Tuomas Lehto

Persuasive features in web-based alcohol and smoking interventions: a systematic review of the literature.

Background In the past decade, the use of technologies to persuade, motivate, and activate individuals’ health behavior change has been a quickly expanding field of research. The use of the Web for delivering interventions has been especially relevant. Current research tends to reveal little about the persuasive features and mechanisms embedded in Web-based interventions targeting health behavior change. Objectives The purpose of this systematic review was to extract and analyze persuasive system features in Web-based interventions for substance use by applying the persuasive systems design (PSD) model. In more detail, the main objective was to provide an overview of the persuasive features within current Web-based interventions for substance use. Methods We conducted electronic literature searches in various databases to identify randomized controlled trials of Web-based interventions for substance use published January 1, 2004, through December 31, 2009, in English. We extracted and analyzed persuasive system features of the included Web-based interventions using interpretive categorization. Results The primary task support components were utilized and reported relatively widely in the reviewed studies. Reduction, self-monitoring, simulation, and personalization seem to be the most used features to support accomplishing user’s primary task. This is an encouraging finding since reduction and self-monitoring can be considered key elements for supporting users to carry out their primary tasks. The utilization of tailoring was at a surprisingly low level. The lack of tailoring may imply that the interventions are targeted for too broad an audience. Leveraging reminders was the most common way to enhance the user-system dialogue. Credibility issues are crucial in website engagement as users will bind with sites they perceive credible and navigate away from those they do not find credible. Based on the textual descriptions of the interventions, we cautiously suggest that most of them were credible. The prevalence of social support in the reviewed interventions was encouraging. Conclusions Understanding the persuasive elements of systems supporting behavior change is important. This may help users to engage and keep motivated in their endeavors. Further research is needed to increase our understanding of how and under what conditions specific persuasive features (either in isolation or collectively) lead to positive health outcomes in Web-based health behavior change interventions across diverse health contexts and populations.

Persuasive features in six weight loss websites: a qualitative evaluation

Websites for weight loss have been demonstrating promising results. Still, it is unclear which website components contribute to successful outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to explore the utilization of various persuasive features on six weight loss websites. The websites were selected by using a set of criteria for this qualitative evaluation. The Persuasive Systems Design Model was applied to extract and analyze persuasive system features found in the sites. The results of this study suggest that there is room for improvement in both designing and implementing web-based interventions for weight loss. The evaluated sites provided relatively good primary task support and strong social support. However, there were weaknesses in both dialogue and credibility support. Overall, the evaluation showed that the evaluated weight loss websites may not be very persuasive.

Explaining and predicting perceived effectiveness and use continuance intention of a behaviour change support system for weight loss

Persuasive technologies are designed to influence people and induce them to change their attitudes and behaviours, bringing advantages to their users. Behaviour change support systems are at the heart of persuasive technology research. However, the sought benefits cannot be achieved if the systems fail to engage and retain the users. The present study provides a detailed description of a theory-driven effort to empirically (N=314) explain and predict users’ continuance intention towards a behaviour change support system for weight loss. Deriving from extant theories, a research model is constructed and tested through partial least-squares (PLS) analysis. In the proffered model, primary task support affects perceived effort and perceived effectiveness. Computer–human dialogue support has strong connections to primary task support, perceived social support and perceived effectiveness. Perceived credibility has a significant relationship to the continuance intention. Social identification has a strong connection to perceived social support, which, in turn, has a significant effect on perceived effectiveness and continuance intention. Finally, perceived effectiveness has a significant impact on use continuance. Investigating the aspects related to the continued use of behaviour change support systems is feasible, as it will guide future implementations of such systems.

Practical findings from applying the PSD model for evaluating software design specifications

This paper presents practical findings from applying the PSD model to evaluating the support for persuasive features in software design specifications for a mobile Internet device. On the one hand, our experiences suggest that the PSD model fits relatively well for evaluating design specifications. On the other hand, the model would benefit from more specific heuristics for evaluating each technique to avoid unnecessary subjectivity. Better distinction between the design principles in the social support category would also make the model easier to use. Practitioners who have no theoretical background can apply the PSD model to increase the persuasiveness of the systems they design. The greatest benefit of the PSD model for researchers designing new systems may be achieved when it is applied together with a sound theory, such as the Elaboration Likelihood Model. Using the ELM together with the PSD model, one may increase the chances for attitude change.

Exploring Social Influence on Customer Engagement: A Pilot Study on the Effects of Social Learning, Social Comparison, and Normative Influence

Contemporary socio-technical environments hold a great potential to drive a positive influence on the behaviors and attitudes of individuals. Drawing upon social cognitive theory (SCT) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB), this paper explores how and to what extent persuasive social influence features (namely, social learning (SL), social comparison (SC), and normative influence (NI)) alter customer behavior toward engagement in feedback sharing. A theory-driven research model was composed and then analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Based on a pilot experimental study involving 69 Twitter users, the authors indicate that behavioral intention (BI) to engage in feedback sharing is partially explained by the perceived persuasiveness (PP) of a system, which is partly explained by means of NI, which in turn is partly explained by means of SC. On top of that, SL plays an important role in explaining and influencing all of the abovementioned constructs.

Designing Persuasive Health Behavior Change Interventions

In the past decade, the utilization of various technologies to change individuals’ health behaviors has been a rapidly expanding field of interest. Examples of persuasive technologies can be found rather easily as there are a variety of Internet-, Web- and mobile-based systems and applications promoting healthier lifestyles. Still, the use of persuasive technology in the E-health arena is in its infancy. While the field is expanding, it is evident that more research is needed to better determine how the systems affect users’ intended behaviors. This book chapter outlines several important perspectives in designing and developing persuasive health behavior change interventions. Furthermore, this chapter offers novel viewpoints, both theoretical and practical, in designing and developing health behavior change interventions. In addition, useful underlying theories and design models are identified and discussed. This type of knowledge may assist in building, deploying and evaluating behavior change support systems that are able to engage and retain large amounts of individuals, potentially enhancing population health and well-being.

The Persuasiveness of Web-Based Alcohol Interventions

There are a variety of Web-based alcohol interventions that may reach problem drinkers, who would not otherwise participate in conventional treatment. Web-based alcohol interventions vary greatly in level of finesse: some offer static self-help materials, whereas some sites have highly interactive content and persuasive features embedded. In this study, six Web-based alcohol interventions were evaluated based on a framework for evaluating and designing persuasive systems. This study demonstrates the potential lack of persuasive features on Web-based alcohol interventions sites. Important primary task support elements, such as tailoring and personalization, were used tenuously throughout the sites. The dialogue support demonstrated throughout the sites was average. All evaluated sites successfully demonstrated trustworthiness, expertise, and surface credibility. Many of the evaluated sites were lacking in the social support category. In general, the authors suggest that the persuasive system qualities should be considered concurrently with the feasibility and effectiveness for studying technology-based interventions.

The effectiveness of email-based exercises in promoting psychological wellbeing and healthy lifestyle: a two-year follow-up study

BackgroundWeb-based interventions provide a possibility to enhance well-being in large groups of people. Only a few studies have studied the effectiveness of the interventions and there is no information on the sustainability of the effects. Study aims were to investigate both the short (2-month) and long-term (2-year) effects of email-based training for mental health and lifestyle.MethodsPersons who completed an ‘Electronic Health Check’, as advertised in a TV program, were offered a chance to participate in email-based interventions. The baseline questionnaire was completed by 73 054 people, with 42 761 starting interventions, and 16 499 people participating in at least one of the follow-ups. Persons who did not choose to start the interventions served as controls.ResultsAt baseline, the intervention group had a higher level of stress and lower gratitude and confidence in the future than the control group. Both groups showed improvement in the level of stress, but improvement was more marked in the intervention group (P < .001 for both time points). In confidence in the future and gratitude, people who chose interpersonal interventions showed significant improvements at both time points (P < .001), whereas those choosing lifestyle interventions showed improvement only at the 2-month follow-up. Participants who had done the exercises according to instructions had the most sustained improvements in measures of psychological health at the 2-year follow-up. As for lifestyle, people who had started lifestyle interventions increased their exercise (P < .001 at both time points).ConclusionsInternet-based interventions are feasible for mental health promotion and should be available for people interested in improving their psychological well-being and lifestyle.

Virtual Health Check and Coaching: Insights from the Consumers and Implications for Persuasive Design

The lifestyle that people adopt directly influences their health and wellbeing. In recent years, there have been calls to action regarding the global burden of lifestyle-related non-communicable diseases (such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease). There is an opening for design solutions that allow people to manage and/or change their lifestyles, and address their health conditions. Persuasive technology has the potential to be in the forefront of novel health related prevention services, applications and products. The objective of this study is to investigate consumers’ perceptions of Virtual Health Check and Coaching, which is a non-clinical web- and mobile-based system for personal lifestyle and health management. Specifically, we examine the consumers’ insights through a persuasive systems design lens. Implications for persuasive design are discussed.

Evaluating Mobile-Based Behavior Change Support Systems for Health and Well-Being

Abstract This chapter highlights the challenges in planning; developing, and evaluating mobile-based Behavior Change Support Systems (BCSSs). These systems have shown significant potential in promoting healthier lifestyles. Mobile-based BCSSs have created opportunities for system designers and researchers to incorporate persuasive techniques aiming at changing peoples’ behaviors. However, there are several challenges that seemingly hinder the planning and development of effective BCSSs. For example, it appears that system designers are somehow unaware of defined intentions relating to expected outcomes from using the BCSSs. This chapter aims to provide a better understanding of persuasive strategies and software features that are frequently employed in existing systems using the Persuasive Systems Design Model (PSDM) and the Outcome/Change Design Matrix (O/C Design Matrix). Based on the findings from expert evaluations, the findings indicate that the studied BCSSs have not been systematically designed in terms of persuasive software features including relatively weak human–computer dialogue features and lack social support features. The weaknesses in the design of mobile-based BCSSs call for a comprehensive understanding of the behavior change process. This chapter highlights the identified design flaws in the evaluated BCSSs and recommends the use of PSD model and O/C Design Matrix in the planning and development of mobile-based BCSSs.