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The purpose of this paper is to introduce the theme issue on “Persuasive design”.

This editorial describes the essential ideas and purposes of persuasive design (PD). PD's relation to other IT‐disciplines and rhetoric in general is discussed. A special emphasis is put on the possible wider implications for the concept of information.

PD makes an important difference for information systems design. It is also an obvious part of a wider development towards user involvement. PD rests not only on persuasive techniques adapted to information systems, but also on overall information architecture. For that reason PD may be seen as having wider implications for the very ideas of information and information systems.

The introduction of the essential ideas of PD is per se mainly descriptive. The emphasis on the relation to rhetoric and the concomitant implications for library and information systems is largely original (when compared with other discussions of PD).

Prediction is a critical task in targeted online advertising, where predictions better than random guessing can translate to real economic return. This study aims to use machine learning (ML) methods to identify individuals who respond well to certain linguistic styles/persuasion techniques based on Aristotle’s means of persuasion, rhetorical devices, cognitive theories and Cialdini’s principles, given their psychometric profile.

A total of 1,022 individuals took part in the survey; participants were asked to fill out the ten item personality measure questionnaire to capture personality traits and the dysfunctional attitude scale (DAS) to measure dysfunctional beliefs and cognitive vulnerabilities. ML classification models using participant profiling information as input were developed to predict the extent to which an individual was influenced by statements that contained different linguistic styles/persuasion techniques. Several ML algorithms were used including support vector machine, LightGBM and Auto-Sklearn to predict the effect of each technique given each individual’s profile (personality, belief system and demographic data).

The findings highlight the importance of incorporating emotion-based variables as model input in predicting the influence of textual statements with embedded persuasion techniques. Across all investigated models, the influence effect could be predicted with an accuracy ranging 53%–70%, indicating the importance of testing multiple ML algorithms in the development of a persuasive communication (PC) system. The classification ability of models was highest when predicting the response to statements using rhetorical devices and flattery persuasion techniques. Contrastingly, techniques such as authority or social proof were less predictable. Adding DAS scale features improved model performance, suggesting they may be important in modelling persuasion.

In this study, the survey was limited to English-speaking countries and largely Western society values. More work is needed to ascertain the efficacy of models for other populations, cultures and languages. Most PC efforts are targeted at groups such as users, clients, shoppers and voters with this study in the communication context of education – further research is required to explore the capability of predictive ML models in other contexts. Finally, long self-reported psychological questionnaires may not be suitable for real-world deployment and could be subject to bias, thus a simpler method needs to be devised to gather user profile data such as using a subset of the most predictive features.

The findings of this study indicate that leveraging richer profiling data in conjunction with ML approaches may assist in the development of enhanced persuasive systems. There are many applications such as online apps, digital advertising, recommendation systems, chatbots and e-commerce platforms which can benefit from integrating persuasion communication systems that tailor messaging to the individual – potentially translating into higher economic returns.

This study integrates sets of features that have heretofore not been used together in developing ML-based predictive models of PC. DAS scale data, which relate to dysfunctional beliefs and cognitive vulnerabilities, were assessed for their importance in identifying effective persuasion techniques. Additionally, the work compares a range of persuasion techniques that thus far have only been studied separately. This study also demonstrates the application of various ML methods in predicting the influence of linguistic styles/persuasion techniques within textual statements and show that a robust methodology comparing a range of ML algorithms is important in the discovery of a performant model.

The importance of artificial intelligence in human resource management has grown substantially. Previous literature discusses the advantages of AI implementation at a workplace and its various consequences, often hostile, for employees. However, there is little empirical research on the topic. The authors address this gap by studying if individuals oppose biased algorithm recommendations regarding disciplinary actions in an organisation.

The authors conducted an exploratory experiment in which the authors evaluated 76 subjects over a set of 5 scenarios in which a biased algorithm gave strict recommendations regarding disciplinary actions at a workplace.

The authors’ results suggest that biased suggestions from intelligent agents can influence individuals who make disciplinary decisions.

The authors’ results contribute to the ongoing debate on applying AI solutions to HR problems. The authors demonstrate that biased algorithms may substantially change how employees are treated and show that human conformity towards intelligent decision support systems is broader than expected.

The authors’ paper is among the first to show that people may accept recommendations that provoke moral dilemmas, bring adverse outcomes, or harm employees. The authors introduce the problem of “algorithmic conformism” and discuss its consequences for HRM.

The current research has dual motives. Firstly, this study aims to evaluate the effect of gamification on the behavioural intention (BI) of the young female consumers to use online websites for making purchases. Secondly, it examines the role of social interaction and perceived enjoyment (PE) – two antecedents that are considered to have an impact on the female buying behaviour in e-commerce.

A model is developed based on the technology acceptance model. The conceptual framework is augmented with additional constructs such as gamification, PE and social interaction. Data from a survey of 898 female respondents from India was collected to assess the proposed framework. The study uses partial least squares structural equation modelling technique to empirically validate the model.

Gamification exhibits a favourable influence on BI of young female consumers. Gamification also has a favourable and an indirect influence on BI through social interaction and PE. Although, gamification has a significant influence on perceived usefulness, the latter has no impact on the BI. The BI of using an online shopping website is directly associated with the buying intention. The online retailers need to offer an enjoyable and interactive experience to the female consumers so that the influence of gamification is sustainable.

The current research enlarges the ambit of gamification in the e-commerce segment, an area where empirical research is sparse. It highlights the significance of social interaction and PE as mediators. To the best of the author’s knowledge, gamification’s influence on female online buying behaviour has never been analysed before and hence different segmentation and marketing strategies are required to cater to their unique needs.

This systematic literature review focusses on original research that examines the effect of persuasive architectural interventions on stimulating health behaviour. This paper gives an overview of the empirical evidence and aims to examine the evidence for health behaviour change through architectural interventions and the underlying theoretical pathways and mechanisms using social cognitive theory.

This paper reviewed 40 peer-reviewed articles found through Scopus, Google Scholar, Web of Science, PubMed and a supplementary hand search and examined for effect, type of interventions, type of behaviour and underlying mechanisms using social cognitive theory.

This review shows that architectural interventions can stimulate healthy behaviour. However, much of the research focusses on specific health behaviours (physical activity), in specific target groups (children or older adults) and with specific types of interventions (supplying provisions). Furthermore, the effect of the physical environment on cognitive factors should be taken into consideration.

Hardly any research on smart architectural interventions for health behaviour change exists, but combining insights from product design and built environment has the potential to impact designing for health behaviour change.

Stimulating certain types of health behaviour can positively contribute to health goals and has been the focus of many health promotion practitioners over the years. The focus of health promotion interventions has primarily been on social and psychological factors. However, current research shows the importance of the physical environment as an influence on health behaviour. Potentially, with the use of smart technology, this effect could be enhanced.

Nutritional disorders and unhealthy nutrition, which are recognised as the causes of many widespread health problems (overweight, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, etc.) have emerged as a significant problem that requires resolution. The purpose of this study is to influence dietary preferences and to reduce current health issues by using gamification as a social marketing tool. To this end, the decision-making processes affecting food choices in individuals based on calorific content were evaluated and the effectiveness of gamification in encouraging consumers to make lower-calorie choices was examined.

An experimental design was used to determine the effect of gamification on the dietary preferences of consumers. An independent factorial design (between groups) in which multiple variables were tested with different subjects was used to test the factors that were thought to affect the food choices made by the participants from gamified and non-gamified menus.

In Study 1, menus (gamified vs non-gamified) and nutritional consciousness (low vs high) had a significant main effect on the total calorie count of the selected foods. In Study 2, menus (gamified with prices vs non-gamified with prices) had a significant main effect on the total calorie count of the selected foods, while nutritional consciousness (low vs high) did not. A significant interaction was observed between menus and nutritional consciousness.

Gamification can be used as an important publicity tool for promoting public health using different influential factors such as price.

This study shows that people can change their food preferences positively through gamification. It shows further how people tend to evaluate the price of their food rather than the calorie count when making dietary preferences. Gamification can, therefore, be considered a promising social marketing tool for improving public health.

The purpose of this paper is to explore user-centered design possibilities at the intersection of gamification and persuasive technology to foster energy saving behavior.

We performed a large-scale empirical study of 480 participants and analyzed how different HEXAD gamification user types perceive selected persuasive strategies embedded in an energy saving prototype. Furthermore, we investigated the role of existing energy saving behaviors (pro-environmental behavior scale–e.g. regularly turning the lights off) and their effect on the perceived persuasiveness of the proposed persuasive strategies, which may has an impact on the overall design process. Furthermore, we applied partial least squares path modeling and conducted a one-way and repeated measure ANOVA.

Results show that user types play an important role in the design of persuasive systems for energy saving. For instance, people with a high tendency toward the Socializer user type were motivated by almost all of the employed persuasive strategies, whereas Philanthropists and Players only to a limited number of strategies. Furthermore, our study reveals that existing behaviors like the individual level of energy conservation influences the perceived persuasiveness of certain strategies and therefore should be considered in the design of such applications.

Using storyboards to obtain feedback about the perceived persuasiveness of employed strategies has limitations compared to the actual use of a functional prototype. However, to offset that limitation the mock-ups used in the storyboard reflected the actual designs for a real-world prototype.

This is the first study that explores how HEXAD gamification user types can be used to inform the design of persuasive applications for energy saving (RQ1). Furthermore, and in particular, this study draws on the challenges when using user types within gamified persuasive systems by highlighting the impact and the importance of considering existing energy saving behaviors (RQ2), which has not been addressed so far.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of manager influence strategies and innovation attributes on employee attitudes and behaviors in innovation implementation.

Employees (n=237) in a manufacturing company in Taiwan which implemented an e-learning system participated in an online survey. System logs were used as behavioral outcome variables.

Persuasive strategy and relative advantage had a significant positive association with attitudes while relationship-based strategy and complexity had a significant negative association with attitudes. Assertive strategy and relative advantage had a significant positive association with use of the e-learning system, while persuasive strategy, relationship-based strategy, and complexity had a significant negative association with use of the e-learning system. Both relative advantage and complexity mediated the relationship between persuasive strategy and employee attitudes and behaviors. Complexity mediated the relationship between relationship-based strategy and employee attitudes and behaviors.

Managers should use persuasive strategy to inform employees regarding the benefits of the innovation and provide any assistance needed. Managers should be advised to not use relationship-based strategy as it can have an adverse employee impact.

The mediation model uses the diffusion of innovations model and the influence tactics literature to help explain the benefits of certain managerial practices.

Recent neuroscience research demonstrates that individuals born after 1980 (technologically structured individuals (TSI)) differ in brain structure from individuals born before 1980 (non‐technologically structured individuals (NTSI), due to intense technology exposure from early ages. This preliminary research seeks to view persuasion through the lens of neuroscience and to apply the concepts to persuasive technology, specifically persuasive technology that can leverage the resurgent interest in library use by younger generations.

A descriptive, correlative, quantitative study is used to explore how TSIs and NTSIs differ in their perceptions of libraries and in their responses to persuasive stimuli that might be employed to engage them in increased library use. An online survey was administered to a sample of 310 internet users between the ages of 18‐70.

The study found that there are small but important differences in TSI and NTSI perceptions of libraries and librarians. Additionally, three factors emerge about TSIs that are relevant to persuasion and persuasive technology: TSIs are rapid cycle processors of audio and visual stimulus; TSIs perceive and utilize time differently than NTSIs; and immediacy is the norm for TSIs.

Library users who do not use computers or the internet were excluded.

As librarians take responsibility for promoting library resources and their own expertise, they may find their role moving from information providers to mentors who empower library users as independent researchers. Currently a quiet place for research, the future library may become an interactive learning environment. Persuasive technology designers must consider the unique characteristics of TSIs in order to implement effective persuasive techniques.

This study is original in applying the neuroscience lens to persuasion, and specifically to persuasion related to library users and improved engagement and library use.

Inspired by the dynamic changes in our daily lives enabled via quantified-self technologies and the urgent need for more studies on the human-computer interaction design mechanisms adopted by these applications, this study explores the value of user affective experience mirroring and examines the empowerment effect of meaningful gamification in a psychological self-help system (PSS) that aids people in work stress relief.

Based on an analysis of the existing systems and theories in relevant fields, we conducted mixed-method research, involving semi-structured interviews, experience sampling experiments and user bio data triangulations, to identify the benefits of user affective experience mirroring and examine the impact of visual impact metaphor–based (VIM) meaningful gamification on PSS users.

For a gamified PSS, users generally perceive VIM as arousing more feelings of enjoyment, empathy, trust and usefulness, empowering them to gain more mastery and control over their emotional well-beings, especially with relieving their occupational stress and upbringing their level of perceived happiness. Overtime, VIM-based meaningful gamification further boosts such value of a PSS.

Weaving together meaningful gamification and psychological empowerment theories, the results emphasized that successful empowerment of user through gamification in PSSs relies heavily on whether a deeper and meaningful affective connection can be established with the users, in short, “meaningful gamification for psychological empowerment”. Such an understanding, as demonstrated in our research framework, also sheds light on the design theories for persuasive technology and human influence tactics during human computer interactions.

The results of the study demonstrate to practitioners how to make the best use of gamification strategies to deeply relate to and resonate with users. Even without complicated game-play design, meaningful gamification mechanisms, such as VIM facilitate the empowerment of users while gaining their appreciation, establishing a deeper connection with them and eventually generating persuasive effects on intended future behavioural outcomes.

The effective management of work-related stress with handy tools such as a VIM-based PSS can be beneficial for many organizations and, to a large extent, the society.

This study proposed and empirically demonstrated the empowerment effect of meaningful gamification for PSS users. In this cross-disciplinary study, theories from different research domains were synthesized to develop a more thorough and multi-faceted understanding of the optimal design strategies for emerging information systems like this VIM-based PSS.