MENTAL MODELS: ACHIEVEMENTS

We are more likely to engage in activities in which meaningful achievements are recognized.

How might this apply to your business?
Achieving something of personal or social significance is gratifying and even motivating, more so when recognized in some way. In gaming environments, achievement is shows through points, badges, levels and other kinds of recognition. In other contexts, achievement is signaled by things like promotion, membership, privileges, and acquisitions. What challenges—tied to desired behaviors—do you have in place and what are the associated achievements?

See also: Appropriate Challenges, Feedback Loops, Competition, Reputation, Status, Story

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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 MODEL: LIMITED DURATION

GIVEN A CHOICE BETWEEN ACTION AND INACTION, A LIMITED TIME TO RESPOND INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD THAT PEOPLE WILL PARTICIPATE.

How might this apply to your business?
While commonly used to promote purchasing behaviors, limited durations can also be used to shape day-to-day behaviors. Set limited times when certain actions can be taken. Make rewards available at specific times or have options that disappear if no action is taken within a specific period of time.

See also: Loss Periodic Events, Loss Aversion, Reputation, Status, Achievements, Feedback Loops, Scarcity, Self-Expression

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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: POSITIVE MIMICRY

WE LEARN BY MODELING OUR BEHAVIOR AFTER HOURS.

How might this apply to your business?
What examples are you setting or showing on your site to let people know what is the normal (or intended) behavior? In social contexts, find and reward people who model “good” behavior. In other cases, what examples can you provide to demonstrate positive interactions? Simply observing how we should conduct ourselves can encourage positive behaviors.

See also: Reputation, Social Proof, Feedback Loops, Status, Shaping

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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: SEQUENCING

WE ARE MORE LIKELY TO TAKE ACTION WHEN COMPLEX ACTIVITIES ARE BROKEN DOWN INTO SIMILAR TASKS.

How might this apply to your business?
It’s difficult to complete a complex task such as “create a bank account,” “complete a job application,” or “write to a member of Congress.” Instead, break down these complex tasks into small, easily completed actions. These can be steps in a sequence or simple a list of items that need to be completed to advance through the system.

See also: Shaping, Variable Rewards, Competition, Status, Reputation

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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.