MENTAL MODELS: OWNERSHIP BIAS

WE MORE HIGHLY VALUE GOODS OR SERVICES ONCE WE FEEL LIKE WE OWN THEM.

How might this apply to your business?

In what ways can people “take ownership” on your site or with your experience? In competitive environments, people are more likely to take actions to protect things already in their possession. In some contexts, you can encourage people to provide personal data by associating default values with a person’s online identity. If switching systems is your goal, beware that people may value their current choice more than they should.

See also: Loss Aversion, Autonomy, Status Quo Bias, Framing

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In the whirl of our day-to-day interactions, it’s all too easy to forget the nuances that distinguish great teams, great cultures, and great products/services.

Mental Model Flash Cards bring together insights from psychology into an easy reference and brainstorming tool. Each card describes one insight into human behavior and suggests ways to apply this to your teams as well as the design of your products and services.

MENTAL MODELS: SELF-EXPRESSION

PEOPLE SEEK OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPRESS THEIR PERSONALITY, FEELINGS, OR BIAS.

How might this apply to your business?
How are people allowed to express themselves on your site? Selecting widgets, choosing content to follow or share, using emoticons, and customizing the aesthetics of a page are all ways to enable self-expression. At the simplest level, allowing comments can be a good start, but make sure these efforts are linked back to a person’s profile. How does this translate to self-expression within a team? How are people encouraged and allowed to contribute unique talents, interpret team or organizational values in a way that is personal to them?

Look for ways to surface and celebrate these unique customizations.

See also: Ownership Bias, Loss Aversion, Reputation, Need for Achievement, Visual Imagery, Autonomy

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In the whirl of our day-to-day interactions, it’s all too easy to forget the nuances that distinguish great teams, great cultures, and great products/services.

Mental Model Flash Cards bring together insights from psychology into an easy reference and brainstorming tool. Each card describes one insight into human behavior and suggests ways to apply this to your teams as well as the design of your products and services.