The Dark Psychology of Vertical Scrolling
Discover the hidden design loop that keeps you hooked on vertical videos and infinite scrolling.
About this video
Discover the hidden design loop that keeps you hooked on vertical videos and infinite scrolling.
Full transcript of The Dark Psychology of Vertical Scrolling
Your phone screen is designed like a Las Vegas slot machine. Every downward swipe triggers a microscopic hit of dopamine. You aren't looking for content; you're looking for the possibility of content. App developers call this variable reward scheduling. It exploits the same brain loop that keeps gamblers pulling the lever. The infinite scroll has no bottom, because stopping gives your brain time to think. So ask yourself: did you choose to watch this, or did the loop choose for you?