Designed by B.F. Skinner to study operant conditioning.
A rat presses a lever to get food. Skinner found that "Variable Ratio Reinforcement" (random rewards) was the most addictive.
If the rat got food every time, it stopped when full. If it got food randomly, it pressed the lever obsessively.
Slot machines and social media feeds use this principle. "Maybe this time" keeps us hooked.
Behavioral
Skinner Box
The psychology behind gambling addiction