We live in an environment surrounded by computers. They are used as a persuasive tool to change people’s thoughts and behaviors. In addition, Ambient Intelligence Environment is also utilized to persuade people in that environment in a stronger and more intelligent manner. Relying on various context sensing and network infrastructure, we are able to know the context a person is situated in and understand the overall information, thereby leading us to intervene and persuade just at the right time and in the right place. However, continuation of these diverse and complex persuasions can cause problems in our daily lives. The intervention and persuasion that the technology brings forth can be annoying as they occur continuously throughout the day, requiring immediate actions to take place repeatedly. Furthermore, these persuasions become bothersome obstacles while the user is working on a task. In order to overcome this problem, we propose a new approach for persuasion, namely, Calm Persuasion that could greatly reduce the cognitive load on the users and at the same time change the users’ behavior and thoughts in a natural manner. In order to demonstrate the potential of Calm Persuasion, we designed a set of new devices applying this approach, through which we target to help people overcoming their nervous habit. To define the concept of Calm Persuasion, we looked at some cases on how it is being used in certain areas of our daily lives. Based on these factors, we developed three design strategies: 1) continuous & repetitive, 2) unobtrusive and 3) indirect for Calm Persuasion. To apply the design strategies of the Calm Persuasion in effectively changing the behavior and thinking of the users, we chose the area of behavior therapy especially for treating habits.
We have presented the design and user study of our system to change user`s nervous habit with Calm Persuasion. The prototypes that are used in this research are composed of 4 components. Those are designed with manner of unobtrusive and indirect. We devised the ordinary products like a cushion, a clock, and a calendar for delivering the calm persuasion. The Habit Detector that detects the distance between the hand and the face, counting the number of times the user’s hand comes close to the face without requiring any attention from users. There is the Warmth Cushion that reminds of the occurrence of the problematic behavior by using heat as feedback and it allows keeping it private. There is the History Clock that provides the information of the occurrence frequency of the habit and time through the gentle lights. There is the Encouragement Calendar that provides social support which is important role of behavior therapy to modify behavior.
To test the effectiveness of our prototype, we recruited 3 people who have had nervous habits of biting finger-nails and/or curling hair for at least 4~5 years. For each user, totally about 10 days of time were given for experimentation. After the use of the prototypes for 10 days, we visited them again. In this second visit, we performed a debriefing interview regarding their experience of using these prototypes. All the users were required to spend 4 to 5 hours after school or after work in wearing the Habit Detector, and they all confirmed of keeping this usage length requirement. After 2 weeks of testing, two user’s fingernails were in a good shape and well grown. Condition of the other user’s fingernails was not looking the best. And we found interesting insight. Our system naturally enabled the users to recognize how they are doing on the habit by themselves. And through the test, we also realized that there has to be a prerequisite that has to be met for Calm Persuasion to be effective. When people have the will for modification and need some help to be successful, our Calm Persuasion approach may be the starting point for it.
Our study confirms that Calm Persuasion works well in our daily lives. For further research, we plan to con-duct an extended period of user studies through which we may be able to discover more effects of Calm Per-suasion. In addition, this case of dealing with habits is one possible domain for Calm Persuasion. We will also explore the effects of Calm Persuasion in other possible domains.
앰비언트 인텔리전트 환경에서 설득적 기술이 가지는 인지적 개입과 설득에 인간들은 둘러싸여 다양한 설득과 집중, 그리고 의사결정을 반복적으로 요구받게 됨에 따라 점차 사람들은 이러한 설득적 개입에 대한 반감이 발생한다. 이런 설득들은 기존의 진행되고 있는 작업과 집중에 방해된다. 본 연구는 인지적 부담을 최소화 하는 새로운 접근인 은근한 설득의 개념을 규명하고, 이를 토대로 은근한 설득을 적용한 신경성 습관 수정 시스템을 디자인하고 평가하였다. 자연스러우며 부담되지 않는 은근한 설득의 개념을 명확히 규명하기 위해 일상 가운데 이와 비슷한 개념의 활용 사례와 설득의 방법들과 설득적 기술에서 활용된 은근한 설득의 개념과 유사한 사례의 속성을 정리하였다.
이를 토대로 은근한 설득을 위한 1) 지속적이며 반복적인, 2) 방해가 되지 않는, 3) 간접적인과 같은 세 가지 디자인 전략을 설정하였다. 문헌적 연구를 바탕으로 은근한 설득이 적용 가능한 도메인인 신경성 습관을 도출하여 이를 위한 신경성 습관 수정 시스템을 디자인하였다. 신경성 습관 수정 시스템은 4가지 제품으로 구성되었다. 손과 얼굴 사이의 거리를 지속적으로 측정하여 습관의 발생여부를 측정하는 습관 감지기, 온열을 통해 습관발생 여부를 실시간 제공하는 온열 방석, 습관 발생의 빈도와 시간적 정보를 제공하는 히스토리 시계, 사회적 지지를 통해 습관 수정을 돕는 격려 달력으로 이루어졌다. 새롭게 디자인한 시스템을 실제 습관 소지자 세 명을 대상으로 10일 간의 각 가정에 설치하여 이를 평가하였으며 최종적으로 1명이 완벽한 신경성 습관의 수정을 이루는 결과를 얻었다. 또한 인터뷰를 기반으로 한 정성적 평가를 통하여 본 시스템이 제안하는 설득에 대해 자연스러우며 반감 없는 설득 방법이었다는 결과를 얻었으며 최종적으로 은근한 설득 개념이 활용된 부드러운 설득을 통하여 자연스러운 습관 변화의 결과를 가져왔다.
