Persuasive Technology

Technology designed to change users' attitudes or behaviours through persuasion and social influence rather than coercion. In health and wellness contexts, persuasive technologies use strategies such as goal-setting, self-monitoring, reminders, social comparison, and rewards to encourage behaviours like physical activity, medication adherence, or healthy eating. For accessibility, persuasive technology raises important considerations: many such systems assume a level of digital literacy, cognitive capacity, or sensory ability that excludes disabled people and older adults. Research has shown that persuasive health technologies are poorly aligned with the needs of older adults and people with disabilities, who are seldom involved in their design and evaluation. Accessible persuasive technology must account for diverse user needs, avoid patronising or coercive design patterns, and support user autonomy in decision-making.