We like to think of ourselves as immune from influence or our cognitive biases, because we want to feel like we are in control, but industries like alcohol, tobacco, fast food and gaming all know we are creatures that are subject to cognitive and emotional vulnerabilities. And tech has caught on to this with its research into ‘user experience’, ‘gamification’, ‘growth hacking’, and ‘engagement’ by activating ludic loops and reinforcement schedules in the same way slot machines do.
