Preface

Transhumanisn1 posits technology as an evolutionary mechanism capable

of avvelerating human development. The current technological boom,
marked by the emergence of novel artificial intelligence (Al) algorithms
and techniques such as diffusion or transform models, represents
a potential intlection point in this process. "The increasing pervasiveness
of technology is transforming human behavior and reshaping our social
landscape. Traditional face-to-face interactions are being replaced by digi
tal alternatives, as seen in the shift from physical shopping to online
delivery, rom outdoor play to virtual gaming, and from in-person dating
to app-based connections.This transition necessitates the design of digital
spaces that align with both the physical principles of cause-and-effect and
the cognitive and behavioral principles of human psychology. Despite the
recent emergence of dedicated computing degrees, the design of digital
products and services often lacks a robust epistemological framework.
Today's designs are based on a limited understanding of digital human
behavior, beyond a handful of disconnected theoretical rules applied by
designers, programmers, and some cognitive psychologists out of inertia,
but withour atheoretical framework explaining how and why we behave in
the digital world. Fortunately, individual digital behavior is governed by
the same principles as natural behavior, which can be explained by the
same behavioral and cognitive principles. We do not need to reinvent the
wheel. The expectations and consequences of our behavior shape our next
interactions with digital products and services, making the understanding
of these regulating principles imperative for professionals involved in
designing and developing these technologies.
This book pursues three fundamental goals. The first is to create an
epistemological framework that can serve as a reference for the design of
digital products and services. Psychology has studied human behavior and
cognition for over 1oo years, and, fortunately, behavior in digital environ
ments follows the same principles as behavior in natural (nondigital)
xii
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spaces. This work compiles various scientific evidence explaining human
behavior and cognition, relates it to real examples of different digital
products. and finally, proposes a reproducible methodology for thei
design and development. I'erhaps the most complex aspect of the bonl
has been attempting to unify the belhaviorist and cognitivist visions, two
theoretically opposcd psyhological models, yet converging in practical
reality. The seond goal, a consequene of the first, is to professionali
and open the digital design field to psychology. This professionalization and
opening aim to flla gap in the empirical study of digital product and service
design. 1his book proposes a framework that can apply a hypothetical
deductive methodology ro propose hypotheses and test them, advancing
the study of digital behavior design. Aligning the various physiological and
psvchological states of users with the administration of different digital an
virtual stimuli in these technological spaces is crucial today, especially given
the current boom in artificial intelligence, virtual, and augmented reality.
This new specialty within psychology could be considered a sub-branchof
human factor and engineering psycholog, primarily tasked with finding the
functional relationships between user needs, digital tool design, and ned
satisfaction through the consumption of reinforcers. As Itell my students.
digital behavior designers are reinforcement designers. To design them
properly, we must understand the dynamics between users' physiological,
behavioral, and cognitive states. The last goal of this book is related to the
ethics of designing and developing digital products and services. Often,
designs not based on scientific evidence can lead to the abuse of certain
elements that foster compulsive behaviors in vulnerable user populations.
Satisfying certain needs through these tools can cause users to perceive them
as sources of satisfaction, deregulating behavior control. This is a current
problem for many families, to the extent that the first lawsuits against
technology companies for designing products to "hook' users are beginning
to emerge. This book also warns of these
catastrophic
proposes certain ethical and responsible behaviors that consequences and
a digital behavior
designer could perform.
Finally, this book is also the culmination of a personal
a doctor in neuropsychology, Ihave ncarly project. As
brain and cognition, in addition to innovating twenty years of studying the
and
technological and digital products, in which I had developing various
knowledge from neuropsychology. During this time, intuitivelyI
applied
realized that this
knowledge from the neurosciences, behavioral
SCiences was sciences, and cognitive
completely overlooked by those responsible for designing
and developing digital products and services. However, when explained
 Preface XV

to them, they were amazed by the explanatory power of scientific explan

ations and the creativity it brought to digital design. Therefore, Idecided
to create a university class on Digital Behavior to teach my students how
psychology is useful for digital and virtual design, and the reception was
incredible. Many approached me asking where they could continue their
education. Unable to find any text explaining what was discussed in class,
Idecided to write this book and make it available to the academic and
professional community. However, Iam aware that this project does not
end here but marks the closure of one stage and the beginning of another.
This new stage aims to consolidate, through experimental evidence, the
design of digital behaviors. We may be at a point of no return for human
ity, where technology and the human can merge into a new societal model
where physical, technological, and digital realities intertwine to shape our
new civilization model. Therefore, the professionalization of ergonomic
design in technology and digital spaces is needed, so this techno
evolutionary transition emerges from a solid, scienifc, and, above all,
human base.