The joy of complexity: a counterinutitive way to impact the buyer's brain

What would you improve about yourself by 50%?

I recently conducted the poll below and was thrilled to note that given the choice for improvement, we value memory more than appearance or the ability to move. All three components in the poll define us in some way, impact our self-esteem, give us a sense of individuality, and perhaps even the illusion of freedom. But remembering, in particular, is both useful and poetic, as we can reflect on our experiences and often put order into disorder and meaning into chaos.

The poll results suggest that we may be humbled by our memory weaknesses. And I am sure we recognize that if we wish to improve our memory, our customers would be no different: their memory could use some help too. So, what can we do to improve our own memory or how other people remember our content?

In this article, I advocate for encoding complex content to impact your memory and others'. Below are findings from a multi-year neuroscience study I completed, comparing simple vs. complex content. The results strongly favor the observation below, tied to a well-known adage that reminds us to simplify complexity.

Simplifying complexity is a myth.

Our relationship with minimalism needs to change because, while simplicity does have some advantages, it can backfire, especially in business content.

Why do we feel the need to simplify, especially when we create content for others? Sometimes we simplify for the sake of brevity, thinking that buyers wish to avoid the inconveniences of prolonged thought. Why engage in effortful pursuits when instant, comfortable chunks are so much easier to handle? Leave the thorough treatment of an idea to the academics. 

Think of it this way: if everything in business content were so simple, buyers would not get much out of it. If everything were so complex, buyers would not get much out of it. But if you balanced simplicity and complexity, buyers would learn better, remember better, and even appreciate your efforts to simplify. Simplicity and complexity need each other. It’s the contrast between them that shows your skills and provides customers with substance and memory.

Just like we need the dark sky to appreciate the moon, we need complexity to appreciate simplicity. 

In a content-sharing context, let's define complexity as business content that contains a larger volume of varied and interconnected elements. For example, the image in the title of the article displays in the middle multiple, interconnected, and varied layers contrasted to a simple surface on the sides.

In the neuroscience studies I've conducted, I keep observing statistically significant differences in the way buyers remember essential messages when the content contains these aspects of complexity, meaning more and varied elements, that are linked to each other in a way that builds meaning and memory associations.

Buyers don't long for less; they learn from more, from digging deeper and wider.

One of the signals I capture in the neuroscience studies I conduct is a GSR (Galvanic Skin Response) signal, which indicates whether people have an emotional reaction to the content. The chart below shows that the number of peaks during a simple vs. complex sales presentation and the amplitude of those peaks (meaning the intensity of their reactions) are higher when buyers view complex content. 

Interestingly, when reflecting on the polling question at the beginning of the post, one respondent mentioned that the first two items (looks and athleticism) were "more straightforward." And yet, more people chose the more complex topic: memory.

Of course, where complex content is concerned, we must make sure that complexity does not turn into chaos. One way to help buyers' brains harness complexity is by making friends with fractals. It's easy to do, as we're surrounded by fractals everywhere. Next time you're at a grocery store, look at a head of cauliflower. Or, when you're in nature, look at the branches of a tree. You can see patterns that repeat themselves at any level of magnification, such that the smallest branch of a tree has the same properties as the large tree. The smallest baby portion of a cauliflower head has the same properties as the entire head of cauliflower.

Fractals are useful because they naturally optimize something. For example, the surface of the lining of the lungs has a fractal pattern that allows for more oxygen to be absorbed. Wireless antennae have a fractal structure and can capture signals over a broader range of bands compared to a simple antenna.

Some brain activity has its own fractal properties, which can be detected when analyzing EEG (electroencephalogram) signals. In the neuroscience studies I conduct, we often observe that these signals synchronize better with a complex stimulus.

So, a practical implication for all of us as we create content we want others to remember or if we wish to improve our memory is this: identify patterns you consider important and elaborate around those with extra details, stories, meaning and inferences. Let's define something random as lack of rules or patterns (a lot of business content belongs to this category). So, elaborate around and repeat a short set of rules you consider important for yourself and others so that the entire process ends up being "cauliflower all the way down." This way, if you have 10 minutes with a customer, an hour, or a week, your message will stay consistent and confident because the patterns are the same, regardless of scale.

In the process, when you develop a fractal dimension for your content or for how you improve your own memory, you will adhere to the other two dimensions in the poll items mentioned in the beginning because fractal properties are considered aesthetically pleasing and denote a sense of movement.

In other studies investigating the fractal properties of EEG signals across time using the brain’s exposure to successful movies, findings show that more shots and more complex shots synchronized better with brain fractality. In fact, most current movies are made to have this type of synchronization. Many movie producers intuitively know to switch frequently between simple and complex shots and create scenes with enough movement and complexity to sustain interest and motivation to watch. 

Considering that complexity has neural benefits, the good news is that you don't have to be too gentle with your buyers' brains. You don't have to develop attenuated content or sacrifice detail for the easily digestible. Give the brain manageable complexity, and it will stay with you for a while, enjoying a sense of movement and aesthetics too.

Carmen Simon, Ph.D., is the Chief Science Officer at Corporate Visions. She uses neuroscience tools to research how the brain processes business messages, remembers them, and decides to act (or not). The research is translated into practical guidelines for sellers and marketers and is available on the CVI advisory platform.