MENTAL MODELS: DURATION EFFECTS

PERCEPTION OF TIME IS RELATIVE.

How might this apply to your business?
If people must wait for you to run a routine or complete a cycle before getting feedback, create the perception that things are moving faster than they are. Reveal part of the process as it is completing rather than show everything all at once. Or, offer a distraction: people who are mentally engaged in a task or present in the moment of an experience don’t notice how long it takes.

See also: Humor Effect, Appropriate Challenges, Sequencing, Shaping, Affect Heuristic

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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.