3 Techniques to Influence User Behavior | The Week of July, 31

Designers often use conditioning techniques to influence user behavior in apps. Here are three common conditioning techniques explained:

1. Classical Conditioning:

• Pair a neutral stimulus with a desirable one to create an associated trigger.
• Users will subconsciously respond to the neutral stimulus after successive pairings.

Example: A food delivery app causes a user's phone to vibrate with each order, leading to increased orders whenever the device vibrates.

2. Operant Conditioning:

• Use positive and negative reinforcement to guide users toward desired behavior.
• Positive reinforcement adds rewards or punishments, while negative reinforcement subtracts rewards or punishments.

Example: A social media app encourages users to post more content by providing likes and comments as positive reinforcement for sharing.

3. Shaping:

• Reinforce successive approximations towards a targeted behavior.
• Use this strategy when the targeted behavior is complex or challenging.

Example: A VR editing app encourages users to buy pre-built components by presenting them with free and paid options while creating simulations.

This insight is adapted from 3 techniques to influence user behavior by Andrew Coyle .

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