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In our research on persuasion via computing technology, we’ve found
it useful to identify two types of persuasion: macrosuasion
and microsuasion. (You'll find a longer discussion of these
concepts in the book Persuasive
Technology.)
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Examples of
macrosuasion
Some interactive computing
products were created solely for the purpose of persuasion. We
call this type of approach “macrosuasion.” Below you’ll find a
few examples. |
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Persuasive
Software
Quitnet.com
A website that motivates people to quit smoking |
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Persuasive
Device
Baby Think It Over
Teen
pregnancy prevention doll |
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Persuasive
Environment
HygieneGuard
Bathroom surveillance
technology |
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Examples of microsuasion
Most interactive computing products were created for
purposes other than persuasion (e.g., productivity,
communication, entertainment). Yet these products can have
elements of persuasion built into the user experience – in
dialogue boxes, reward systems, visual elements, and more. We
call these elements of influence “microsuasion.” Below you’ll
find a few examples. |
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Ebay
feedback system
Ebay uses a rating system to motivate people
to be fair and honest while buying and selling. A colored
star and a number is placed next to the users' names to
indicate different levels of feedback. To find out more,
click here. |
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Nagscreens
in shareware
People who create shareware like to get paid
for their work. Some developers have created “nagscreens”
– a dialogue box that reminds people to pay. Here’s an
example
of a nagscreen from a former captology student, Scott
Kleper. |
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Dialogue
box in Quicken
Even though Quicken is a
personal finance application, it uses various elements of
persuasion. For example, to reward people for balancing their
accounts, the software brings up a dialogue box that
congratulates them with a balloons and streamers. |
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The above examples are real products created by outside
companies.
To better understand what the future may hold, Stanford captology
students and members of the Persuasive Technology Lab have created
over 100 conceptual designs for new types of persuasive technology
systems. These designs were once posted on the Web but became
too troublesome to maintain. Sometimes these older pages turn
up on a Google search. |
