Conceptual frameworks for designing and evaluating persuasive messages aimed at changing behavior: Systematic review

Abstract

Effective persuasive messages are indispensable when it comes to using technology to motivate behavior change. However, no scoping or systematic review has explored the landscape of using conceptual frameworks to design and evaluate persuasive messages for effective persuasive communication in different domains. The primary aim of this review is to map published articles on conceptual frameworks that aid effective persuasive message design and evaluation in technology-driven interventions with a view to uncovering their potential and unfilled research gaps. The secondary aim is to uncover how persuasive message design and evaluation frameworks have been applied to address behavior change using the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals as an analytical lens. Our results show that about three-quarter of the articles on persuasive message design and evaluation frameworks were published in the last decade. While the reviewed user studies were not longitudinal, the presented frameworks show strong promise in fostering behavior change among the target audiences if implemented correctly. However, there is a need to (1) conduct more research among underrepresented groups (e.g., in lower-to-middle-income countries in Africa, South America, and Asia) and in unexplored domains related to other United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals other than Good Health and Wellbeing; and (2) move away from ad hoc design principles, use of only behavior theories, and non-use of validated frameworks towards using established behavioral theory-driven frameworks to design and evaluate persuasive messages to make them more effective.