Tech companies employ teams of neuroscientists, behavioral economists, and data scientists whose sole job is to make their products more engaging—or in plainer terms, more addictive. They use a four-part process called the "Hook Model":
1. Trigger: An external cue (notification) or internal cue (boredom) prompts action 2. Action: The simplest possible behavior (swipe, tap) to anticipate a reward 3. Variable Reward: Unpredictable payoff that creates desire and anticipation 4. Investment: Small amount of work that improves the product with use (posting, liking)
This creates what researchers call a "compulsion loop"—a self-reinforcing cycle that becomes stronger with each repetition. Your Instagram feed, your email inbox, your news apps—they're all carefully engineered compulsion loops designed to maximize your engagement.