How We Created this Book
This book expands on a 2008 course I taught at Stanford
University,
entitled “Psychology of Facebook.” When planning the
course, I 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 I would help
them. Because my work focuses on the psychology of
persuasion, I
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 my 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 we issued a “Call for Chapters” that
invited people everywhere to submit content for an edited
volume. We wanted to bring together the best content from
the class and beyond. Soon we received over 90 submissions
for the book. This is in addition to the 65 chapters my
students wrote during the Facebook App class in Fall 2007.
Over 180 people joined our 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.
Persuasive Technology
Lab
Stanford University