Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, which is released in the brain when we experience pleasure - from food, exercise, social interactions etc. In an evolutionary context, it rewards us for behaviours that support our survival and reproduction. It's also associated with motivation to seek out and repeat these actions - in one study, mice that have had their dopamine production blocked will sooner starve to death then walk across the room to get food. Powerful.
Apps; social media platforms in particular; are free, and rely on advertising to generate revenue. The best way to maximise this is to manipulate the design and content to maximise the amount of time users spend on the app. How would you achieve this? With dopamine. Let's explore further.
Firstly, it's so accessible. Most people spend 2-4 hours per day typing and swiping on their phone. It's a (mostly) free and unlimited source of dopamine. A 24/7 dopamine button in your pocket. Instant relief from boredom, difficulty or anxiety. It's damn addictive.
Colours. Blue is very popular. It has been found to encourage communication and interaction. Different apps even use different shades of blue to produce a particular response. Notifications are often red, bold and/or flashing, because this encourages urgency and action - thus we must check each notification immediately.
Personalised content. If you've read this far, you must find this post interesting. Your brain is being filled with dopamine, so you're motivated to keep reading. The app has also noticed that you're spending a lot of time on this post, so it will show you similar posts in future.
Then there's variable reward. The algorithms learn to provide a balance between positive and negative outcomes to keep our brains engaged - just as a slot machine will balance wins, near-wins and losses to keep things exciting. Interestingly, the swipe down to refresh gesture at the top of your feed is designed to mimic a slot machine handle. We respond more to rewards delivered at random - therefore we check our devices habitually - and sometimes, if we're lucky, we see something that releases dopamine. An example of variable reward is Instagram notification algorithms, which will sometimes withhold your likes on your photos to later deliver them in a larger burst. Our dopamine system is driven by social validation, and by priming it with an initial, disappointing lack of likes, we release more when we have a sudden influx of likes.
Dopamine levels have a seesaw-like effect. What goes up, must come down. Constant stimulation of our reward centres are linked to increased rates of addiction, depression and anxiety.
The point of this post is not to discourage the use of smartphone apps, but rather to share an insight into how and why some of them can cause problems when they're overused.
Thanks for reading!
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Our signature carbon fibre wrap on a Google Pixel 6; with some extra cuts on the sides to make the phone more grippy.
With so many different models available, and more being released all the time, good luck stocking cases and screen protectors. That's why we freshly print, cut and fit high quality screen guards & skins for your phone, tablet or smartwatch in-store.
Did you know there are more than 24,000 different models for Android? That's equivalent to releasing a new model every day for 66 years.
There's currently around 3 billion active Android devices worldwide. That's equivalent to 43 for every person in the UK.
This particular phone; the Pixel 6; has integrated artificial intelligence via Google's Tensor chip. Machine learning capabilities improve performance in several functions. The device learns to better interpret speech and translate language in real time. When taking photos, this phone can recognise and correct blurry faces and even remove photo bombs, like an instant photoshop.
In just a matter of years, every one will carry a piece of artificial intelligence in their pocket. Technology that learns and adapts. Pretty neat.
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Raising money for Teddy Bear Children Support Ltd with his brutal expeditions.
This time, Jamie successfully climbed up to the Summit of the Beinn Eighe mountain Trail in Arctic conditions; an Elevation of 550 Meters. He then proceeded to kayak across the Atlantic Ocean, battling 40mph winds for 4 hours to reach a remote Eddricillie island, which is in the Atlantic Ocean on the west coast of Scotland.
A recent report predicts that the used mobile phone market will increase at a compounding annual growth rate of 10.2%, and be valued at $143.8 billion by 2031.
Why is the market growing? Economics 101: There's a constant and steady increase in both supply and demand for used devices. This is primarily due to a shift in consumer awareness; more people are choosing to buy a pre-owned device instead of a new one. Subsequently, more businesses are enticed to enter the market. These suppliers buy and sell used devices to generate profit and satisfy consumer demand. As supply increases, the market becomes more competitive; which increases the quality of goods and service; and drives the price down - which increases demand further.
Why are more consumers opting for a second-hand device? > Affordability versus a new device. > They have the same functions and compatibility with software and apps as a new device. > Warranties, certifications, and authenticities - things that make a company reputable and enable the consumer to buy with confidence. > No contracts; freedom to change network or device. > Improving residual values.
The average age of a smartphone at trade-in is 3.32 years. The useful life of these devices is at least double that. Increased growth in the used-device market should extend product life cycles; meaning greater lifetime value for consumers and reduced environmental impact from electronics products.
You can buy or sell you device with us in-store, or at talkbackcomms.com. We aim to find a good home for every device, and match every customer with the right device for them.
Thanks for reading!
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Yes, we are open in spite of Eunice; perhaps the least sinister of names for a storm. It's just some wind guys😏
People still need their phones (and roofs) repaired.
Though we hear that the schools are closed, flights have been grounded, and people urged to stay at home. It's lockdown V4. Stay safe🌪 Thanks for reading!
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