IN ORDER TO MAXIMISE THE amount of time we spend on our devices, designers manipulate our brain chemistry in ways that are known to trigger addictive behaviours. Most of these techniques involve a brain chemical called dopamine. Dopamine has many roles, but for our purposes the most important thing to know is that, by activating pleasure-related receptors in our brains, it teaches us to associate certain behaviours with rewards (think of a rat that gets a pellet every time it presses a lever). Dopamine makes us feel excited – and we like feeling excited. Any experience that triggers the
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