Reactance Theory: An S-Tier Behavioral Designer’s Guide
Short answer: Reactance Theory, developed by Jack Brehm in 1966, says that when people feel a freedom is…
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The Blog
Ideas on motivation, behavior & design.
Deep dives on the psychology behind why people do what they do — from Yu-kai Chou, creator of the Octalysis Framework. Pick the topic that matters to you.
Self-Affirmation Theory: An S-Tier Behavioral Designer’s Guide
The single most decorated finding in social psychology of the last twenty years was a 15-minute writing exercise…
VIA Character Strengths: An S-Tier Behavioral Designer’s Guide
Most people who try to “play to their strengths” never do the one thing the research actually says…
Locus of Control: An S-Tier Behavioral Designer’s Guide to Rotter
Two players sit at the same losing screen. One of them sighs and says: “I should have built…
Savoring: An S-Tier Behavioral Designer’s Guide to Bryant & Veroff
Most “positive psychology” advice tells you to feel more good things. Savoring is the only research program that…
Gratitude Interventions: An S-Tier Behavioral Designer’s Guide
I’ve spent over two decades watching wellness apps copy each other’s gratitude features without naming the research underneath…
Grit: An S-Tier Behavioral Designer’s Guide to Passion & Perseverance
Angela Duckworth’s Grit sold over a million copies, won her a MacArthur “genius” grant, and became the single…
Stereotype Content Model: An S-Tier Behavioral Designer’s Guide
The first thing your brain does when it encounters a person, a brand, an avatar, or a country…
Why Does VR Engagement Always Die Right After the Wow?
Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest 3 dazzle for thirty minutes, then sit in drawers. Yu-kai Chou explains…