Abstract
Feedback from digital technology has often been used to support people in changing undesired, unhealthy habits. As yet, there has been little research into the efficacy of these designs. In my PhD project, I evaluated the acceptance, sustained use, and effect of four designs that provide feedback on undesired habitual behaviour through digital technology. Findings are that the disruptive effect of feedback on undesired habits has been proven, and there is some evidence that feedback may have a lasting effect on behavioural change. (Sustained) use of digital designs that provide feedback is moderated by motivation, age, goal-related aspects, and user experience. The necessity of high motivation to use a device poses challenges for the acceptance of and sustained engagement with designs for behaviour change that rely on feedback. Further challenges concern privacy and the quality of the evaluations of our designs.
Keywords
feedback; digital devices; behaviour change; health behaviour
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2018.306
Citation
Hermsen, S. (2018) Does Feedback from This Device Change Unhealthy habits? Lessons from my PhD project, in Storni, C., Leahy, K., McMahon, M., Lloyd, P. and Bohemia, E. (eds.), Design as a catalyst for change - DRS International Conference 2018, 25-28 June, Limerick, Ireland. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2018.306
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Does Feedback from This Device Change Unhealthy habits? Lessons from my PhD project
Feedback from digital technology has often been used to support people in changing undesired, unhealthy habits. As yet, there has been little research into the efficacy of these designs. In my PhD project, I evaluated the acceptance, sustained use, and effect of four designs that provide feedback on undesired habitual behaviour through digital technology. Findings are that the disruptive effect of feedback on undesired habits has been proven, and there is some evidence that feedback may have a lasting effect on behavioural change. (Sustained) use of digital designs that provide feedback is moderated by motivation, age, goal-related aspects, and user experience. The necessity of high motivation to use a device poses challenges for the acceptance of and sustained engagement with designs for behaviour change that rely on feedback. Further challenges concern privacy and the quality of the evaluations of our designs.