(ongoing)

Self-shaping is not a new idea.  Many theorists, academics, productivity gurus, and lay people have discussed it and related ideas.  Here I will try to touch upon all the related work. Each of these sub-headings will have an explanation underneath it.  For now it's a laundry list. If you are working in this area please let us know so we can add your work or please contribute it to this list!

 

Behaviorism

Here is where the text goes.

 

Behavioral economics

A "branch of economic and financial analysis using social, cognitive and emotional factors in understanding the economic decisions of consumers, borrowers and investors" (Wikipedia).

 

Behavioral feedback

A standard term, this is feedback about the quality/effect of one's behavior.

 

Captology

"Computers As Persuasive Technology" = CAPTology.  Using computing technologies to change attitude, behavior, worldview, mindset.

B. J. Fogg: Captology: The Study of Computers as Persuasive Technologies. CHI Extended Abstracts 1997: 129

 

Cybernetic systems theory

Here is where the text goes.

 

Default bias

Coming soon.

Design with intent

A great wiki for designers who want to study the shaping of behavior.

 

Fogg behavior model

Enter text here.

 

Goal-guidance model of self-regulation

"In their goal-guidance model, goal adoption sets the stage for self-directed change; implementation strategies convert goals into productive actions; and maintenance strategies help to sustain achieved behavioral changes" (Bandura, 2005).

Maes and Karoly

 

Life hacks

"Hacks are often a way of cutting through an apparently complex system with a really simple, nonobvious fix. That given, part of a talent for being organised means that you develop a bunch of shortcuts and tricks to make your life easier. The trick to finding an organizing system is to find something that works okay for you, and then stop." The man who coined the term does an interview here.

 

Lifehacker

The amazing blog!

 

Measurement feedback

As distinguished "behavioral feedback", this is feedback that one did an action. It is a lower level than a "behavior" - it is a specific instance and doesn't evaluate the action as good or bad. An example is saying "you wore the pedometer for 8h this week". It doesn't say how many steps or whether or not that number is high or low.

(I wrote this until I find out if there is a standard name for such a type of feedback.)

 

Mere measurement effect

(from Marily)

 

Proximal goals

These differ from traditional, long-term, goals (which have their place).

 

Quantified self

A regular gathering of people in local chapters around collecting novel data sources and making them quantifiable then showing the person in question that information.  "Know thyself" has emerged as the guiding principle.  Started by Kevin Kelly and Gary Wolf of Wired Magazine.

 

Motivational interviewing

Real change comes from within.  In the context of a meeting with a doctor, the doctor and patient should co-create a treatment together with the patient's behavior as a kind of 3rd party that they can help analyze together.  All about it here.

 

Personal informatics

Ian Li's work.

"Personal Informatics is a class of applications that help people collect personally relevant information for the purpose of self-reflection and gaining self-knowledge." (Ian Li)

 

Persuasive technology

Fill in later.

B. J. Fogg: Persuasive Computers: Perspectives and Research Directions. CHI 1998: 225-232

B. J. Fogg: Persuasive Technologies - Introduction. Commun. ACM 42(5): 26-29 (1999)

 

Positive illusions

We over-estimate ourselves.  Everybody is "above average".

 

Self-efficacy

"the belief that one is capable of performing in a certain manner to attain certain goals,[1] as a person’s belief about their capabilities to produce designated levels of performance that exercise influence over events that affect their lives" (Wikipedia). Self-efficacy can be "developed in four ways: (1) through mastery experiences, (2) social modeling, (3) social persuasion, and (4) construal of physical and emotional states. The most effective way is instilling a strong sense of efficacy is through master experiences" (Bandura, 2006).

(Bandura, 1997)

 

Self-management

Self-management education programs in health care "emphasize the patients' central role in managing their illness."

(Lorig, 1999)

 

Self-determination theory

"macro theory of human motivation and personality, concerning peoples' inherent growth tendencies and their innate psychological needs. It is concerned with the motivation behind the choices that people make without any external influence and interference. SDT focuses on the degree to which an individual’s behavior is self-motivated and self-determined." (Wikipedia)

(Ryan and Deci, 2000)

 

Self-incentives

One view is that they are "proxy cues for external rewards" (Bandura, 1981).

(Bandura, 1981)?

 

Self-management

A study by Haskell showed that medical care doesn't really last; that promoting self-management is what lasts over time.

 

Self-management systems

These are systems that help people manage their own productive behaviors.  "...the level and type of interactive guidance is tailored to people’s self-efficacy beliefs, self-management capabilities, and motivational preparedness to achieve desired changes. The first level includes people with a high sense of efficacy and positive outcome expectations for behavior change. Individuals at the second level have self-doubts about their efficacy and the likely benefits of their efforts. Individuals at the third level believe that their health habits are beyond their personal control, they are convinced of the futility of effort, and are highly skeptical of the value of behavioral changes" (Bandura, 2005).