Mauricio,
Your work is fascinating. I look forward to learning more via a "google
scholar alert" of your work. :-)
I agree that it seems most of the current work in BE is based on laboratory
conditions and not real life situations. I see this as a necessary first
step. Real life situations are far more complex. Starting this in the "lab"
is a perfectly reasonable way to kick things off. I liken it to studying
atoms: such study cannot directly inform how I-beams bend or how birds fly,
but they can eventually be used as the foundation of other models and
theories that can explain those more complex things.
It's disappointing to see the results of BE being applied prematurely, but
that's quite the norm these days, isn't it? All we can do is keep pointing
out the flaws and hope that the premature failures don't end up reflecting
poorly on BE itself.
\V/_
Filippo A. Salustri, PhD, PEng
http://deseng.ryerson.ca/~fil
On Feb 26, 2017 10:12 PM, "G. Mauricio Mejía" <
[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Dear Don and Fil,
I have been interested in the application of behavioral economics applied
in design. There is an increasing number of people trying to apply evidence
from this field to design artifacts/systems that change behavior. I am
working on two design research projects exploring Kahneman’s thinking
systems and how to design to support healthy behaviors. The evidence of BE
is largely based on experimental methods in, as Don said, “artificial
situations, presented out of context.”
For example, I read recently this typical BE study:
http://annals.org/aim/article/2491916/framing-financial-
incentives-increase-physical-activity-among-overweight-obese-adults
It shows how framing financial incentive makes people exercise more, which
seems amazing. But after the intervention, there is no effect maintenance.
I think these studies try naively to do lab type studies in the real world.
In my opinion, these interventions fail because they ignore that we people
interact in a complex environment.
In my current project, we decided to collect mixed data while iterating in
mobile app prototypes. Our design decision making is informed by BE and
other theories of behavior change, but we are ideating/prototyping/testing
continuously, the goal is to refine a system that accounts for multiple
cognitive and emotional situations. We are not able to register the study
in clinicaltrials.gov, but will (hopefully) get better findings and
insights to report.
Don, in your Fast Company article you said:
“For centuries, technologists have placed the needs of machines over those
of people, forcing people to act like machines. Then when people turn out
to do these things badly, people are blamed. They are criticized for lack
of attention, for being distracted. No: It is the technologists who should
be criticized for forcing us to act in ways that are inhuman. It is time we
regain our rightful place.”
In health, the issue is similar at a huge scale. We have built cities,
workplaces, schools, malls, etc… that force us to act unhealthy. I keep
questioning myself how design can contribute to solving our complex health
challenges.
Thanks.
--
G. Mauricio Mejía, PhD
Associate professor and PhD in Design and Creation program director
Universidad de Caldas, Colombia
Deputy director ISEA2017 Manizales
https://co.linkedin.com/in/gmmejia
@mmejiaramirez <http://twitter.com/mmejiaramirez>
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