One of the first virtual therapists was the Eliza program built by Joseph Weizenbaum in the 1960s. The digital world has changed a lot since Eliza. Linguistic control has largely been replaced by graphical representations and interaction devices that allow a large part of the population to interact with computers. The internet and mobile technology bring computers and people around the world together, at any day and at any time. And, nowadays computers support a wide variety of mental tasks in different domains, such as decision making and the simulation of virtual worlds. Computers can even take on social roles like a coach or teacher. What would Weizenbaum's therapist look like if we made use of all this new technology?
In this course we study how new interaction methods contribute to the field of persuasive technology. In particular, we look at applications that are intended to change people's behavior. A simple example is the alarm clock that wakes us up in the morning, but also think of the support technologies can offer with behavioral therapies or coaching programs aimed at behavior change. Concepts such as "social agents", "relationships", "autonomy" and "trust" play a role in this. We study not only the technological components that make it possible to incorporate such properties in technologies, but also the psychological and communication models that underlie (the resistance to) behavioral change and the ethical and social aspects that can play a role in this.