Seminar: The Psychology of Persuasive Technology 04/05/2026
On May 4, Dr. Jaap Ham of Eindhoven University of Technology will present the seminar "The Psychology of Persuasive Technology". The talk takes place at 10:30 a.m. in Amphitheater AM (Mechanics II Building). Introduction and debate moderated by Manuel Heitor.
Short description:
Many societal problems necessitate changes in human behavior and thinking, as only changing technology is not enough. As it often is in the interaction with technology that consequences of using the technology are shaped, Behavior Change Support Systems, or Persuasive Technology, can help people make these changes.
In this talk, Dr. Jaap Ham will present research on studying how persuasive technology can influence users, and how such behavior change support systems can be personalized to the specific characteristics of users and use situations. Also, he will present a first study of how users might defend themselves against influencing attempts by technology.
Short Bio:
Jaap Ham is an Associate Professor in the Industrial Engineering & Innovation Sciences at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). His research ambition is to be leading in the field of (Ambient) Persuasive Technology, studying the basic and applied mechanisms of how technology can influence people. In his research, Jaap focuses on ambient forms of technology (such as lighting and behavior change in Virtual Reality) and social forms of technology (such as social robots) to influence people with, and on influencing two kinds of behavior: health behavior (for example exercise behavior, medication adherence) and sustainability (energy conservation, littering, etc.).
The aim of dr. Ham’s research is to rigorously answer theory-driven and problem-driven questions, preferably in applied settings, contributing to creating effective applications. He studies these questions in a team of researchers with interdisciplinary backgrounds, and in close collaboration with industry (such as Philips Research, DAF, Smart Homes, Enversed). Jaap enjoys working in continuously changing, creative environments, investigating commercially interesting, effective solutions for societal problems and has set up a large (international) network of researchers and innovators from industry and academia.
