ProSIS - pro social information systems - Vidgen March 2013

IADIS

13
March
2013

Engaging with grand challenges: can prosocietal information systems (ProSIS) help
change behaviours?
Richard
Vidgen

Professor
of
Systems
Thinking

Hull
University
Business
School

Connected Thinking!
Hull University Business School

Acknowledgements

•  This
work
is
being
conducted
with
researchers

from
the
Australian
School
of
Business,

University
of
New
South
Wales:

–  Patrick
Finnegan

–  Lesley
Land

–  Peter
SlaCery


Grand
challenges

•  Grand
Challenges
-‐
such
as
the
eradicaGon
of

extreme
poverty,
combaGng
diseases,

ensuring
sustainability,
and
reducing
social

conflict

-‐
are
problems
that
are:

I. 
II. 
III. 
IV. 

difficult
to
solve,

demand
significant
improvements
in
research,

require
great
advances
of
knowledge,

require
collaboraGve
efforts
from
many

disciplines
and
communiGes

(Winter
&
Butler,
2011)


Grand
challenges

With
thanks
to
Andy
Parkinson,
Hull
City
Council


Poverty

Carbon
emissions


United
Arab
Emirates


Obesity
causes
society-‐wide
cost

burden

•  68
percent
of
adults
in
the
USA

are
overweight
or
obese1

–  more
than
one-‐third
(35.7%)

are
obese

–  half
will
be
obese
by
2030

•  In
2008
the
medical
costs

associated
with
obesity
in
the
USA

were
esGmated
at
$147
billion

•  By
2050,
60%
of
adult
men,
50%

of
adult
women
and
about
25%
of

all
children
under
16
in
the
UK

could
be
obese2

1US
Center
for
Disease
Control
and
PrevenGon
(hCp://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html)

2Foresight,
Tackling
ObesiGes:
Future
Choices,
UK
Government
Oﬃce
for
Science
(2007)


Exercise

•  According
to
the
Lancet

–  Only
one
in
three

ciGzens
engage
in
the

minimum

recommended
level
of

exercise
per
week
in

the
UK
(63.3%
inacGve)

–  It
is
4
in
5
in
the

Netherlands
(18%

inacGve)

•  Impact
on
society

–  Health
system

–  ProducGvity

The
Lancet,
as
reported
in
the
Guardian
18th
July
2012

hCp://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/jul/18/uk-‐inacGve-‐populaGon-‐europe?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487


Has
IS
risen
to
the
challenge?

•  Rather
than
look
at
large,
signiﬁcant,
and

complex
societal
problems,
InformaGon

Systems
(IS)
has
been
criGcized
for
seemingly

preferring
to
look
at
small
and
familiar
ones

(Winter
&
Butler,
2011)

•  This
may
be
due
to
a
focus
on
organizaGonal

concerns
to
the
neglect
of
societal
issues

(Galliers,
2003,
Hassan,
2006,
Markus,
1999)


Time
for
IS
to
step
up?

•  Orlikowski
&
Iacono
(2001)
argue
for
a
wider
view
of

ICT

–  “our
future
is
becoming
increasingly
dependent
on
a

mulGplicity
of
pervasive
and
invasive
technological

arGfacts.
As
IS
researchers
we
have
the
opportunity
and

responsibility
to
inﬂuence
what
future
is
enacted
with

those
technological
arGfacts”
(p.
133).

•  Desouza
et
al.
(2007)
say
“it
is
Gme
for
IS
scholars
to

be
fully
involved
in
solving
the
criGcal
problems
of

human
civilizaGon”
(p.
270).


Ten
Billion

“We
are
in
a
desperate
situa.on
and
I
don't
think
people

realise
that.
Many
think
we
will
ﬁnd
a
clever
solu.on

some.me
in
the
future,
like
building
solar
shields
in
space
to

keep
our
planet
cool.
I
am
going
to
tell
the
audience
that

these
ideas
are
very
suspect.

Steven
EmmoC,
Professor
of
ComputaGon
at
the
University
of
Oxford
and
Head
of

Microsoq’s
ComputaGon
Science
Laboratory
in
Cambridge,
UK
(2012)

(McKie,
2012,
hCp://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/jul/15/overpopulaGon-‐root-‐planet-‐problems-‐emmoC)


The
need
for
behaviour
change

Radical
behaviour
change
is
what
is
really
needed.

Our
problems
are
not
just
those
concerned
with

carbon
emissions.
There
are
so
many
other
things
–

overﬁshing,
destroying
habitats
and
eradica.ng

species
–
that
we
need
to
change
…

…
Science
has
spent
far
too
long
hiding
behind

caveats.
We
have
to
come
oﬀ
the
shelf
although
I

suspect
it
may
be
too
late
now.
Indeed,
the
show
will

end
with
my
admiIng
to
the
audience
that
I
think
we

are
fucked.”

Steven
EmmoC,
Professor
of
ComputaGon
at
the
University
of
Oxford
and
Head
of

Microsoq’s
ComputaGon
Science
Laboratory
in
Cambridge,
UK
(2012)

(McKie,
2012,
hCp://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/jul/15/overpopulaGon-‐root-‐planet-‐problems-‐emmoC)


Campaigns

•  "If
we
would
exercise
regularly,
eat
healthy,

control
our
weight,
sleep
enough,
manage

stress,
not
smoke
and
use
alcohol
only

moderately,

–  90%
of
type
II
diabetes

–  80%
of
heart
disease

–  70%
of
stroke

could
be
prevented.”

Public
health
promoGon
campaigns
won’t
be

eﬀecGve
in
stopping
this
‘tsunami’

Honka,
Kaipainen,
Hietala,
and
Saranummi
(2011)


Pro-‐societal
behaviours

•  Pro-‐social
(altruisGc)

–  e.g.,
charitable
giving,

philanthropy,
volunteering,

community
engagement,

acGvism

•  Pro-‐self
behaviours

(egoisGcal)

–  e.g.,
taking
regular
exercise,

eaGng
a
healthy
diet,
drinking

responsibly,
managing
stress


Behaviour
change

•  "The
most
elemental
way
to
inﬂuence

someone's
behaviour
is
make
rewards

and
punishments
conGngent
on
the

enactment
of
the
behaviour"
(Nowak

et
al.,
2003,
p.384)

•  In
the
UK
there
has
been
considerable

debate
about

–  tackling
obesity
using
the
'carrot'
of

ﬁnancial
payment
for
weight
loss

–  using
the
'sGck'
of
weight-‐related

eligibility
for
operaGons
such
as
hip

replacement


hCp://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-‐news/dr-‐phillip-‐lee-‐conservaGve-‐mp-‐1458840


MoGvaGon

•  Intrinsic
versus
extrinsic
moGvaGon

•  Crowding-‐out
of
“intrinsic
moGvaGon”
by
extrinsic

incenGves
has
been
observed
in
a
broad
variety
of

social
interacGons

–  paying
blood
donors
could
actually
reduce
supply

–  volunteers
may
work
less
when
paid

–  imposing
sGﬀer
penalGes
can

undermine
individuals’

“internal
jusGﬁcaGon”
for
obeying

the
law,
e.g.,
late
fees


InformaGon
processing
model
of

behaviour
change

CommunicaGon

Persuasion

Competency

and
autonomy

Habit

Awareness

Avtude

change

Behaviour

change

Sustainable

change

Social
relatedness:
social
networks,
and
signiﬁcant
others

Drawing
on:
Deci
&
Ryan,
2002;
McGuire
1972;
Fogg
(2003);
Limayem
et
al.,
2007;
Cialdini,
2009)


The
social
context
of
behaviour

change

•  Signiﬁcant
others
are
those

that
have
inﬂuence
on
our

behaviours

–  e.g.,
parents,
guardians,

friends,
peers,
or
people

within
our
wider
social

network

•  We
have
free
will,
but

behaviour
takes
place

within,
and
has
an
impact

on,
social
networks

Which
person
is
best
placed
in
the

network
to
receive
new
informaGon

quickly?


ICT
and
behaviour
change

•  How
might
we
use
ICT
to
help

–  communicate
the
issues?

–  persuade
of
the
need
for
behaviour
change?

–  acquire
competency?

–  maintain
a
sense
of
autonomy?

–  make
the
behaviours
habitual?

–  draw
on
and
build
social
relatedness?


MoGvaGonal
technology
design

ICT
artefacts
with
moGvaGonal
aﬀordances

Mo@va@onal
technology

principles

Technology
applica@ons

Technology
acceptance

Ambient
informaGon

Enabling
technologies

Ubiquitous
devices

Context
awareness

ICT
as
social
actor

Persuasion
online

Social
media

Games
and
AI

Physio-‐sensing

Neuro-‐sensing


Affordances

•  "technologies
have
material
properGes,
but

those
material
properGes
afford
different

possibiliGes
for
acGon
based
on
the
contexts

in
which
they
are
used.
Although
the
material

properGes
of
a
technology
are
common
to

each
person
who
encounters
them,
the

affordances
of
that
arGfact
are
not"
(Leonardi,

2011
p.153,
from
Gibson,
1977).


Aﬀordances

•  Aﬀordances
are
the
opportuniGes
which

an
environment
provides
to
an
actor

within
it

Gibson
(1977)


Technology
acceptance

•  Well
studied
in
informaGon
systems

–  IntenGon
to
use
technology,
conGnuance

intenGon,
IS
saGsfacGon,
Web
quality,
etc.

•  Perceived
usefulness

•  Perceived
ease
of
use

•  Support

•  Trust

•  Social
inﬂuence

e.g.,
Davis,
1989;
DeLone
&
McLean,
1992;
BhaCacherjee,
2001;
Venkatesh
et
al.,
2003


ICT
as
social
actor

•  Users
treat
computers
and

media
as
if
they
were
humans
–

the
computer
as
social
actor

(CASA)

e.g.,
Nass
et
al.,
(1994);
Nass
et
a;.,
(1995);
Reeves
&
Nass
(1996)


Persuasion
online

•  Cialdini’s
(2005)
principles
of
persuasion

–  Scarcity

–  Reciprocity

–  Social
proof

–  Liking

–  Authority

–  Commitment
and
consistency


Scarcity
and
social
proof

scarcity

Social
proof


Liking

•  Someone
who
is

liked
by
their

target
audience

has
a
beCer

chance
of

persuading
them


Authority

•  Authority
ﬁgures
can
oqen
persuade
people
to
do

things
they
wouldn’t
do
otherwise


Ambient
informaGon

•  Ambient
informaGon

–  Non-‐invasive,
passive
persuasion,
through

creaGng
awareness
of
informaGon
which
may

enable
avtude
or
behaviour
change


Social
media

•  Social
media

–  play
a
fundamental
role
as
a
medium
for
the
spread
of

informaGon,
ideas,
and
inﬂuence
among
the
members
of
a

social
network


Games
&

“gamiﬁcaGon”

•  Games
allow
persuasive
and
moGvaGonal

aﬀordances,
for
example,
compeGGon,

entertainment
and
feedback

e.g.,
Huotari
&
Hamari
(2012)


Games
and
ImaginaGve
Play

•  ConstrucGng
‘possible
worlds’

•  ‘Failing
for
free’


Enabling
Technologies

•  Ubiquitous
technologies

•  Context
awareness

•  Physio-‐sensing
-‐
heart
rate,
pupil
dilaGon,

stress
levels,
body
fat
levels

•  Neuro-‐sensing
–
brain-‐computer
interface


InformaGon
processing
model
of

behaviour
change

CommunicaGon

Persuasion

Competency

and
autonomy

Habit

Awareness

Avtude

change

Behaviour

change

Sustainable

change

Social
relatedness:
social
networks,
and
signiﬁcant
others


Pro-‐societal
behaviour
change
is
a

complex
issue

Problems
and

“soluGons”

Stakeholders

Unintended

consequences

Inter-‐
connectedness

Technologies

Ethical
and
legal

implicaGons

Socio-‐poliGcal-‐
economic
factors


Interconnectedness

•  “Many
climate
change
goals
would
also
help
prevent
obesity,

such
as
measures
to
reduce
traffic
congesGon,
increase

cycling
or
design
sustainable
communiGes.
Tackling
them

together
would
enhance
the
effecGveness
of
acGon.
There
are

also
synergies
with
other
policy
goals
such
as
increasing
social

inclusion
and
narrowing
health
inequaliGes
since
obesity’s

impact
is
greatest
on
the
poorest.”

Foresight,
Tackling
ObesiGes:
Future
Choices,
UK

Government
Office
for
Science
(2007)


A
whole
systems
approach

•  “This
will
require
a
broad
set
of

integrated
policies
including

both
populaGon
and
targeted

measures
and
must
necessarily

include
acGon
not
only
by

government,
both
central
and

local,
but
also
acGon
by
industry,

communiGes,
families
and

society
as
a
whole”

Foresight,
Tackling
ObesiGes:
Future
Choices,
UK
Government
Oﬃce
for

Science
(2007)


Pro-‐societal
informaGon
systems

(ProSIS)

Outcomes
–
measureable

changes
in
society

Pro-‐societal
behavior

change

MoGvaGonal

technology
design

Outcomes
–
measureable
changes
in

individual
behaviors

Complex
context
of

change


How
can
we
research
grand
challenges

in
IS?

MulG-‐disciplinary
teams,
e.g.,

• Health

• Computer
Science

• Social
Policy

• MarkeGng

• InformaGon
Systems

Case
studies

Theory
building

IntervenGon(s)

How
do
we
know
if
a

treatment
works?

EvaluaGon


EvaluaGon
-‐
RCTs

•  How
do
we
know
if
a
policy
or
intervenGon
is

working?

–  Randomised
Controlled
Trials
(RCTs)

–  Used
in
medicine,
development,
social
policy

–  Rapidly
becoming
the
“gold
standard”
in

evaluaGon

“No
causaGon
without
manipulaGon”


RCTs

Haynes
et
al.,
2012.
“Test,
Learn,
Adapt:
Developing
Public
Policy

with
RCTs”.
UK
Cabinet
Oﬃce.


Haynes
et
al.,
2012.
“Test,
Learn,
Adapt:
Developing
Public
Policy

with
RCTs”.
UK
Cabinet
Oﬃce.


OpportuniGes
for
IS
researchers

•  RCTs
are
being
used
to
improve
business

performance,
oqen
in
an
IS
sevng:

–  Amazon
and
eBay
test
what
works
for
driving

purchases

–  Wikipedia
compared
donaGon
adverts
with
and

without
a
picture
of
founder
Jimmy
Wales

–  Neylix
trialled
a
new
service
with
four
variants

and
four
groups
of
20,000
subscribers

–  Delta
airlines
used
RCTs
to
improve
web
site

design
in
the
ﬂight
booking
process

Haynes
et
al.,
2012.
“Test,
Learn,
Adapt:
Developing
Public
Policy

with
RCTs”.
UK
Cabinet
Oﬃce.


Why
ProSIS?

An
IS-‐centric

shared
frame
of

reference
for

tackling
grand

challenges


IADIS

13
March
2013

Thank you
Questions?
Richard
Vidgen

Professor
of
Systems
Thinking

Hull
University
Business
School

Connected Thinking!

ProSIS - pro social information systems - Vidgen March 2013

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