How We Created this Book
This book expands on a 2008 course BJ Fogg taught at Stanford
University,
entitled “Psychology of Facebook.” When planning the
course, BJ Fogg invited people outside campus to join
us. Many people did, either attending in person or
watching the class live online.
A major course goal was to help participants become experts
on some aspect of the psychology of Facebook. Students
could select whatever topic they wished, and BJ Fogg would
help them. Because his work focuses on the psychology of
persuasion, Fogg
encouraged the students to select topics that would give
insight into how Facebook is a platform for changing
attitudes and behaviors. This focus includes how
persuasion takes place among friends on Facebook and
persuasion tactics designed by Facebook, Inc.
Facebook’s huge success is directly linked to its ability
to persuade users. In Fogg’s view, the best way to understand Facebook
is to explore how this service is a platform for
motivating and persuading people. No other perspective
gives such insight into what makes Facebook tick. In
other words, the psychology of Facebook is, at the core,
the psychology of persuasion.
During Spring 2008 the editors issued a “Call for Chapters”
that invited people everywhere to submit content for an
edited volume. The intent was to bring together the best
content from the class and beyond. Soon the editors
received over 90 submissions for the book. This is in
addition to the 65 chapters Stanford students wrote during
the Facebook App class in Fall 2007.
Over 180 people joined the Review Board
to help evaluate the
submissions in a peer-review process. Up to seven people
reviewed each submission and evaluated the work
anonymously.
We look forward to sharing this collection of insights
soon.
BJ Fogg, Ph.D., & Daniel Berdichevksy
Persuasive Technology
Lab
Stanford University