Marketing and Random Reinforcement

Posted by Andrew on September 1, 2007

An article in the Boston Globe examines the neuroscience of gambling.

“The trick of a one-armed bandit,” Montague says, “is that it provides us with the illusion of a pattern. We get enough rewards so that we keep on playing. Our cells think they’ll figure out the pattern soon. But of course they won’t.”

What does that mean for your marketing? Well, here’s a hint… don’t discount the effect of surprise rewards.