Addictive Design

Addictive design refers to products and services that are designed to create a habit-forming experience that keep users engaged and coming back for more. The main objective of addictive design is to compel users to use a particular product or service, even if they do not have the desire to do so. The vast majority of social media platforms use addictive design techniques such as the like button, push notifications, infinite scrolling, and gamification in an attempt to increase the amount of time that users spend on their platform. While addictive design can be used to enhance the user experience, it also poses ethical concerns about data privacy, deception, and mental health.

Background

Dopamine

Dopamine is a type of neurotransmitter, which is a chemical messenger in the brain. It is involved in memory, movement, motivation, attention, mood, and reward-seeking behaviors. Dopamine is often referred to as the “feel-good” hormone, and it plays a key role in the brain’s pleasure and reward systems. As humans, our brains inherently seek out behaviors that will elicit dopamine responses. That is, dopamine is released when you are doing something pleasurable, which makes you feel good. As a result, you seek out behaviors that elicit the same feeling. From an evolutionary perspective, dopamine is released to reward you for doing things that you need to survive, such as eating and drinking. This reward encourages you to seek out these behaviors again. Abnormal dopamine levels are associated with various mental health disorders such as ADHD and depression.

History

Casinos

Some addictive design techniques used across social platforms are inspired by addictive design techniques used by casinos. In casinos, there are generally no windows or clocks which makes it difficult to distinguish between day and night. As a result, gamblers are encouraged to gamble for longer periods of time. Social media platforms employ the addictive design technique of infinite scrolling to achieve the same effect. That is, social media platforms use infinite scrolling to encourage users to consume more content than they otherwise would. Additionally, infinite scrolling is analogous to slot machines in casinos, in the sense that a user refreshing their content feed elicits the same dopamine response as would pulling the lever of a slot machine. That is, there is a slight delay between when a users’ content feed refreshes and when a gambler’s slot machine displays a new set of symbols, and this delay builds anticipation for dopamine to be released.

Addictive Design Techniques

The Like Button

The like button is ubiquitous across social media platforms and is designed with the intention to encourage social reciprocity. Inherently, human beings feel satisfied when they receive social gratification, and likes are a form of social gratification. In other words, receiving a like elicits a dopamine response. As a result, users become incentivized to continue posting to social media platforms and seeking social affirmation through likes. On the other hand, users who do not receive an ample amount of likes on their posts feel distressed due to a lack of social validation.

Push Notifications

Push notifications, similar to the like button, are ubiquitous across social media platforms and are designed with the intention to grab the user’s attention and prompt them to use the application from which the notification is being sent. Receiving push notifications creates a sense of urgency and a fear of missing out. As a result, users feel a constant need to check their devices so they can stay in the loop. Similar to the like button, a dopamine response is elicited each time a user receives a push notification, resulting in users becoming incentivized to spend more time on their devices.

Infinite Scrolling

Infinite scrolling is a design technique in which all content is loaded on a single page instead of spreading the content across multiple pages. In other words, the user is able to continuously consume a seemingly endless amount of content by scrolling. This design leaves users susceptible to consuming much more content than they normally would without realizing it, which ultimately means users are being coerced into spending more time on the application than they intend to. Many social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok employ this design technique.

Gamification

Gamification is defined as the use of game design elements and game principles in non-game contexts. In other words, gamification uses game mechanics to reward users for completing tasks. Some of the game design elements or game mechanics used in gamification are points, badges, and leaderboards. This addictive design technique is used in a variety of different contexts, such as health, education, and social media. In education, gamification is used to motivate students and make learning more interactive by giving rewards for completing tasks or quizzes. In health, gamification is used to encourage people to make healthier decisions by tracking progress and giving rewards when certain goals are met. In social media, gamification is used to encourage users to spend more time on the platform by creating an addictive, game-like experience.

Hick's Law

Hick’s Law states that the more choices a user faces, the longer it will take them to make a decision. In other words, users who are presented with an abundance of choices have to take the time to interpret each choice and make a decision, which gives the user more work that they do not want to do. Many social media platforms use Hick’s Law by minimizing the number of choices users are presented with. When the number of choices users have to make is reduced, their brains go into autopilot, making it easier for them to spend more time on the platform and mindlessly consume content.

Ethical Concerns

Data Privacy

Social media platforms use addictive design techniques to encourage and incentivize users to spend as much time on their platform as possible. As a result, users share a great deal of data with these platforms, and many users are unaware that they are even sharing their data. Thus, the privacy of the users using these platforms is at risk. Many social media platforms analyze the personal data of its users to tailor content for each individual user. While this may enhance the user experience, users will likely spend more time on social platforms than they intend to without even realizing it. Additionally, social media platforms have the ability to sell the data they collect from their users to third parties without their knowledge or consent, which clearly is a cause of ethical concern.

Deception

Social media platforms use addictive design techniques to manipulate users into doing something that they would not normally do. For example, social media platforms that employ the addictive design techniques of push notifications or infinite scrolling subtly coerce their users into spending more time on their application. As previously mentioned, social media platforms analyze the personal data of its users to tailor content such that each user’s feed is personalized. That is, they have the ability to manipulate the content you see, or conversely do not see, on their platform.

Mental Health

Products and services that use addictive design techniques create an experience that users find difficult to resist, or simply put, an addictive experience. This experience is typical when using social media platforms. That is, social media platforms employ addictive design techniques that elicit dopamine responses in the users of these platforms. For example, dopamine responses are elicited when receiving push notifications or likes on a post. These dopamine responses not only create feelings of pleasure, but also reinforce these addictive behaviors such that users unknowingly become stuck in a feedback loop. Ultimately, this will lead to users overusing social media platforms, which is especially concerning for adolescents. That is, the overuse of social media can rewire the brains of adolescents to seek out instant gratification. This can lead to obsessive, compulsive, and addictive behaviors in addition to making mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, and body dysmorphia worse.