Seek Rewards

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Seek Rewards

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INFLUENCE TACTIC

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Seek Rewards

Harness people's love for discovery and new experiences.

What is it:

Ever got that buzz from discovering something new? That's your curiosity doing its thing. This natural drive pushes us to explore and learn, rewarding us with a rush of feel-good chemicals like dopamine. It’s why we feel so great when we try new things. This reward system keeps us coming back for more, making learning and changing habits feel exciting and rewarding. The Seek Rewards approach plays on our desire for new experiences, making positive changes last by keeping things interesting.

When to use it best:

This influence tactic is best used when you are aiming to:

How to use it:

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1. Encourage Discovery

   Help people find new things and learn. Make sure not to throw too much at them at once, as it could overwhelm them or make decisions too hard.

   How can I spark curiosity with what I'm offering?

   What can I introduce to keep things interesting?

   How do I make sure the journey is clear even when exploring?

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2. Summarise What's Been Learned

   After each new experience, recap what's been achieved or discovered. Keep these summaries brief and to the point; too much detail might bore people, and too little might skip important stuff.

   What are the main points I should mention?

   How can I make this summary quick and engaging?

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3. Celebrate New Experiences

   Give a shout-out to the new things that people try. But be careful not to do it too often—too much praise can start to feel a bit fake.

   How can I properly celebrate discoveries that really matter?

   Which achievements are worth a special mention?

   How can I make sure my celebrations are sincere and motivating?

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4. Keep the Curiosity Alive

   Keep offering new tidbits of information and ideas to explore. Stick close to your main topic to avoid confusing people, and don't wander off into things that don't really help with the main goal.

   What new topics can I bring in that stay relevant?

   How can I make sure these new ideas fit with the main aim?

What’s the science
behind it?

• Self-Determination Theory

  This theory is centred on human motivation. It proposes that people have three basic psychological needs: autonomy (control over one's life), competence (mastery of skills and abilities), and relatedness (a sense of connection with others). SDT suggests that intrinsic motivation, which arises from the satisfaction of these needs, is key to achieving lasting behavioural change.
  Seek Rewards engage with our intrinsic motivation by tapping into our curiosity, enabling us to fulfil our need for competence as we acquire new knowledge and experiences. This subsequently leads to more sustainable and enjoyable behaviour change.

• Optimal Arousal Theory

  Individuals seek an optimal level of arousal, which varies between people. Curiosity, as a cognitive arousal state, can lead individuals to seek novel experiences to maintain this optimal level. By rewarding curiosity, we encourage people to explore and learn, in turn helping them maintain their optimal arousal levels. This theory explains how rewarding curiosity can facilitate behavioural change by driving individuals towards new experiences and knowledge.

• Information Gap Theory

  Proposed by George Loewenstein, it states that curiosity arises from a perceived gap in knowledge. When individuals encounter this gap, they feel compelled to fill it, driving them to explore and learn. Rewarding curiosity can enhance this effect, increasing individuals' motivation to close information gaps. In turn, this can lead to behavioural change, as people strive to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to fulfil their curiosity.

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