The signs leverage what’s called a feedback loop, a profoundly effective tool for changing behavior. The basic premise is simple. Provide people with information about their actions in real time (or something close to it), then give them an opportunity to change those actions, pushing them toward better behaviors. Action, information, reaction. It’s the operating principle behind a home thermostat, which fires the furnace to maintain a specific temperature, or the consumption display in a Toyota Prius, which tends to turn drivers into so-called hypermilers trying to wring every last mile from the gas tank. But the simplicity of feedback loops is deceptive. They are in fact powerful tools that can help people change bad behavior patterns, even those that seem intractable. Just as important, they can be used to encourage good habits, turning progress itself into a reward. In other words, feedback loops change human behavior. And thanks to an explosion of new technology, the opportunity to put them into action in nearly every part of our lives is quickly becoming a reality.
bernard tan on 15 Jun 12Very interesting. This articles talks about pacing in activity by using example of gaming. I have always believed in progressive advancement in difficulty or challenge, reward or difficulties ( be it anything) then this article differed this view. Example if you eat good restaurant food everyday, your taste bud will soon fail to distinguish good or bad food and just learn to accept. this could be applied to things we do in life - challenges, job satisfactions or even learning to get better engagement. It enlighten me on how true this is- in game series when they do or do not uses this approach, the successful one in the series are those used this such as MGS1 and MGS3 in the series and why not 2 because this factor - pacing.
