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Persuasive Technology: Using Computers to Change What We Think and Do
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Author: B. J. Fogg
List Price: $34.95
Our Price: Click to see the latest and low price
ISBN: 1558606432
Publisher: Morgan Kaufmann (December, 2002)
Edition: Paperback
Sales Rank: 8,197
Average Customer Rating: 4.87 out of 5
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Customer ReviewsRating: 5 out of 5
A fascinating window a future already on our doorstep
An excellent introduction to CAPTology, the study of Computers As Persuasive Technologies. Fogg takes us through the core principles (42 in all) of using computers as persuasive agents, and the research he and others have done which underpins those principles. In the process he provides a fascinating look at cutting-edge and potential future applications of computer and mobile technologies (such as location-linked reminder systems) that could enhance our lives. However, he does not dismiss the darker uses of the technology and the very real ethical issues it raises. Towards the end of the book, he argues that studying computer-human persuasion can provide new insights into human-human persuasion, and the crossover in many of the principles discussed is readily apparent. I took away from this book a new awareness of how systems used in my organisation could be enhanced to make things better for our customers, as well as a deeper understanding of persuasion in general. I would also recommend "The Media Equation", which discusses some of the same issues as well as similar issues related to television.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Fogg's research critical to improving public healthcare
Dr. Fogg makes several critical points that are essential to improving the US healthcare system, particularly in the area of preventative disease:?Computers offer an advantage over traditional persuasive media because they are interactive.
?As a tool, computers can be persuasive by making target behavior easier to do.
?Leading a user through a process aids in persuasion.
?Persuasive technologies often perform calculations or measurements that motivate.
?As a medium, a computer will be persuasive if it allows users to explore cause-and-effect relationships.
?Computing technologies that help people rehearse a behavior can be persuasive.
?Persuasive technologies can provide users with vicarious experiences that motivate them to change their behavior.
?By rewarding people with positive feedback, computers act as persuaders.
?Persuasive technologies often model a target behavior or attitude.
?Computers that create a relationship with the user and provide social support are effective persuaders.
Rating: 5 out of 5
The Place to Start
If you've ever wondered how technology is subtly and shaping how we think and work, this is the book for you. Years of scholarly research at Stanford has allowed BJ Fogg to use the foundations of rhetoric to show how web and other 21st century techologies affect how we make choices, sometimes subconsciously, and can be used to shape quite deliberately our expectations about the choices we make. Probably too much of an overview for the engineer, IT, psychology or advertising professional, the book is nonetheless a very thorough treatment of the subject for any of them, and for the general reader, with lots of well-researched citations for those who want to know more. Good layout and design, with attractive visuals and illustrations throughout bring the subject to life and reinforce the solid and provocative points Fogg is making. Arthur C. Clark once said "the best technology is like magic" and BJ Fogg tells us how the magic of technology is influencing the choices we make. For anyone working on e-business, or wanting to understand why the website is working (or not), or giving orders to your web designers, this is the book to have.
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