Games are uniquely adept at leveraging human psychology to motivate behavior. We play them for hours on end and enter into a state of flow with an ease not found in other fields. This is no accident: during my time studying game design and working in the field, neurological language like “dopamine hits” and “social proof” were commonplace. In this post, I’ll examine some of the common tools used by video game designers in order ensure engagement and ultimately drive sales.
Diverse topics this week include a one-word motivator that boosts effort and results, why Costco gives you free food, how to create a call to action that gets results, the psychology behind Jeff Bezos's "two pizza" team rule, how music makes your brain work better, and more.
Surprising new research shows that introducing one word into the conversation can change how people feel about their work and significantly impact effort and outcomes.
Most of us are part of teams. We group ourselves in companies, departments, projects, and various other ways. And, even when there’s no formal team, our individual work is very often part of a collective effort. Despite this, most tasks involve primarily solo work by individual members. […]
Another week, another batch of content for your reading pleasure. Whether you want to turn your book into a bestseller or develop an app that’s as addictive as an illegal drug, we’ve got something for you! […]
The Persuasion Slide is a deceptively simple new model for the process of persuasion that accommodates both traditional conscious factors as well as the often more significant and powerful non-conscious factors.
Starbucks knows a thing or two about loyalty. I’m a Gold Card member, and enjoy the free refills as well as the periodic free drinks I accrue by using it. (Green Card members get the refill benefit, but not the free beverage after every 15 purchases. In addition, Gold Card members get a personalized card in that color and, theoretically, are addressed by name by the baristas.)
Many other coffee shops offer complimentary in-store refills to all customers, but Starbucks has converted refills into a loyalty benefit. (Similarly, Starbucks has put their own spin on the ubiquitous “free wi-fi” offered at most establishments. They created their own portal with special content like free access to pay sites like WSJ.com and NYTimes.com.) So, I was surprised when normally savvy Starbucks sent a friend this message: […]
Two Customer Types
Taglines for products and brands are everywhere, but often they don’t get the attention they deserve. A variety of research shows that one phrase slogans can have a profound effect on how customers see the product. One key factor in crafting that phrase is matching its content to the customer’s mindset, and in particular to two important consumer motivations: prevention and promotion. […]
The funniest humor is based on truth, and answering the “why?” question is one of the biggest challenges market researchers face. As Motista blogger Alan Zorfas notes, […]
People often do things and can’t say exactly why they did them. While it might seem that “acting without explanation” is the result of poor attention or irrational impulse, it turns out that our brains are wired to do this. It is possible, researchers at INSERM in Paris found, to motivate half the brain without the other half being aware of what’s going on. […]