Powerful Loops

Creating compulsion and desire in apps.

We are profoundly manipulable. And that's okay. Operant conditioning is old science relating to ancient parts of our brains that keeps us alive and also keeps us happy, or at least constantly searching for happiness.

Compulsion loops are operant conditioning applied to everyday activities like playing games, sharing stuff on social websites, or scratching a lottery ticket. Compulsion loops have been gaining attention, both positively and negatively, as their reach and impact has grown. In this presentation, we look at a bit of the science behind these powerful loops and how that applies to making better apps.

Transcript

1. Powerful Loops Developing Compulsion and Desire in Apps Quinn McHenry! Senior Developer Small Planet Digital ! quinn.mchenry@smallplanet.com
2. With great power...
3. flickr: Jeff Kubina
5. Operant Conditioning • Ancient concept, only recently named • B. F. Skinner “The Behavior of Organisms” 1938 • Voluntary behavior • Neurochemistry, Dopamine • Addiction
6. Compulsion Loop Trigger Action Response Reinforcement
7. Trigger • Initial trigger • Friends, blog post, app store, subway ad • Biggest opportunity • Internal triggers • Cue to perform a behavior again • Seeing app icon, hearing similar sound
8. Action • Shooting aliens • Launching birds • Scratching tickets • Watching gifs • Pinning shoes • Pulling lever • Voluntary - users are under no obligation • Short and sweet - get here quickly from the trigger
9. Response • Level finished • Collected coins • Gained power up • Gained followers • Beat your high score • Beat a friend’s high score • Get dog biscuit
10. Reinforcement • Makes desired behavior occur more often • Creates desire ! • Leverages Dopamine pathways
11. Reinforcement Schedules • Continuous - vending machine*, fridge • Fixed interval - biweekly paycheck, monster spawning • Variable interval - fishing • Fixed ratio - 100 points per 4 receipts, leveling up in game • Variable ratio - one armed bandit, special item drops, fishing
12. Variability • Variable reinforcement schedules • Ridiculously compelling ! • Variable responses • Different reward amounts yield higher compulsion than constant rewards
13. What Makes Variability Compulsive? • Our brains crave predictability • We yearn to find patterns • Deduction of cause and effect >> self-control and moderation • Dopamine doesn’t provide rewards for finding patterns • Dopamine keeps us searching for patterns
14. Dopamine Trigger Action Reward Dopamine Trigger Action Reward Dopamine Trigger Action Reward Dopamine • Not about pleasure • About the anticipation of pleasure • Dopamine blocked -> actions don’t happen • Reinforcement schedules influence Dopamine • We crave actions that release Dopamine • We are profoundly manipulable • Addictive substances amplify effect • Humans have an astonishing capacity for latency between action and reward
15. Multiple Loops • Not limited to a single loop • Not limited to one reinforcement schedule
16. Multiple Loops • Loops at multiple scales • Immediate mid-round bonus • Full round of play • Between sessions/days
17. Pinterest • Action: pin something • Responses • Repin, comment • Gain follower • Reach Popular page • All variable-ratio schedule
18. Jetpack Joyride • Multiple levels of loops at different scales • Currency collection • Character enhancements & customizations • Distance progressed in level (vs friends) • In-level bonuses • Actual slot machine after levels • Fixed-interval, escalating daily rewards • Immediate gratification, minimal friction to gameplay
19. Threes • Simple loop • High score • Challenge friends • Still amazingly compulsive
20. Cage Match
21. Receipt Pal • Action: submit receipts • Fixed-ratio rewards • Fixed-ratio long-term rewards • Sweepstakes • Other possibilities? Other loops? • Sequential days • Variation
22. Extinction • All good things… • Gradual, inevitable decline • Competition • Keep it fresh • Variable-ratio has highest resistance
23. Ethical Development • Responsible loops • Most compelling may not be the most fun • Ethical purchasing
24. Takeaways • Consider compulsion loops early • Consider multiple levels of loops • Variability rules • Hold back some good stuff • Reconsider tutorials • Do no harm