Behavioural Change Support Systems
In the topic line of
Behavioural Change Support Systems
we offer topics for analysis, design, implementation, and evaluation in the following areas for a bachelor's, master's, diploma, or seminar thesis:
- HBCSS interfaces (Conversational Agents and Virtual Coaches)
- The transition of complex behavioral changes into small habits that can be better integrated into patients' daily lives
- Integration of external resources through the use of standards
In the following table, you will find a selection of specific topics and their description. If you are interested in a topic, please contact the respective supervisor.
| "Just one more time, then I'll definitely quit." | |
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| Every year, we set ourselves the goal of shedding one of our less attractive habits. Some of us want to quit smoking, others aim to eat less meat, while others want to reduce their coffee consumption. However, breaking unhealthy habits is a challenge. At this juncture, specific apps like "Smoke Free" or "Sugar-free Challenge" promise to provide support in overcoming these habits. The aim of this study is to analyze these apps for a specific use case (e.g., quit smoking). The analysis will seek to determine whether they fully utilize the potential of digital mechanisms for habit formation as described in (Stark et al. 2023), and how the process of dismantling unhealthy habits differs from building healthy ones. | |
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The Potential of Running Apps for Establishing a Running Routine |
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| Running represents a fundamental form of physical activity today, offering the advantage of a close connection to nature. However, for beginners, it can be challenging to establish a regular running routine. Numerous running apps currently promise to support users by providing individual guidance and targeted motivation during their runs. The aim of this study is to analyze these running apps and determine whether they fully utilize the digital potential to support habit formation, as detailed by Stark et al. (2023). Furthermore, this work investigates what additional mechanisms are used to establish this specific habitual behavior. Depending on the nature of the study or the continuation of the topic in further research, an evaluation of selected apps could follow to assess their contribution to the establishment of long-term running habits. | |
| Behavior Change Through Implementation and Reinforcement of Habits | |
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| Health problems such as obesity, diabetes but also depression often require complex behavioral changes in the areas of exercise (10000 steps a day), diet (sugar-free), and relaxation. Since such extensive behavioral changes are often poorly integrated into everyday life and usually do not point to specific actions, they are often not tackled at all or not sustained for long. The introduction of small habits can help to translate extensive habits into small, feasible units that are also maintained over the long term. The Digital Health research group is particularly interested in how the introduction and reinforcement of habits can be supported digitally. Theses in this area can be of technical nature (implementation of digital strategies in prototypes) as well as of conceptual nature (reviews, literature analyses, development of habit repositories etc.). | |
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Virtual Coaching |
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| Software products are increasingly being recognized in modern medicine as a means of medical and especially behavioral intervention. Humanized digital avatars, implemented in the form of Virtual Coaches, are intended to help actively train and educate the patients' health behaviors, training interventions, and skills. Research and development potential lies in the adaptation of avatar behavior based on contextual information, the technological design of such coaches, and research into the perception of such coaches on the part of service providers as well as all stakeholders. Another aspect of research is exploring the use of VC in specific healthcare domains. One example would be the use of virtual coaches in a clinical setting. As a patient companion, the virtual coach could support the PROM/PRE assessment or provide useful information about the upcoming treatment. There are still numerous design issues to be clarified in this regard. | |
If you are interested, please e-mail a brief presentation of your ideas or subject interests, including your CV, to .