Persuasive technology is interactive computing systems designed to change user behaviors to desired one in different application domains and it cannot be successful without effective utilization of persuasive strategies. Fogg’s model provides a clear guideline in that motivation, ability and triggers should be provided for users to walk across the action line. The shape of the action line, however, implies persuasive strategies aiming for motivations or abilities repetitively may not work. Previous research demonstrated that persuasive strategies could be successfully applied to improve energy conservation, but there was also evidence implying that inappropriate combination of persuasive strategies might cause negative effects. The current study attempted to investigate this potential negative effect based on Fogg’s theoretical framework and to relate components in Fogg’s model to the well-established technology acceptance model (TAM).
A pilot framework was proposed to deal with difficulties in conducting energy conservation experiment in realistic settings and to enable the investigation to be done in the laboratory with limited resource and time. The proposed experimental framework included construction of user scenarios which account for familiarizing naïve participants with a background of intended users and development of user interface prototypes which simulate information dashboards used for energy conservation. Behind the prototypes algorithms for calculating energy consumption and a virtual Life Quality Index (LQI) were designed to not only provide experimental participants realistic feedback about their performance in energy consumption but also a mechanism to balance their energy use with life quality, a state that is desired in reality but difficult to achieve in simulation, so that comfort and convenience would not be sacrifice too much and traded for excessive energy consumption.
Four specific prototypes were developed based on the framework and different combinations of three persuasive strategies, historical comparison (HC), Monetary Units (MU), Appliance Breakdown (AB), were applied to them. Energy conservation comparing to given historical records and assumed ideal performance was collected and analyzed from 16 participants using these prototypes. Their behaviors in setting parameters on the interface as well as subjective responses collected through a questionnaire according to a modified TAM were also recorded and processed.
The results showed that participants using a prototype combined HC and AB strategies (Prototype 3) were able to have comparable energy consumption performance with the one with HC only (Prototype 1) and the one with HC and MU (Prototype 2), without sacrificing too much LQI as participants using Prototype 4 (the one with all three strategies) did. The Prototype 3 was also the one which received comparable subjective appraisers in terms of ability, satisfaction, and usefulness in questionnaires as Prototype 4 did. In contrast, Prototype 2 which was equipped with also 2 strategies did not rate as well as Prototype 3 but considered inferior in ability, satisfaction and intention to use. As for the modified TAM, correlational results also confirmed ability was linked with perceived usefulness while motivation was associated with attitude. The frustration assumed to be responsible for the negative effect of combing HC and MU was not found and its relation to the intention of use was not supported (it affected satisfaction, though).
The current study proposed a workable model for future study to conduct simulation for energy conservation behaviors and inspired several theoretical topics for future research such as possible sources for negative effects, the effectiveness of combining persuasive strategies in the same dimension based on Fogg’s model, and the integration of TAM with the Fogg’s model.

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