Walking the line between Failure, Persuasion and Manipulation

Fit4Life is a system that conforms with the trend to integrate personalized weight loss interventions with technology. These technologies act to support theories of behavioral change associated with the field of dietetics. The technologies they describe actually mimic the steps some dietitians take when counselling a patient. These steps include (1) an initial assessment, (2) recommending caloric intake and exercise regimen, and (3) requesting the patient keep a food and exercise diary. A dietitian would also give advise what the patient should do if they miss an exercise session etc. All these recommendations are based on calculations and consequent recommendations; therefore, the digitization of the process is not difficult or revolutionary. That is why the popularity of developing such applications is not surprising. They also exhibit the same failures that traditional dietetics counselling falls in to (i.e. patients not maintaining the recommended dietary lifestyle after they lose interest in following up with the dietitian). The author’s of Fit4Life claim that they have revolutionized their version of these interventions by incorporating sensors that decrease the effort needed by the user to enter their food intake, weight, and exercise. The sensors do so by capturing images of food, recording eating behavior through jaw movement, heart rate monitor, blood analysis from toe and weight. This system does have the advantage of not requiring the users to input data however, with all these sensors we should question how long would users feel comfortable wearing them. Of coarse the plot twist in the paper where the authors admit that the system is fictional questions the plausibility of such a system.

 

However, assuming that the system is not fictional, what I found interesting was the system’s feedback mechanism that had positive re-enforcement, suggestion and social communication. This does have added value as people on weight loss programs need constant support to keep them motivated. All in all the paper presents a system that clearly explains what and how persuasive technology works. The use of persuasive technologies however did raise some ethical concerns in that if taken to an extreme can persuasion become manipulation? Additionally, the collection of so much data form sensors leads to the building of a virtual quantified self and would be interesting to see how users identify with that quantified self and if at some point they dissociate from it as they dissociate from the process.

 

The paper I picked to explore is the paper “Using an interactive visual novel to promote patient empowerment through engagement” by Yin et al. The paper uses gaming in the form of going back in time and saving a relative from a heart attack by making decisions regarding their healthcare. The mechanism persuades them that they can make decisions regarding their healthcare and highlights instances where decisions can be made within the healthcare. I find it quite an interesting approach but I am critical about its success. The study indicated that empowerment required a high level of engagement with the game and therefore makes me question how persuasive it is?