The design of software based peer groups to combat digital addiction

The Design of Software-based Peer Groups
to Combat Digital Addiction
Amen Alrobai, John McAlaney, Keith Phalp, Raian Ali
5-7, 2016, Salzburg, Austria
Faculty of Science and Technology
Bournemouth University, UK
aalrobai@bournemouth.ac.uk Persuasive Technology, Salzburg, Austria, 5-7 April, 2016

Background

• Digital Addiction, has become a serious issue that has a diversity of
socio-economic side effects. In spite of its high importance, DA got
little recognition or guidance as to how software development should
take it into account
• This is in stark contrast to other domains known for traditional
addiction (e.g., drugs, gambling, and alcohol) in which there are clear
rules and policies on how to manufacture, market and sell the
products
• We advocate the need to consider DA as a first class professional,
social and ethical requirement in developing software systems

.:: Definition ::.
A motivational peer group:
“is where people voluntarily come together to help each other address common problems
or shared concerns” (Davidson et al. 2006)
• Peer support is a form of social support (peer is
the source of support)
• Online Peer Groups: Interaction mediated by
software means

Problem

FamiLync:
Participatory learning, in
which children engage with
parents in activities that
encourage both parent and
child to participate in co-
learning of digital media use.
(Ko et al. 2015)

NUGU:
Group-based Intervention.
But the intervention comes
from the observation and
learning. (Ko et al. 2015)

 No systematic approaches to configure peer groups
• Smoking cessation groups, (Stead & Lancaster 2005)
• Weight management in adult obesity (Ebhohimhen & Avenell 2009)
 Lack of supporting long-term change (sustainable change)
 Lack of understanding the dual use/effect of online peer groups interactions
 To understand what constitutes the personalisation for online peer groups
So we can say:
Currant solutions create opportunities for regulated
interactions, but facilitate them poorly

Methodology

 Diary studies followed by Semi-structured interviews
GOAL: Investigating how users would perceive self-monitoring and peer
monitoring to combat DA
• 14 participants (5 males, 9 females), aged 18-50
• Convenience sampling technique
• A pre-selection test based on CAGE questionnaire
• TASK: Use a digital diet app for 14 days and record diaries
• Semi-structured interviews

 Two sessions focus group study
GOAL: Understanding different perspectives on online peer groups and their
interactive design
• 6 participants with pre-existing social relationships (3 males, 3 females),
aged 20-26, undergraduate students from Bournemouth University
• Convenience sampling technique
• A pre-selection test based on CAGE questionnaire

Session II TASK: Engaging task to review the design created based on
session I
Discussions: was guided by 8 provided questions, on the motivation,
perception towards provided messages, interactive features, personalisation
aspects, role of moderators, ex-addicts etc.
Session I TASK: Engaging task to design software-based peer group,
including gamification techniques
Discussions: was guided by 10 provided questions on how to create effective
and motivating design and how to implement messages, rewards, penalties
and roles etc.

Results

 Perceived usefulness 71%
 Technology-limiting technology was perceived as interesting but a paradox.
 The reciprocity norm is the most essential ingredients to build effective groups.
 The “helper therapy” principle, participants find it more motivating to be also useful for
others.
 Other popular persuasive techniques may not be seen efficient and need to be revisited.
 E.g. Cialdini’s Liking principle
“inviting alcoholics down the pub to chat about their alcoholism”

 Why it is important?
• Users emphasised the importance of human element to create sense of authority, trust and
commitment.
• E.g. parental involvement for young age groups.
• Addressing deviant behaviours
• Playing governance roles such as rewards allocation
 What characteristics?
 Transformational moderation
• Create and suggest rules (of engagement), support motivation, provide advice to members
and create real life events.
• rewarding 50% Vs. penalties 30%
 Transactional moderation
• Active : monitoring interaction and applying corrective actions
• Passive : intervenes when group’s goals are violated
• Counselling: no monitoring and direct intervening are required but only when needed

 Experiential knowledge
 Moderators as ex-addicts (empathy 20% vs. discouragement 80%)
Early
stage
addiction
Advanced
stage
addiction
Professional Involvement
Professional
OR
Experiential
Friendliness
AND
liberal style
“moderators must have successful support history regardless of their
professional knowledge”
“addicts might dictate their opinion and be biased to their own experience”

 Fogg’s model for persuasive
• The ability of reducing usage is very low in severe DA (FACT)
• The design should: 1) increase the motivational influence, 2) apply the right
triggers
• Providing means to express the confidence in member’s ability to change or
applying the right social norm would increase the perceived self-efficiency which
will act as a powerful motivational tool
 Penalties as persuasive techniques
• Penalties should take more influential approach such as:
“people may leave a peer group if too much penalty is enforced”
“Confrontation members with their status”

Most digital diet apps fail here.
E.g. Reminders
Most digital diet apps fail here e.g.
Scores, feedback
“…focus on the motivation
not the ability”
The GAP. E.g. Manage digital
self, monitor, setting goals

 Stage-matched groups
• Different levels of addiction represents different level of self-control and distinct attitudes
and behaviours
• Individuals with less severe addiction maybe easer to be guided.
• Sever addicts needs comprehensive treatment regardless of the stage of change they are at.
 Theme of addiction
• Addiction to online pornography would require certain degree of anonymity
 Social dimension
• Only, 9% of the responses were in favour of having family members
“friends are not always the good thing”
“unknown people with no direct contact is better and more relaxed”
“family members would be distracting as I may need to behave differently”.
“non-addicts may give a perspective and learn how it feels”

• Level of anonymity as key motivation
• Ex.1: Identifiable by the system only, by the moderator or by peers
• Ex.2: Identifiable through real identity or pseudonym
• Addiction theme as an important aspect in deciding the suitable levels of privacy
• Anonymity vs. visibility.
• Visibility as a persuasive feature to inspire trust
• Lack of having a particular trend in electing moderators
• Element of FUN by Gamification was paradox.
• Collective competitions instead of individual competition

Conclusions and
future work

 We explored different aspects of online peer groups and demonstrated its
prominent persuasive considerations
 Adaptation for heavy addicts would be a very challenging
 Challenges for requirements engineering practices
 How social norms operate in these systems is still unknown
 Using simple metrics would provide misleading assertions
 So, measurement models should consider the psychological research on the
addiction severity based on clinical criteria, such as salience, conflict and
relapse
 Biased decisions in the process of online peer groups configuration

“If I knew that this
game could have
become so addictive, I
would have become a
lot more wary of it. I
would not have bought
it, or I would have left
it until I was on
holiday or until the
New Year holidays,” a
statement from the
man read.

• We would like to thank:
• Asad Khan and Yasmeen Abdalla for their valuable
contributions in conducting the focus group and diary studies
in the early stages of this research.
• The research is supported by:

Thank you
malmaliki@bournemouth.ac.uk Persuasive Technology, Salzburg, Austria, 5-7 April, 2016

The design of software based peer groups to combat digital addiction

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