In this presentation for SXSW Interactive, I outline 5 key psychological principles for persuasive product designs, and discuss the ethical implications for implementing these. Joining me on the panel were best-selling authors Roger Dooley and Nir Eyal.

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DESIGNING
FOR THE MIND
ETHICS OF PERSUASION
And

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DOWNLOAD THE SLIDES
bit.ly/persuasion_ethics

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1 Introduction
2 Persuasive copy
3 Engaging images
4 Viral videos
5 Key takeaways
TODAY’S TALK
@THEWEBPSYCHTHE WEB PSYCHOLOGIST
INTRODUCTION

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NATHALIE NAHAI
@NathalieNahai
TheWebPsychologist.com

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WEBS OF INFLUENCE
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF ONLINE PERSUASION
Pearson, 2012
UK | EU | USA | KOREA | JAPAN | CHINA

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WEB PSYCHOLOGY
I coined the term ‘Web Psychology’
in 2011 and defined it as…

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WEB PSYCHOLOGY
“ ”
The empirical study of how
our online environments influence
our attitudes and behaviours

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HOW IT HELPS YOU
Web Psychology is a psychological toolkit
that will help you design more persuasive
websites, apps, and user experiences

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WEBPSYCHOLOGY
HCI
neuro-
aesthetics
user
experience
social
psychology
cognitive
psychology
neuroscience
cross-cultural
psychology
behavioural
economics
persuasive
technology
personality
psychology
digital
humanities
marketing

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1 Introduction
2 Persuasive copy
3 Engaging images
4 Viral videos
5 Key takeaways
TODAY’S TALK
@THEWEBPSYCHTHE WEB PSYCHOLOGIST
3 SECRETS TO ONLINE SUCCESS

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1 Know who you’re targeting

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1 Know who you’re targeting
2 Communicate persuasively

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1 Know who you’re targeting
2 Communicate persuasively
3 Sell with integrity

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1 Know who you’re targeting
2 Communicate persuasively
3 Sell with integrity

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1 Introduction
2 Persuasive copy
3 Engaging images
4 Viral videos
5 Key takeaways
TODAY’S TALK
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PERSUASIVE PRODUCTS

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Q
Before we start let’s take a quick quiz

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1
Do you ever feel preoccupied
with the internet?

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2
Do you feel restless, moody,
depressed, or irritable when
attempting to cut down?

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3
Do you stay online longer
than originally intended?

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Have you lied to family and
friends to conceal the extent
of your internet use?
4

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Do you use the internet as
a way of escaping from
problems or relieving a
dysphoric mood?
(helplessness, guilt, anxiety, depression)
5

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HIDDEN PERSUADERS

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HIDDEN PERSUADERS
The reason we’ve all had these
kinds of experiences is because we’re
being persuaded all the time

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HIDDEN PERSUADERS
1 Hedonic adaption hacks

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HIDDEN PERSUADERS
1 Hedonic adaption hacks
2 Endowed progress

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LOYALTY CARD
vs
Nunes, J. C., & Drèze, X. (2006). The endowed progress effect: How artificial advancement increases effort. Journal of Consumer Research,
32(4), 504-512.

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HIDDEN PERSUADERS
1 Opportunity costs
2 Hedonic adaption hacks
3 Endowed progress
4 Arousal & social validation

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HIDDEN PERSUADERS
1 Hedonic adaption hacks
2 Endowed progress
3 Arousal & social validation
4 Variable rewards

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HIDDEN PERSUADERS
1 Hedonic adaption hacks
2 Endowed progress
3 Arousal & social validation
4 Variable rewards
5 Dopamine loops

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HIDDEN PERSUADERS
We’re constantly being bombarded

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ARE WE ADDICTED?

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THE QUIZ
Diagnostic Questionnaire for internet addiction

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THE QUIZ
Q: When do you think it came out?

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THE QUIZ
Q: When do you think it came out?
A: Before twitter, Facebook, Whatsapp…

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THE QUIZ
Q: When do you think it came out?
A: In 1998
Young, K. S. (1998). Internet addiction: The emergence of a new clinical disorder. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 1(3), 237-244.

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Folks, the research is in

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INTERNET (APP) USE
Nielsen (2014). Tech-or-treat: Consumers are sweet on mobile apps, Q3 2014 Report.
http://acnielsen.Co.Uk/us/en/insights/news/2014/tech-or-treat-consumers-are-sweet-on-mobile-apps.Html

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And there’s an unseen impact

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IMPACT
1 Mood
Facebook research1,2, FOMO3

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IMPACT
1 Mood
Facebook research1,2, FOMO3
2 Relationships
Facebook jealousy4, phone stacking5, emotional cues6

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IMPACT
1 Mood
Facebook research1,2, FOMO3
2 Relationships
Facebook jealousy4, phone stacking5, emotional cues6
3 Sex life
Disruptive checking habits7

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THE RESULT?
Growing media attention & push-back:

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THE RESULT?
Growing media attention & push-back:
• Blackout productivity apps

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THE RESULT?
Growing media attention & push-back:
• Blackout productivity apps
• Blackout vacations

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THE RESULT?
Growing media attention & push-back:
• Blackout productivity apps
• Blackout vacations
• Tracker- and ad-blocking software

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So where does that leave us?

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ETHICS
As designers, we have to decide
whether and in what way to use these
ethically in our product design

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BUT
How on earth do we decide?

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RISK / REWARD
• Easier to take immediate risk for short-term
rewards

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RISK / REWARD
• Easier to take immediate risk for short-term
rewards
• Leverage heuristics with (e.g.) dark patterns

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RISK / REWARD
• Easier to take immediate risk for short-term
rewards
• Leverage heuristics with (e.g.) dark patterns
• Blackhat practices

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BALANCE
• Short term vs. long term success

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BALANCE
• Short term vs. long term success
• Build trust to secure & increase sales

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BALANCE
• Short term vs. long term success
• Build trust to secure & increase sales
• Build advocacy to boost brand salience

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BUT
There’s one crucial point we’re forgetting…

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WE ARE THE USER

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WHERE DO YOU SIT?

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WHERE DO YOU SIT?
Facilitation

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WHERE DO YOU SIT?
Facilitation Coercion

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Empower

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Empower vs

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EnslaveEmpower vs

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INTENTION
The difference between
persuasion and manipulation is intent
Robin Dreeke, Head of the Behavioural Analysis Unit, FBI
“ ”

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THE SILVER RULE
Do not do unto others what you
would not have them do unto you
Hillel the Elder in Talmud: Shabbat 31a
“ ”

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As designers…

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You are both the
ARCHITECTS & THE USERS
of our future tech

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WHAT KIND OF WORLD
do you want to build?

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REFERENCES & FURTHER READING
1 Meyer, R. (2014). Everything We Know About Facebook's Secret Mood Manipulation Experiment. The Atlantic, June 28th:
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/06/everything-we-know-about-facebooks-secret-mood-manipulation-
experiment/373648/
2 Horn, L. Study Finds Chemical Reason Behind Facebook 'Addiction'. PC Mag (2012). Available from
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2400011,00.asp (retrieved 17th February 2015)
3 Przybylski, A. K., Murayama, K., DeHaan, C. R., & Gladwell, V. (2013). Motivational, emotional, and behavioral correlates of fear of
missing out. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(4), 1841-1848.
4 Muise, A., Christofides, E., & Desmarais, S. (2009). More information than you ever wanted: Does Facebook bring out the green-
eyed monster of jealousy? CyberPsychology & Behavior, 12(4), 441-444.
5 Przybylski, A. K., & Weinstein, N. (2013). Can you connect with me now? How the presence of mobile communication technology
influences face-to-face conversation quality. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 30(3), 237-246.
6 Bavelier, D., Green, C. S., & Dye, M. W. (2010). Children, wired: for better and for worse. Neuron, 67(5), 692-701
7 Harris Interactive (2013). Mobile Consumer Habits Study. Available from:
http://pages.jumio.com/rs/jumio/images/Jumio%20-%20Mobile%20Consumer%20Habits%20Study-2.pdf (retrieved 13th March 2015)

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Get in touch.
ANY QUESTIONS?
@NathalieNahai
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