Domain Modelling in Computational Persuasion for Behaviour Change in
  Healthcare
  The aim of behaviour change is to help people to change aspects of their
behaviour for the better (e.g., to decrease calorie intake, to drink in
moderation, to take more exercise, to complete a course of antibiotics once
started, etc.). In current persuasion technology for behaviour change, the
emphasis is on helping people to explore their issues (e.g., through
questionnaires or game playing) or to remember to follow a behaviour change
plan (e.g., diaries and email reminders). However, recent developments in
computational persuasion are leading to an argument-centric approach to
persuasion that can potentially be harnessed in behaviour change applications.
In this paper, we review developments in computational persuasion, and then
focus on domain modelling as a key component. We present a multi-dimensional
approach to domain modelling. At the core of this proposal is an ontology which
provides a representation of key factors, in particular kinds of belief, which
we have identified in the behaviour change literature as being important in
diverse behaviour change initiatives. Our proposal for domain modelling is
intended to facilitate the acquisition and representation of the arguments that
can be used in persuasion dialogues, together with meta-level information about
them which can be used by the persuader to make strategic choices of argument
to present.
