Download Neural persuasion - University of Phoenix Research

Neural persuasion: A persuasion
model for technologically
structured individuals
Susan Shepherd Ferebee
Kaplan University
James W. Davis
University of Phoenix
Presented at Persuasive 2011, Ohio State University
Neuroscience Breakthrough
How we understand learning, social connection, and
decision-making is changing as breakthroughs in
neuroscience allow scientists to view and measure how
brain neurons respond and how they are altered in
response to stimuli.
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) is the
tool used to view these changes in the brain
(Churchland, 2008; Ramachandran, 2011; Wang,
Conner, Rickert, & Tuszynski, 2011)
Functional MRI machines
sense or measure changes
in the local magnetic field
that happen because of
changes in the ratio of
deoxygenated to
oxygenated hemoglobin in
arterial blood vessels
within precise brain
regions during some
cognitive task.
Active neurons within the
brain require energy and
use more oxygen than nonactive neurons. They get
the increased oxygen from
an increased blood flow.

What is fMRI
fMRI Example
Subjects told to look
at and remember a
face
Occipital Lobe Visual Processing
Subjects told to think
about the face later
Hippocampus – Memory
Area
Frontal Lobe –
Decision Making Area
Occipital Lobe - Visual
Processing
Subjects told to compare another
face to the remembered face
06/03/11
fMRI – Another Example
Reading out loud
Reading out load
Normal male subject
Dyslexic male subject
Abnormal or unexpected
area of activity
fMRI Shows Generational
Differences in the Brain
Individuals born after 1982 respond to stimuli
differently than other age groups and show
brain activity in different regions of the brain
due to their technology exposure and use
(Green, C.S., Pouget, A., & Bavelier, D., 2010;
Kawashima, 2005; Small & Vorgan, 2009)
Technologically Structured
Individuals (TSI)
We identify these people born after 1982 as
technologically structured individuals (TSI), referring to
their altered brain structure related to intense technology
exposure.
The frequency and proportion of information received from nonhuman sources alters the neural assemblies in permanent ways
and It is this alteration that sets the TSI apart from others (Small
& Vorgan 2009).
The Need for a Persuasion Model
for TSIs
Significantly different brain structure, brain
activity, and neuron development that has been
scientifically documented with regard to TSI
suggests new ways to look at persuasion and
persuasive technology.
Factors of TSI Persuasion
We propose that the intense use of technology
and the related changes to brain structure and
activity suggest differences in several areas
relevant to persuasion:
reward and decision-making
1.
control
2.
habituation
3.
time pressure
4.
Reward and Decision-Making
Decision made for instant gratification engages the brain’s limbic system
(emotional brain – emotion, fear, memory, hunger) (Small and Vorgan, 2009)
Decision to put off reward requires engaging the frontal lobe and parietal cortex
(Small & Vorgan, 2009).
TSI Brain – Reduced Frontal Lobe
Activity
Sustained decrease in brain activity in the
frontal lobe during and after video games and
multitasking with technology (Matsuda &
Hinake, 2006; Mori, 2002; Small & Vorgan,
2009).
Frontal Lobe
Frontal Lobe
Non game player
Playing video game
Habitual game player
Playing video game
Non game player
Performing Go-NoGo
Decision
Habitual game player
Performing Go-NoGo
Decision
Mathews, Wang, Lowe, Lurito, Dzemidzic, Kronenberger, Dunn, & Phillips (2006).
Frontal Lobe
Frontal Lobe
Non game player
Playing video game
Habitual game player
Playing video game
Non game player
Performing Go-NoGo
Decision
Habitual game player
Performing Go-NoGo
Decision
Mathews, Wang, Lowe, Lurito, Dzemidzic, Kronenberger, Dunn, & Phillips (2006).
The question we have to ask is
whether decision-making is
impaired for TSIs or if decisionmaking occurs differently by TSIs.
Two Research Tracks
fMRI Research (Matsuda & Hinake, 2006;
Mori, 2002; Small & Vorgan, 2009; Kawashimam
2005)

Demonstrates brain activity
during action video game playing



Reaction Time/Accuracy
Research (Green, Pouget, and Bavelier (2010))

No frontal lobe activity
during action video game
playing
Occipital lobe (Visual) and
Cerebellum (motor) activity
only
Frontal lobe activity not
present for game players
when making decisons

Shows experienced video game
players (age 18-24) have an
increase in making more rapid
and accurate real-world
decisions over non video game
players
Non video game players trained
with 50 hours of action video
game playing, shows same
increase in making faster,
accurate decisions, including
probabilistic inference decisions.
How is Decision-Making different
for TSI?
Green, Pouget, and Bavelier (2010) explain this more rapid decisionmaking as occurring because the game players have increased
efficiency for processing audio and visual information.
Since they process the input faster, they make faster decisions.
The two research tracks when viewed together support that decisionmaking for TSIs is effective, but may occur in different ways, using
different parts of the brain, than how decisions are made by non-TSIs.
Habituation
Habituation and TSIs
Randomly occurring rewards have been found to have the highest
motivational value, and this type of randomness is supported
through Internet interactions like email and text messaging (Small &
Vorgan). These types of interactions are common for the TSI,
individual is unsure what they will see in their email, so they keep
checking, hoping that they will have a reward of good news of some
sort.
TSIs are more attuned to this type of random positive reward and this
suggests that a positive result from use of random positive reward
will occur with TSIs. It will be familiar to them and might allow habits
to form more quickly.
Control
Control
What is the TSI accustomed to:
Digital technology responds instantly to commands.
Immediate access to large amounts of data (instant
gratification)
Time Pressure
How Do TSIs Respond to Time
Pressure?
While nothing in the literature particularly addresses how a TSI might
respond to time pressure, their neural circuitry supports a tendency
toward instant gratification and fast information processing which
leads to rapid decision-making,
The TSI might be more accepting of time pressure as they process
information quickly anyway.
New Persuasion Model
We support the perspective that because TSIs have
instant access to information and very large stores of
information memories, they rely less on logical
thought process and more on rapid information
filtering and processing.
.
New Persuasion Model
Additionally, we suggest that for the TSIs, long term
planning may not be a priority
Part of the information TSIs have access to informs them
that they live in a complex, rapidly changing world.
Perhaps many short-term decisions that continually
respond to changes in the environment are better suited to
the TSI’s world.