Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

International Conference on Smart Objects and Technologies for Social Good

GOODTECHS 2017: Smart Objects and Technologies for Social Good pp 163–172Cite as

How to Spread Kindness: Effects of Rewarding Elements Within a Persuasive Application to Foster Prosocial Behavior

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:

  • 845 Accesses

Abstract

For investigating whether rewarding elements within a persuasive web-application for increasing prosocial behavior are effective, we conducted an experimental field study with a self-developed web-app (N = 42). Two different versions of the persuasive web-app (high/low persuasive) to foster good deeds were implemented and examined during a three-week period. In both versions, the evaluation of the user-interface correlated positively with the execution of the target behavior, i.e. performing good deeds. Also, the availability of a user profile and a ranking was positively associated with performing prosocial behavior. However, there was neither a significant difference regarding the intensity of app usage nor concerning the number of performed good deeds between experimental groups (high/low persuasive). Therefore, the availability of more persuasive features does not necessarily entail more persuasion. In conclusion, we derive design suggestions for developing persuasive mobile applications which provide benefits for (pro-)social life through encouraging people to perform good deeds.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Ajzen, I.: The theory of planned behavior. Organ. Behav. Hum. Decis. Process. 50, 179–211 (1991)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Aronson, E., Akert, R.M., Wilson, T.D.: Sozialpsychologie, 8th edn., p. 398. Pearson Deutschland GmbH, Hallbergmoos (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Bandura, A.: Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control. Freeman, New York (1997)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bang, M., Torstensson, C., Katzeff, C.: The powerhouse: a persuasive computer game designed to raise awareness of domestic energy consumption. In: Ijsselsteijn, W., de Kort, Y., Midden, C., Eggen, B., van den Hoven, E. (eds.) Persuasive Technology, pp. 123–132. Springer Verlag, Berlin (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/11755494_18

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  5. Batson, C.D.: The Altruism Question: Toward a Social-psychological Answer, p. 50. Lawrence Erlbaum Assoc Inc., Hillsdale, New Jersey (1991)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Bohner, G., Dickel, N.: Attitudes and attitude change. Ann. Rev. Psychol. 62, 391–417 (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Botella, C., García Palacios, A., Rivera, B., María, R., Quero Castellano, S.: Cybertherapy: advantages, limitations, and ethical issues. PsychNology J. 7, 77–100 (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Busch, M., Schrammel, J., Tscheligi, M.: Personalized persuasive technology - development and validation of scales for measuring persuadability. In: Berkovsky, S., Freyne, J. (eds.) Persuasive Technology, pp. 33–38. Springer, Berlin (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-37157-8_6

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  9. Chin, J.P., Diehl, V.A., Norman, K.L.: Development of an instrument measuring user satisfaction of the human-computer interface. In: Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, pp. 213–218. ACM, New York (1988)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Deterding, S., Dixon, D., Khaled, R., Nacke, L.: From game design elements to gamefulness: defining “gamification”. In: Proceedings of the 15th International Academic MindTrek Conference: Envisioning Future Media Environments, pp. 9–15. ACM, New York (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Deterding, S.: Eudaimonic design, or: six invitations to rethink gamification. In: Fizek, S., Fuchs, M., Ruffino, P., Schrape, N. (eds.), pp. 305–331. Meson Press, Lüneburg (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Farzan, R., DiMicco, J.M., Millen, D.R., Dugan, C., Geyer, W., Brownholtz, E.A.: Results from deploying a participation incentive mechanism within the enterprise. In: Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, pp. 563–572. ACM, New York (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Fogg, B.J.: A behavior model for persuasive design. In: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Persuasive Technology, pp. 40:1–40:7. ACM, New York (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Fogg, B.J.: Persuasive Technology: Using Computers to Change What We Think and Do. Morgan Kaufmann, Elsevier, San Francisco (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Fogg, B.J., Tseng, H.: The elements of computer credibility. In: Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, pp. 80–87. ACM, New York (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Fogg, B.J., Marshall, J., Laraki, O., Osipovich, A., Varma, C., Fang, N., Paul, J., Rangnekar, A., Shon, J., Swani, P., Treinen, M.: What makes web sites credible?: a report on a large quantitative study. In: Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, pp. 61–68. ACM, New York (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Fogg, B.J., Cuellar, G., Danielson, D.: Motivating, influencing, and persuading users. In: Sears, A., Jacko, J.A. (eds.) The Human-Computer Interaction Handbook: Fundamentals, Evolving Technologies and Emerging Applications, 2nd edn, pp. 133–147. Taylor & Francis Group, New York (2007)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  18. Foster, D., Lawson, S., Blythe, M., Cairns, P.: Wattsup?: motivating reductions in domestic energy consumption using social networks. In: Proceedings of the 6th Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction: Extending Boundaries, pp. 178–187. ACM, New York (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Halko, S., Kientz, J.A.: Personality and persuasive technology: an exploratory study on health-promoting mobile applications. In: Ploug, T., Hasle, P., Oinas-Kukkonen, H. (eds.) Persuasive Technology, pp. 150–161. Springer, Berlin (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-13226-1_16

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  20. Kappel, K., Grechenig, T.: “Show-me”: water consumption at a glance to promote water conservation in the shower. In: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Persuasive Technology, pp. 26:1–26:6. ACM, New York (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Laschke, M., Diefenbach, S., Heidecker, S., Hassenzahl. M.: Transformationale Produkte: Acht Konzepte zum schonenden Umgang mit Ressourcen. In: Ziegler, J., Schmidt, A. (eds.) Mensch und Computer 2010: Interaktive Kulturen, pp. 189–194. Oldenbourg Verlag, München (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  22. Lee, Y., Kozar, K.A.: Understanding of website usability: specifying and measuring constructs and their relationships. Decis. Support Syst. 52, 450–463 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Mekler, E.D., Brühlmann, F., Opwis, K., Tuch, A.N.: Do points, levels and leaderboards harm intrinsic motivation?: An empirical analysis of common gamification elements. In: Proceedings of the First International Conference on Gameful Design, Research, and Applications, pp. 66–73. ACM, New York (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Schwartz, S.H., Howard, J.A.: In: Bierhoff, H.-W. (ed.) Sozialpsychologie: Ein Lehrbuch, pp. 96–139. Kohlhammer, Stuttgart (1981)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Spahn, A.: And lead us (not) into persuasion…? Persuasive technology and the ethics of communication. Sci. Eng. Ethics. 18, 633–650 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Sra, M., Schmandt, C.: Spotz: a location-based approach to self-awareness. In: Berkovsky, S., Freyne, J. (eds.) PERSUASIVE 2013. LNCS, vol. 7822, pp. 216–221. Springer, Heidelberg (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-37157-8_26

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Social Psychology: Media and Communication, Department of Computer Science and Applied Cognitive Science, University Duisburg-Essen, Forsthausweg 2, 47057, Duisburg, Germany

    Johanna Schäwel & Nicole C. Krämer

Authors
  1. Johanna Schäwel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Nicole C. Krämer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Johanna Schäwel .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

    Barbara Guidi

  2. University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

    Laura Ricci

  3. Polytechnic University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain

    Carlos Calafate

  4. University of Padua, Padua, Italy

    Ombretta Gaggi

  5. University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium

    Johann Marquez-Barja

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 ICST Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Schäwel, J., Krämer, N.C. (2018). How to Spread Kindness: Effects of Rewarding Elements Within a Persuasive Application to Foster Prosocial Behavior. In: Guidi, B., Ricci, L., Calafate, C., Gaggi, O., Marquez-Barja, J. (eds) Smart Objects and Technologies for Social Good. GOODTECHS 2017. Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering, vol 233. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-76111-4_17

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-76111-4_17

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-76110-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-76111-4

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation