This document discusses a presentation proposal about harnessing cognitive biases to motivate positive behavior. The presentation will discuss how social cognitive biases like awe, herd instinct, Hawthorne effect, and reactance can be used by designers to encourage task completion and prosocial actions. It will describe a design investigation into these biases and prototypes that motivate behavior. Guidelines for other designers will be proposed, considering elements of lasting behavior change. Examples of successful and less successful real-world instances of cognitive bias design will also be examined, such as a soda ban versus grocery bag donations.

1. Allison Leach
MEANINGFUL
MANIPU TION
How Designers Can Harness Cognitive Biases
to Motivate Positive Behavior
Designing Experiences for Facilitating Positive Behavior Change
Parallel Session at HCI International 2013
21-26 July 2013

2. DESIGNING EXPERIENCES FOR
Allison Leach
FACILITATING POSITIVE BEHAVIOR CHANGE
Parallel Session at HCI International 2013
We invite contributions that explore how experiences can be designed to facilitate positive behavior
change. Papers may be related to physical health, mental well-being, exercise, social activities,
rehabilitation after illness or stress, aging, and generally living in an independent, sustainable way.
The inclusion of visually driven content alongside the paper is highly encouraged, e.g. short videos that
document experience or interaction design, storyboards and diagrams. The session will attempt to
balance theoretical, conceptual and empirical papers. Mixed methods papers are particularly
encouraged.
Topics include but are not limited to the following:
1) The intersection of behavior change theory and user experience 3) Emerging opportunities for behavioral intervention with “always
e.g. applying traditional theories in the era of innovative on” devices
experience design; design heuristics for health behavior e.g. mHealth structural health monitoring
change experiences; low-touch/high-touch design approaches push notifications, reminders and recommender systems
in longitudinal experiences
2) Innovative design workflows for behavior change products 4) New directions in the design of experiences for behavior change
e.g.methodologies for evaluating interactive entertainment for e.g. inspired by neuroscience, bio-informatics, nanotechnology;
behavior change; case studies of designed experiences for serious game approaches; social network / community based
behavior change; location-specific, and/or population-specific approaches
http://hcii2013behaviorchange.wordpress.com/call-for-papers/

3. PROPOSAL FOR PRESENTATION
Allison Leach
Abstract
Cognitive biases pervade our everyday lives - from the Hawthorne Effect, which guilts pedestrians into polite social conduct, to Reactance, which leads
numerous people to find smoking subversively alluring. The subtle yet powerful force of biases influences and motivates our behaviors on a
subconscious level, in a fascinating tension between free will and our designed environments. Armed with this knowledge, designers have the capacity
to create experiences that guide people towards infinite positive behaviors - contributing to an emerging field known as Cognitive Design.
Cognitive Design seeks to put the latest findings from cognitive science to work - such as the implications of underlying cognitive biases - and translate
them into design experiences that offer personal transformation. As such, the potential impact of Cognitive Design is tremendous, spanning across the
realms of mental, physical, and environmental health. Yet in this relatively nascent field of Cognitive Design - and in particular Cognitive Bias Design -
designers must approach creative opportunities conscientiously and ethically.
Narrowing this focus, in my presentation I will discuss how designers might responsibly harness social cognitive biases to motivate task completion
and prosocial behaviors in individuals. Topics of exploration will include designing for Awe, the Herd Instinct, the Hawthorne Effect, and Reactance. I
will present the findings of my yearlong design investigation of these biases, highlighting my primary research, social experiments, and behavior
motivating design prototypes.
Beyond the scope of my work, I will propose guidelines for other designers to participate in Cognitive Bias Design. Paying deference to a wide range of
behavioral experts in design, philosophy, and science (Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Don Norman, and BJ Fogg among others), I will present the key
components of lasting behavior change, and how they might relate or explain particular cognitive biases. I will also discuss critical elements of
motivating behavior, such as hot triggers and autonomy. What matters most in driving behavior - external or intrinsic rewards? How do feedback and
social systems influence our path of action?
Finally, I will show everyday instances of Cognitive Bias Design, offering both successful and less-successful (unintended) examples. Does New York
City’s large-sized soda ban invoke reactance in soda consumers? How does the public decision of donating credit for a grocery bag encourage charity?
More importantly, when (or should) corporations manipulate motivation via cognitive biases, reducing the role of our rational decisions?
Through this presentation, I hope to demonstrate the power of Cognitive Design as a persuasive tool, and to ultimately encourage designers to
responsibly craft experiences that inspire meaningful positive behaviors.

4. SELECTED SOCIAL BIASES
Allison Leach
Awe Herd Instinct Hawthorne Effect Reactance
Instills a sense of When people adopt the The tendency to act differently The urge to do the
timelessness; behaviors and opinions of when someone knows they are opposite of what
promotes helpfulness; the majority being observed someone wants you to
encourages do out of a need to resist
experiential purchases a perceived attempt to
constrain your freedom
of choice

5. SOCIAL EXPERIMENT Leach
Allison
Q: Does awe inspire timelessness and increase helpfulness?
CONTEXT METHOD RESULTS
A 2012 study published in Divide participating students into 3 The Awe Group demonstrated a
Psychological Science led by groups. Show Group A a video with awe- negligible increase in time
Melanie Rudd at Stanford inspiring images of nature. Show Group B perception compared to the
University found that induced a video with boredom-inducing social other groups. All participants
awe gives people greater network privacy instructions. Group C agreed to volunteer in the clean-
time-availability, reduces does not watch a video. All groups answer up event. Possible issues with
irritability, makes them act a questionnaire to measure mood and the study include a limited
more generously with their time perception. Afterwards, participants demographic pool (12 students),
time, and enhances overall life are asked by a confederate to volunteer and a failure to fully induce awe
satisfaction. for a campus clean-up event. with a two-minute video.

6. KEY ELEMENTS OF MOTIVATION
Allison Leach
Behavior Flow 3 Drives
Motivation Biological Drive
Motivation
Symbolic Skill Autonomy
Ability Rewards & Punishments
Rules Mastery
Trigger Intrinsic Rewards
Goal Purpose
Feedback
BJ Fogg Mihaly
Daniel Pink
stanford social Csikszentmihalyi
author of drive
scientist author of flow

7. COGNITIVE BIASES AT WORK
Allison Leach
✘ ✔
NYC LARGE-SIZED
vs WHOLE FOODS GROCERY
SODA BAN BAG DONATION
Reactance Hawthorne Effect
Perceived constraint on consumer’s Decision to donate credit when
freedom of purchasing power may providing one’s own grocery
upset soda drinkers and lead to an bag may be encouraged by the
overindulgence in other foods presence of other customers

8. thank you
Allison Leach © 2013