Research on persuasive technology to date is primarily focused on reviews of individual cases and concepts of usability and human-computer interaction; little has been done to connect rhetorical theory to the design of persuasive computing experiences. Much of the study of persuasion in technologically mediated contexts has become the domain of social psychology, as evidenced by existing literature's reliance on the methodologies in this area. This research is usually based on ethnographic analysis or individual use cases that fail to create lasting theoretical contributions beyond the limited scope of a unique set. This paper works to flesh out these concepts in the broader context of "rhetoric as persuasion" by providing possible theoretical grounding. 

Drawing primarily on the work of B. J. Fogg's Persuasive Technology and his concept of "captology" (computers as persuasive tools), this paper will connect many of his observations and heuristics with the works of Aristotle, Barbara Warnick, and Kenneth Burke. Specifically, the paper will address three key areas: kairos and mobile computers, persuasive simulations, and computers as persuasive social actors. 

While many additional avenues could be explored, these three topics will limit the scope of this paper to a sampling of the most contemporary challenges facing designers of persuasive technology. 

It is the goal of this paper to blend rhetorical concepts with the social/psychological approach of Fogg to offer basic theoretical grounding to his "how to" approach to tech-mediated persuasion. The paper will explore many of the ways in which Fogg's approach is supported by theory and offer additional insights that may provide opportunities for interdisciplinary inquiry in the study of persuasive technology.

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