What is Persuasive Technology and How Does it Work

The Social Dilemma is a 2020 American docudrama film directed by Jeff Orlowski and written by Orlowski, Davis Coombe, and Vickie Curtis. The documentary examines how social media's design nurtures addiction to maximize profit, and its ability to manipulate people's views, emotions, and behavior and spread conspiracy theories and disinformation. The film also examines social media's effect on mental health, in particular, the mental health of adolescents and rising teen suicide rates.The film features interviews with many former employees of social media companies along with academic researchers. Some of the interviews also note that social media platforms and big tech companies have provided some positive change for society as well.

Persuasive technology refers to technology that is designed to change attitudes or behaviors of individuals. It is a field that emerged from the need to explore the effects of technology on people's behavior. Persuasive technology is used in various fields, including health, marketing, education, and politics. This essay focuses on what persuasive technology is and how it works.

Persuasive technology relies on principles of psychology to influence behavior. These principles include social influence, motivation, personalization, and feedback. Social influence refers to the power of social norms and peer pressure to shape behavior. Motivation is the driving force behind behavior, and persuasive technology uses various techniques to increase motivation. Personalization involves tailoring the technology to the user's needs and preferences. Feedback refers to the information provided to users about their behavior, which helps them modify their behavior.

Persuasive technology uses various techniques to influence behavior, including gamification, goal-setting, and social networking. Gamification involves turning the desired behavior into a game or a competition. This technique makes the behavior more engaging and fun, which increases motivation. Goal-setting involves breaking down the desired behavior into smaller, achievable goals. This technique helps users feel a sense of progress, which increases motivation. Social networking involves using social media platforms to create social pressure to conform to the desired behavior. This technique makes the behavior more visible to others, which increases social influence.

One example of persuasive technology is fitness trackers, which use various techniques to influence behavior. For example, fitness trackers use goal-setting by allowing users to set daily activity goals. This technique motivates users to reach their goals and provides them with feedback on their progress. Fitness trackers also use gamification, such as rewarding users with badges or trophies for achieving certain milestones. This technique makes the activity more engaging and fun, which increases motivation. Finally, fitness trackers use social networking by allowing users to share their progress on social media platforms. This technique creates social pressure to conform to the desired behavior and makes the behavior more visible to others.

In conclusion, persuasive technology is a field that explores the effects of technology on people's behavior. It relies on principles of psychology to influence behavior and uses various techniques, including gamification, goal-setting, and social networking. Persuasive technology is used in various fields, including health, marketing, education, and politics. One example of persuasive technology is fitness trackers, which use various techniques to influence behavior. However, it is important to use persuasive technology ethically and responsibly to avoid unintended consequences.