What do you think?
Rate this book
Persuasive Technology - Using Computers to Change What We Think & Do (02) by Fogg, BJ [Paperback (2002)]
Persuasive Using Computers to Change What We Think and Do by Fogg...
Paperback
First published November 30, 2002
65 people are currently reading
1565 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
June 25, 2017
Persuasion is the key to selling products and ideas. A decade ago, technology evolved to the point where software could be used to persuade. The early systems were crude, but as is often the case with technology, they evolved rapidly. Persuasive technologies reached their breakout point with the arrival of social media and then smart phones. Stanford professor BJ Fogg's "Persuasive Technologies" is the textbook that entrepreneurs and investors have used to design products today's versions of Facebook, Google and other social platforms. Technologists have used Fogg's principles to make their products highly addictive, with escalating negative consequences.
Facebook had nearly 2 billion active users. Google has 1.5 billion. Other platforms also have hundreds of millions of active users. All of their products are addictive ... The proof point is that the average consumer checks his or her smartphone 150 times a day. Thanks to persuasive technologies, platforms have the ability to influence what their users believe, a concept known as brain hacking. The unintended consequences of brain hacking have rippled into politics, as the Russians were able to exploit the openness of Facebook and other platforms to influence the outcome in Brexit and the election of Trump.
This is a really important book. Historians will look back on it as the manual that spurred a massive social experiment, the unintended consequences of which will have lasting impact.
Facebook had nearly 2 billion active users. Google has 1.5 billion. Other platforms also have hundreds of millions of active users. All of their products are addictive ... The proof point is that the average consumer checks his or her smartphone 150 times a day. Thanks to persuasive technologies, platforms have the ability to influence what their users believe, a concept known as brain hacking. The unintended consequences of brain hacking have rippled into politics, as the Russians were able to exploit the openness of Facebook and other platforms to influence the outcome in Brexit and the election of Trump.
This is a really important book. Historians will look back on it as the manual that spurred a massive social experiment, the unintended consequences of which will have lasting impact.
August 24, 2018
When you are a designer or developer of interactive technology, or work in a company that does so, this book is for you. It links the world of marketing and sales to the world of design and explains strategies to connect to people while changing their views and behaviors.
Its content is related to the Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini which truly forms the groundwork for this textbook.
The renowned researcher and author goes on to explain how interactive technology, especially computers and smartphones, can and will continue to change our behavior, and touches on the strategies and ethics of doing so.
Technology has a great advantage here, for example:
- offers anonimity
- manages big data
- opportunity to use appropriate modalities at the right place and time. Suggestions and asking for returned 'favors' are powerful when well-timed and the user can take action immediately.
- scale up easily
- can be programmed to behave like a social actor only when appropriate (unlike Clippy)
- clearly guides people through steps
- provides permissive experiences allowing people to explore, rehearse and develop intrinsic motivation (through cooperation, competition and recognition)
- Reduction strategy: the very act of simplifying tasks gives it a level of persuasive control over its user, it increases perceived cost-benefit ratio and a person's belief in himself
- the very fact of being a computer still works on some target groups as a persuasive argument
- Tunneling strategy: a series of consistent steps makes people stick to the technology for the very fact that it is being consistent. Ethically, coercion must always be avoided so offer a way out of the tunnel.
- Great observation/tracking capabilities which in itself is motivating.
- People accept similarity strategies; pretending to be from the same hometown, root for the same team etc.
- Social comparison: connected devices can show other's performance which is a great motivator when this is publicly shared with the in-group.
Disadvantages of computers:
- Depending on the situation, errors will not be tolerated
- Less transparency; people may not trust experts behind the system. (Perceived) Trustworthiness + (Perceived) Expertise = (Perceived) Credibility. Making its performance levels clear adds to the credibility of a computer.
- Programming unpredictability, important for example when reinforcing target behavior
- Hard to program a computer to be a social actor (physical cues, humor, personality, feelings, spoken language, turn taking, cooperation, praise, role playing). It is hard to make a computer attractive. Acting socially is important for applications in leisure, entertainment and education. It is not appropriate when the point is to increase task efficiency as social interaction would slow things down.
For websites, increased persuasive effect depends on credibility, which depends on:
1. Providing a physical address and phone number
2. Providing quick responses to customers
3. Always sending email transaction confirmations
4. Providing good articles
5. Professional design
6. Stating a policy of content
7. Providing an email address
8. Links to outside sources
9. Being linked to by a believable site
10. Being recommended by the social group
11. Providing competitor's sites
12. Providing ratings and reviews
13. Few but detailed news stories
14. A .org extension
15. Offering information in multiple languages
16. Displaying a won award
17. Being advertised on radio or billboards
18. Being the official site for a specific topic
19. Showing photos of team members
Things to avoid in a website:
1. Ads indistinguishable from content
2. Linking to a site that is not credible
3. Rarely updating the site
4. Broken links and typos
5. Difficult navigation and access
6. A domain name not matching the company name
Greatest opportunities:
- Mood sensing; when people are in a good mood, they are more open to persuasion
- Education and healthcare (there is the funding)
- Simulated experiences. People naturally accept it as true and accurate, and want to experience it fully so less attention goes to the 'persuasive' parts. Realism can distract from the experience.
- Developing computers with a psychology, since people infer it anyway.
Its content is related to the Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini which truly forms the groundwork for this textbook.
The renowned researcher and author goes on to explain how interactive technology, especially computers and smartphones, can and will continue to change our behavior, and touches on the strategies and ethics of doing so.
Technology has a great advantage here, for example:
- offers anonimity
- manages big data
- opportunity to use appropriate modalities at the right place and time. Suggestions and asking for returned 'favors' are powerful when well-timed and the user can take action immediately.
- scale up easily
- can be programmed to behave like a social actor only when appropriate (unlike Clippy)
- clearly guides people through steps
- provides permissive experiences allowing people to explore, rehearse and develop intrinsic motivation (through cooperation, competition and recognition)
- Reduction strategy: the very act of simplifying tasks gives it a level of persuasive control over its user, it increases perceived cost-benefit ratio and a person's belief in himself
- the very fact of being a computer still works on some target groups as a persuasive argument
- Tunneling strategy: a series of consistent steps makes people stick to the technology for the very fact that it is being consistent. Ethically, coercion must always be avoided so offer a way out of the tunnel.
- Great observation/tracking capabilities which in itself is motivating.
- People accept similarity strategies; pretending to be from the same hometown, root for the same team etc.
- Social comparison: connected devices can show other's performance which is a great motivator when this is publicly shared with the in-group.
Disadvantages of computers:
- Depending on the situation, errors will not be tolerated
- Less transparency; people may not trust experts behind the system. (Perceived) Trustworthiness + (Perceived) Expertise = (Perceived) Credibility. Making its performance levels clear adds to the credibility of a computer.
- Programming unpredictability, important for example when reinforcing target behavior
- Hard to program a computer to be a social actor (physical cues, humor, personality, feelings, spoken language, turn taking, cooperation, praise, role playing). It is hard to make a computer attractive. Acting socially is important for applications in leisure, entertainment and education. It is not appropriate when the point is to increase task efficiency as social interaction would slow things down.
For websites, increased persuasive effect depends on credibility, which depends on:
1. Providing a physical address and phone number
2. Providing quick responses to customers
3. Always sending email transaction confirmations
4. Providing good articles
5. Professional design
6. Stating a policy of content
7. Providing an email address
8. Links to outside sources
9. Being linked to by a believable site
10. Being recommended by the social group
11. Providing competitor's sites
12. Providing ratings and reviews
13. Few but detailed news stories
14. A .org extension
15. Offering information in multiple languages
16. Displaying a won award
17. Being advertised on radio or billboards
18. Being the official site for a specific topic
19. Showing photos of team members
Things to avoid in a website:
1. Ads indistinguishable from content
2. Linking to a site that is not credible
3. Rarely updating the site
4. Broken links and typos
5. Difficult navigation and access
6. A domain name not matching the company name
Greatest opportunities:
- Mood sensing; when people are in a good mood, they are more open to persuasion
- Education and healthcare (there is the funding)
- Simulated experiences. People naturally accept it as true and accurate, and want to experience it fully so less attention goes to the 'persuasive' parts. Realism can distract from the experience.
- Developing computers with a psychology, since people infer it anyway.
January 8, 2022
This book was written twenty years ago but a lot of the predicitons made in the book had been shown to be true. What the book truely shows is the affect that the internet and ongoing constant connection has done to influence society, both good and bad.
IT woudl be great if the author were to write a new book that undertakes the same study but using new technology and societal trends to review his findings.
For anyone interested in the psychology of electronic media and the internet its an interseting read.
IT woudl be great if the author were to write a new book that undertakes the same study but using new technology and societal trends to review his findings.
For anyone interested in the psychology of electronic media and the internet its an interseting read.
September 17, 2017
A very good book that analyze the how, when, who and by what, of all the way technology can impact our choices and behaviors the approach is really systematic and complete with lots of example, it not a 5 stars because being 15 years old it misses all the new wave of connected devices, starting with smartphones. Nevertheless a great book that helps approaching technology with a critical approach toward inputs and outputs.
December 26, 2019
I'll give a 3.5. Not as insightful and systematic as research in JDM. I'll recommend Thaler's and Sunstein's books instead.
March 9, 2019
A foundational text on the subject of persuasive technology, this book was written by one of the originators of the field, who coined the term “captology”. It is referenced in many of the other materials on the topic, and it presents a comprehensive discussion of all aspects of the subject. Numerous ideas and principles are isolated and articulated, beginning with the concept of the “functional triad” – the role of technologies as tools, as media, and as social actors.
Fogg’s writing is clear and engaging, and the content is remarkably visionary, for the time it was written. The discussion of persuasion through mobility and connectivity accurately describes common attributes of smartphone apps today, although it was written two years before the first iPhone was released.
There are references to ethics throughout the book, including several sections about ethical concerns in chapters 3 and 5 (pp. 37, 40, and 100), as well as an entire chapter focused on the topic, chapter 9 (p. 211). Fogg considers coercion and deception to be approaches that are “almost always unethical” and discusses at length the methods of operant conditioning and surveillance, both of which “raise red flags” in his view. He describes scenarios in which each of these methods could be ethical (scenarios in which they are “overt and harmless”) and presents a stakeholder-based method for evaluating the ethical nature of a persuasive technology product. In another prescient comment, he suggests that “In the future, certain interactive influence tactics are likely to raise ethical concerns, if not public outrage.”
Fogg’s writing is clear and engaging, and the content is remarkably visionary, for the time it was written. The discussion of persuasion through mobility and connectivity accurately describes common attributes of smartphone apps today, although it was written two years before the first iPhone was released.
There are references to ethics throughout the book, including several sections about ethical concerns in chapters 3 and 5 (pp. 37, 40, and 100), as well as an entire chapter focused on the topic, chapter 9 (p. 211). Fogg considers coercion and deception to be approaches that are “almost always unethical” and discusses at length the methods of operant conditioning and surveillance, both of which “raise red flags” in his view. He describes scenarios in which each of these methods could be ethical (scenarios in which they are “overt and harmless”) and presents a stakeholder-based method for evaluating the ethical nature of a persuasive technology product. In another prescient comment, he suggests that “In the future, certain interactive influence tactics are likely to raise ethical concerns, if not public outrage.”
June 14, 2025
A Clear, Insightful Framework for Understanding Digital Influence
I found Persuasion Technologies by B.J. Fogg to be an informative and thought-provoking read. Fogg presents a clear and practical framework for understanding how digital technologies can be designed to influence human behavior. His concept of “captology” (computers as persuasive technologies) is foundational in today’s world of algorithms and behavioral nudges.
What I appreciated most is the balance between theory and real-world application. Fogg’s explanations are concise and accessible, making the book valuable both for designers of technology and for anyone who wants to become more aware of the ways technology shapes our choices.
If you’re interested in behavior design, user engagement, or the ethics of technology, this is a must-read. I took away several insights that I’ll be applying in my own work. My only wish is that it included more updated examples, given how rapidly tech has evolved since its original conception.
I found Persuasion Technologies by B.J. Fogg to be an informative and thought-provoking read. Fogg presents a clear and practical framework for understanding how digital technologies can be designed to influence human behavior. His concept of “captology” (computers as persuasive technologies) is foundational in today’s world of algorithms and behavioral nudges.
What I appreciated most is the balance between theory and real-world application. Fogg’s explanations are concise and accessible, making the book valuable both for designers of technology and for anyone who wants to become more aware of the ways technology shapes our choices.
If you’re interested in behavior design, user engagement, or the ethics of technology, this is a must-read. I took away several insights that I’ll be applying in my own work. My only wish is that it included more updated examples, given how rapidly tech has evolved since its original conception.
January 3, 2024
In the book, the author advocates that persuasive technology can be used to influence human behavior. How? By creating interactive computing system that is designed to change people's attitudes or behaviors.
The author then introduces, Fogg Behavior Model, according to which, for a behavior to occur, there must be sufficient motivation, ability, and a trigger that prompts the action.
If we look at the current scenario, with the widespread adoption of social media persuasive technologies have gained an upper hand.
The idea of creating addictive features has, however, led to concerns about the negative consequences associated with these technologies. The book was published in 2002, and we are actually witnessing the effects of “addictive features” in our current times.
The author then introduces, Fogg Behavior Model, according to which, for a behavior to occur, there must be sufficient motivation, ability, and a trigger that prompts the action.
If we look at the current scenario, with the widespread adoption of social media persuasive technologies have gained an upper hand.
The idea of creating addictive features has, however, led to concerns about the negative consequences associated with these technologies. The book was published in 2002, and we are actually witnessing the effects of “addictive features” in our current times.
July 14, 2019
B.J Fogg is the tiny habits guy who runs the Stanford Behavior Design Lab. He is a major thought leader in the area of UX and more importantly in the intersection between behavioral science and technology. His thoughts on how we can use technology to induce long-lasting behavioral change, along with the ethical repercussions are still true to this day. This book is very likely to change how you think about technology and its role in improving our lives. It’s not about code, algorithms or data structures, but rather about human-computer interaction.
August 21, 2022
Insightful foundational research that should be consumed by anyone designing technology products or selling things on the internet. If "dated" means "the examples from 20 years ago are still all true and the predictions are prescient" then, yes, it's dated. How this guy could get flak for supposedly abetting addictive feedback loops on social media sites is ridiculous when you consider all of the ethical concerns and other passages he included.
June 21, 2019
Even with it's outdated 2003 era examples, there is a lot of good framework level information in here. I give it 3 stars because some of it holds up and some of it doesn't, but I thin it's a great reference book to have on the shelf for designers thinking about the persuasive aspects of their technologies.
July 7, 2024
Published in 2002 but still has its own importance till date describing about "how things can lead to how things are right now"
Stating from social dilemma "If you're not paying for the product, then you're the product"
The book was referenced by Tristan Harris and man this is right on point, persuasion is the ultimate power.
Stating from social dilemma "If you're not paying for the product, then you're the product"
The book was referenced by Tristan Harris and man this is right on point, persuasion is the ultimate power.
December 24, 2024
Forse un po' datato da leggere nel 2010: sarebbe sicuramente interessante una nuova versione che indaghi la captologia all'interno dei SNS: direi che di materiale ce ne sia davvero abbastanza.
In ogni caso il libro di Fogg è una pietra miliare in ambito di nuove tecnologie.
Davvero interessante e utile, fornisce ottimi spunti di riflessione per un possibile impiego pratico.
In ogni caso il libro di Fogg è una pietra miliare in ambito di nuove tecnologie.
Davvero interessante e utile, fornisce ottimi spunti di riflessione per un possibile impiego pratico.
July 9, 2017
Fantastic!
March 25, 2020
Read for my teaching job. A bit dated in its examples, but it looks at how technology can persuade form many different points of view-- as a tool, as a medium, and as an agent.
November 18, 2020
To write
Will write more later.
Terrible self accolades book on the obvious but failed to implement even in his own text. Try text to speech ... exactly
Will write more later.
Terrible self accolades book on the obvious but failed to implement even in his own text. Try text to speech ... exactly
May 16, 2024
I didn’t finish this book, but the top themes were frighteningly prescient in understanding the Silicon Valley playbook for building digital products that successfully infiltrate our daily lives.
Want to read
June 24, 2025recomanat a: Stolen Focus
January 12, 2024
I absolutely love this book. I consider it a foundation for persuasive technology as well as Human-Computer interaction. This book has been a turning point for me. It made me realize my interest in fields that combine knowledge of human behavior, psychology, and computer sciences. I highly recommend reading this book as a robust foundation for the fields of persuasive technology, Human-Computer Interaction, and User Experience.
June 17, 2025
Persuasive Technology Lab
"A place where scientists were figuring out how to design technology that can change your behavior without you even knowing you were being changed"
BJ Fogg was a Stanford behavior psychologist who created the course "Persuasive Technologies" responsible for kickstarting manipulation by AI, via the filter bubble society, and behavioral addiction. See my reviews for Zucked, Hooked, and Stolen Focus for more in-depth views on this topic.
"A place where scientists were figuring out how to design technology that can change your behavior without you even knowing you were being changed"
BJ Fogg was a Stanford behavior psychologist who created the course "Persuasive Technologies" responsible for kickstarting manipulation by AI, via the filter bubble society, and behavioral addiction. See my reviews for Zucked, Hooked, and Stolen Focus for more in-depth views on this topic.
February 23, 2010
Interesting book on the topic of captology and the use of technology (primarily computers) to motivation and persuade people to change behaviour in an ethical way. There are three pages of bibliographic references at the end of every chapter which lends the book quite some credibility. Easy to read.
December 9, 2013
If you're a fan of Fogg, then you Gould check this out. In some ways his more recent ideas are more interesting to me: Tiny Steps, his behavior model, and his ideas about habit. That said, the key idea in this book is so important that it's worth a look.
Want to read
October 25, 2015 153.852 FOG
July 22, 2008
Good!!!
August 15, 2010
Very interesting new field and sensitive one.
February 6, 2011
Read this for UX Book Club Amsterdam.
May 7, 2012
Overall very informative book. Although much of the information still stands up today, it is clearly already dated. An updated edition would be outstanding!
November 29, 2012
The clearest introduction to Persuasive Technology
January 28, 2013
Good book to read for someone in the field or testing the waters, not a lot of world-changing information but I finished it feeling inspired.
September 11, 2013
A little dated now, but still an excellent overview of numerous issues related to persuasive technology.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews