Social media platforms also use designs that activate “ludic loops” and “variable reinforcement schedules” in our brains. These are patterns of frequent but irregular rewards that create anticipation, but where the end reward is too unpredictable and fleeting to plan around. This establishes a self-reinforcing cycle of uncertainty, anticipation, and feedback. The randomness of a slot machine prevents the player from being able to strategize or plan, so the only way to get a reward is to keep playing. The rewards are designed to be just frequent enough to reengage you after a losing streak and
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