Persuasive interfaces in higher education: ethical perceptions and influence on student course selection

Purpose This study aims to investigate the ethical considerations and effectiveness of persuasive technology in educational settings, specifically focusing on course selection. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, the authors explore the use and ethics of persuasion in the context of education, specifically regarding course selection in higher education settings. The authors conducted a survey involving students to assess their ethical perceptions of persuasive user interfaces and the impact of these interfaces on their decision-making processes. Participants were presented with different user interface designs that used various combinations of text and images to persuade them in their class selections within an institution based in Algeria. Findings The results reveal that students were only persuaded when they were unable to select what they wanted, and they did not even perceive themselves as being persuaded. Most participants found the persuasion for their own benefit and neutral (with no intention behind) to be ethically admirable. However, for the university’s benefit, most participants found the persuasion to be ethically neutral. In addition, in general they had neither a positive nor negative reaction to the attempt of persuading them. Research limitations/implications These findings suggest that, to influence student attitudes effectively, even when they retain freedom of choice, robust persuasive techniques may be necessary. At the same time, careful attention to ethical considerations is essential to maintain students’ positive perceptions. Originality/value The novelty of the study is addressing the use and ethics of persuasion through human–machine interfaces within a higher education setting, specifically among students in an Algerian educational institution. The main contribution is determining whether students can be persuaded with different interface designs (neutral design, persuasive design with a morally admirable goal, persuasive design with a neutral goal and persuasive design with a morally questionable goal), as well as whether they consider persuasion to be ethical.