of an
organism to react
- Arousal low
o Bored or sleepy
- Arousal high
o Stressed, anxious or overwhelmed
Def: Incentives
- Anticipated affective states
o The expectation of experiencing a positive emotion can be an incentive as well as
the expectation that a negative emotion can be avoided through a certain action
- Intrinsic Incentives
o Driven by the enjoyment of an activity
- Extrinsic incentives
o Tied to external goals or purposes
Def’s: Approach and avoidance motivation
➢ Approach motivation refers to someone who is motivated by the prospect of a positive
outcome
➢ Avoidance motivation is being strongly motivated by doing something to avoid a negative
outcome
