Adaptive Supports for Self-Reflection: Designing and Evaluating Hybrid Tools for Reflective Practice
Source: https://iris.unil.ch/entities/publication/c7009491-bf6b-49d1-a9d9-36d6e0150e04 Parent: https://wp.unil.ch/persuasivelab/2020/07/james-arnera/
Title
Adaptive Supports for Self-Reflection: Designing and Evaluating Hybrid Tools for Reflective Practice
Type
doctoral thesis
Institution
UNIL/CHUV/Unisanté + partner institutions
Author(s)
Arnéra, James
Author
Directors
Cherubini, Mauro
Director
Links to people
Links to units
Faculté des hautes études commerciales
Département des systèmes d'information
Faculty
University of Lausanne, Faculty of business and economics
Editorial status
Accepted
Date Issued
2025-06-02
Language
english
Abstract
Self-reflection is a critical process in cognitive, emotional, and behavioural development, yet\ its interaction with technology remains partially understood within Human-Computer Inter-\ action (HCI). While digital tools for self-reflection have proliferated, their effectiveness com-\ pared to traditional analogue methods and hybrid approaches is under-explored. To address\ this gap, this thesis examines how digital, analogue, and hybrid design paradigms—combining\ analogue tangibility with digital amplification—shape self-reflective behaviours, engagement,\ and sustained reflection practices. Through a series of empirical investigations—including a\ large-scale survey (N = 998), a controlled six-week comparative study (N = 48), and a lon-\ gitudinal adaptive intervention (N = 200)—this thesis explores the material, cognitive, and\ motivational factors influencing reflective practices. A University ethics committee approved\ all procedures. Participants received standardised distress protocols—including clear task\ instructions, the option to pause or withdraw at any time, debriefing sessions, and direct\ access to mental health support—to mitigate distress or over-identification. Although these\ safeguards were in place, we did not directly measure rumination using validated scales,\ which is one of the limitations.\ The first study involved a large-scale survey with an online population sample of the\ UK (N = 998), capturing contemporary self-reflection habits, tools, and attitudes in dig-\ ital or analogue formats. Findings reveal that competent self-reflectors adopt a strategic\ approach to both analogue and digital tools; although they often favour analogue methods,\ they also demonstrate flexibility and do not rely exclusively on digital alternatives. This\ study identified key barriers and opportunities for technology-mediated introspection, in-\ cluding cognitive regulation, passive engagement strategies, and sensory grounding. These\ findings became the basis for principles tested and refined in the subsequent studies–forming\ the hypothesis that reinforcing less experienced self-reflectors might be possible with systems\ that encourage the mannerisms or perspectives of their competent peers.\ Prior to the second study, we iteratively developed design prototypes informed by the\ first study’s findings. This development phase included large-scale public engagement to\ validate key features before the experiment. The second study then comprised a controlled\ six-week comparative intervention (N = 48) to evaluate the isolated effectiveness of digital,\ analogue, and hybrid self-reflection tools. Using the Self-Reflection and Insight Scale (SRIS)\ and qualitative feedback, results indicated that hybrid tools outperformed exclusively dig-\ ital and analogue paradigms, fostering more significant improvements in SRIS scores and\ adherence. Findings also underscored the influence of design factors such as accessibility,\ modularity, and adaptability in enhancing the efficacy of self-reflection interventions. Along\ with clarification on the efficacy of a hybrid approach, adaptation became the central focus\ of a final study.\ ii\ The third study comprised a longitudinal mixed-methods intervention (N = 200), com-\ paring an adaptive hybrid system—combining digital and analogue elements with a dynamic\ recommendation engine to personalise reflective prompts based on user behaviour—against a\ non-adaptive control. This design enabled the assessment of differences in motivation, habit\ formation, sustained engagement, and SRIS outcomes over time. Results demonstrated that\ participants receiving adaptively tailored reflective content had higher levels of sustained\ engagement and that their SRIS scores maintained improvement trends in contrast to non-\ adaptive or control conditions. These findings show that hybrid, paradigm-neutral tools that\ adapt to users have significant potential as facilitators of self-reflective activity–an area of\ human experience that is often difficult to target or influence effectively.\ This thesis offers empirical insights for the HCI community and beyond and discusses\ potential methodological and applied implications for future work–offering a framework\ grounded in motivational theory and outlining approaches to design self-reflection supports\ with consideration for important characteristics. By integrating interdisciplinary perspec-\ tives, practical experimentation and observation, this work can be informative for future\ research on reflective technologies in mental health, education, and personal development.\ The findings emphasise the importance of ethically designed multimodal reflection systems\ and call for further longitudinal studies on technologies that support reflective mechanisms\ to promote human well-being.
Subjects
Serval PID
serval:BIB_36A1F75EFDAA
Permalink
https://iris.unil.ch/handle/iris/264589
Creation date
2025-06-26T17:50:17.803Z
Creation date in IRIS
2025-07-09T18:33:36Z
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imprimatur
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URN
urn:nbn:ch:serval-BIB_36A1F75EFDAA0
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