Understanding and applying variable reward psychological techniques in design
Variable reward is a powerful tool designers use to create habits and retain users
In this article, we will learn the basics of how variable rewards can be incorporated in a user’s experience to create habit forming designs. It’s important to use these techniques with great care.
Understanding The Hook Model
The Hook Model is a framework for designing habit-forming products and services. The model consists of four steps:
The trigger
Triggers are cues that prompt users to take action. They are the Hook Model’s first step and capture the user’s attention.
Triggers can be external or internal. External triggers are external stimuli, such as notifications or prompts, that prompt users to take action. Internal triggers, on the other hand, are inner thoughts or emotions that motivate users to engage with a product or service.
The action
In the action step, the user takes a specific action in response to the trigger. This action can be as simple as clicking a button, scrolling through a feed, or typing a search query. The action should be easy to perform and require minimal effort from the user. This step aims to make the desired behavior as frictionless as possible.
The variable reward
The variable reward step is where the user receives a reward for completing the action. The key to this step is introducing variability in the rewards. By providing unpredictable and varied rewards, users are likelier to become hooked and keep returning for more. These rewards can be social rewards, such as likes or comments, informative rewards, such as new information or updates, or personal rewards, such as a sense of accomplishment or progress.
The investment
The investment step is where the user puts something of value into the product or service. It can be in the form of time, data, effort, or money. By investing in the product or service, users increase their commitment and are more likely to continue using it.
Examples of investments include creating a profile, customizing settings, or building a network of connections. The investment step helps to deepen the user’s engagement and make it harder for them to leave.
By following the Hook Model, designers can create habit-forming products and services that keep users engaged and returning for more.
Three Types of Variable Rewards
Behavioral psychology expert Nir Eyal describes three different types of variable rewards:
Rewards of the tribe
Rewards of the tribe are social rewards that make us feel accepted, important, attractive and included.
Rewards of the hunt
Rewards of the hunt satisfy our curiosity and desire for information.
Rewards of the self
Rewards of the self are rewards that make us feel good about ourselves, such as achieving a goal or mastering a skill.
Integration into UX
Designers can integrate variable rewards into the user experience to keep users engaged with the app. Designers can identify what users find enjoyable about using the app and build additional rewards based on the three categories of variable rewards.
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