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October 29, 2004
Using computer-based narratives to persuade
Our lab has been investigating how computer-based narratives can change people's beliefs and behaviors. Today I found an internal report we wrote last spring, which we've never shared outside of Stanford. So here's the deal: If you can overlook the problems with this internal report, I'm happy to share it with you. Our lab is continuing this line of research. We welcome collaborators. --BJ14-page Report on Weaving Interactivity and Narrative by BJ Fogg, Angela Booker, Abbe Don, and others. Below is how the report begins . . . People love stories. And for thousands of years narratives have shaped people’s beliefs and behaviors. We believe that storytelling is a type of technology developed before recorded history to pass along the best practices of a culture. Stories embedded in folktales, songs, rituals, and in other forms have promoted honesty, courage, teamwork, fidelity, among other things. Promoting these values—both in attitude and behavior—helped people and cultures survive. Of course, many people before us, such as Walter Ong, have also recognized narrative’s important role. Anthropologist Barbara Myerhoff goes so far as to label humans as homo narrens, meaning that just as humans have a biological imperative to reproduce, they also have an imperative to reproduce culturally, through passing on stories and rituals . In the past century new technologies have leveraged the persuasive power of stories – on radio in the 30s, on movie screens starting in the 40s, and today on TV commercials, hour after hour. Have computers also leveraged the persuasive power of stories? We find little evidence. We propose that narrative has not yet been widely used to make computing-based experiences more engaging or influential. In other words, even a mediocre TV movie generally packs more persuasive power than current examples of interactive fiction or online storytelling. In the last decade, however, one important exception has emerged: video games. In our Lab’s research to find what makes video games motivating, we found that many popular games include segments of narrative, periods of time where the player doesn’t interact; she simply watches and absorbs part of a story. These are sometimes called “cut scenes.” The earliest video games didn’t have cut scenes; they were all about interactivity. A player dropped in a quarter or launched the Atari console and started firing away. But the art of game design has evolved. Today video game designers know (and argue about) the important role cut scenes play in compelling gaming experiences. Consider the latest versions of Mortal Kombat and Pikmin. Although these popular computer games differ in many ways, they have one thing in common: both games shift between interactivity and narrative elements. In the competitive world of digital gaming, interactive games have evolved to include narrative—setting the stage, providing transitions between levels, rewarding player achievements. Weaving interactivity and narrative has become a “best practice” in game design. We propose that the inclusion of cut scenes in video games is an important development in making these games more fun and, ultimately, more persuasive.
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October 22, 2004
Article: The Killing Game
Gary Webb has published an article about "America's Army," a video game designed for recruiting teens. Our lab has talked a lot about America's Army over the past couple years. This article adds some new perspectives. Teaser:"For young men, first-person shooters are the hottest computer games around. That’s why the Army’s spent $10 million making one of its own. But there’s a catch. Big Brother gets to watch you play."
http://www.newsreview.com/issues/Sacto/2004-10-14/cover.asp
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October 17, 2004
Motivating people through visualizations
Helping people envision a positive future is a powerful motivational strategy. Throughout history leaders have used visualization to get people to do difficult things, like following strict religious rules or leaving one's homeland for a new country. Today's parents, coaches, and activists also use the power of visualization. You can find a recent example in this short online video about politics in the U.S.:http://www.needlenose.com/win04/vote.htm (Note: This video is pro-Kerry. If there's a similar pro-Bush visualization, let us know and we'll give it equal time.)
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October 16, 2004
36 Topics for Persuasive Technology
Persuasive technology can play a role in many areas of life. A while back I created a partial list for my students so they could do captology design projects more easily. (I've got a list of 100 topics somewhere . . . I'll post it one of these days.) In my list below, note that I first give the topic, such as "politics." Then I suggest a sample behavior change related to the topic. ---------- 36 Topics for Persuasive Technology 1. politics* – to vote a certain way or support a certain political issue2. civic life – to increase citizen involvement in government or community
3. environmental conservation – to recycle more, consume less,
4. religion – to believe a certain way and/or practice a religion
5. smoking cessation* – to stop smoking
6. nutrition* – to eat better
7. exercise* – to be more physically active
8. personal finance – to manage or invest money wisely
9. driving safety – to drive more safely, observe driving laws
10. empathy –to view things from another’s perspective
11. routine health behaviors* – to do routine activities that improve health
12. occupational effectiveness – to be more productive at work
13. disease management* – to do what’s necessary to manage a disease effectively
14. sex – to avoid certain consequences of sexual activity
15. peace – to find nonviolent means to settle differences, avoid conflict
16. registration – to share personal information with a company
17. buying* – to buy products or services or both
18. branding* – to think a specific way about an organization
19. marketing* – to think favorably of a product or service
20. upgrading software – to download and install a new version of a product
21. substance abuse – to avoid using alcohol or drugs in harmful ways
22. personal relationships – to create/enhance connections with other people
23. online community involvement – to join/contribute to an online community
24. posting content– to create and post information on a web site
25. education* – to do what’s required to learn
26. gaming* – to persist in playing a video game
27. shareware payment – to pay for shareware they are using
28. banner ads* – to click on ads
29. phobias – to overcome fear of something specific
30. self-efficacy* – to believe in one’s ability in a specific area
31. activism – to take action on issues that have significant consequences
32. emotion management – to manage or optimize one’s internal state
33. donating – to give time or money to a cause
34. stretch & rsi* – to keep free from negative effects of using computers all day
35. personal achievement* – to reach personal goals
36. consumer debt – to believe in the dangers of going into debt, avoiding debt * = this is a large topic with many examples or a topic that could be narrowed
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October 01, 2004
Fitness video games -- now only $45
If you keep watching, you'll see more and more video games designed to promote physical activity -- Get off the couch and move!Posted by at 09:13 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack