In diesem Kapitel werden die drei Rollen von Computern bei der Interaktion von Menschen mit Computern beschrieben:

• Computer als Werkzeuge
• Computer als Medien
• Computer als soziale Akteure

Based on my experience in teaching and speaking about captology, I've learned that the quiekest way to help people grasp the subject is to introduce what I call the "functional triad." This is a conceptual framework that illustrates the different roles that computing technology can play.
The functional triad overarches the various perspectives and theories on persuasion that have been developed since the days of Aristotle (see sidebar on page 24), while highlighting the potential of computing products to persuade and motivate. Having this framework makes it easier to design or study computers as persuasive technologies.
This brief chapter will provide an overview of the three key elements in the functional triad.