Video Games and Virtual Reality as Persuasive Technologies for Health Care: An Overview

Over the last two decades, persuasive technology has gained much of interest and attention. One of the major disciplines of focus for persuasive technology is health care. The vast majority of persuasive technologies for health care are predominantly based on web and mobile platforms. Nevertheless, video games and virtual reality are recognized as effective persuasive platforms, as computer simulation is a platform for enabling users to observe the immediate and long term relationships between cause and effect. As such, the use of these persuasive technologies, can potentially facilitate change in a person’s attitudes or behaviors. This paper considers persuasive technology in the form of video games and virtual reality as a means to change attitudes and/or behaviors in the area of health care. The role of these types of computer simulation, their advantages and challenges, along with the incorporation of persuasive strategies in the design of such interactive simulations are discussed in relation to health care.