Healthy persuasion: web sites that you can trust

摘要

Health websites are an abundant and frequently used source of information and advice. How are users of such sites persuaded to trust the advice they read and to act upon it? In this short paper we outline a model of trust in online health advice and highlight the key features in relation to both traditional web 1.0 websites and web 2.0 health sites. Findings from two recent studies are reviewed to provide examples of the ways in which persuasive technology is influencing health behaviour in complex and subtle ways.