How Product Managers Hijacked Your Dopamine - And Took Your Motivation Too

Описание: You’re Not Addicted by Accident: The Psychology of App Design

Your apps aren’t just addictive - they’re designed that way. The dirty tricks of app design.

In this video, I break down how product managers (like me) use psychology - specifically dopamine-driven variable reward systems - to keep you scrolling, swiping, and tapping.

🎯 You’ll learn:

How dopamine works in your brain (and how it's being exploited)
The real playbook behind addictive apps (from Hooked to TikTok)
How social media, dating apps, and delivery services manipulate your motivation
What you can actually do to fight back and regain control
Intro to dopamine detox

💡 This isn’t fear-mongering. I know how engagement metrics work. And I believe that awareness is the first step to taking your brain back.

🔁 Want to learn how to detox your motivation system and stop chasing empty rewards? This video is your blueprint.

✅ Resources mentioned:

Book: Hooked by Nir Eyal
Sarah Wynn-Williams’ (former Executive at Meta) Interview with 60 Minutes Australia
BF Skinner’s Operant Conditioning

👀 Other channels diving deep into neuroscience (linked below):

Dr. K - HealthyGamerGG    / @healthygamergg  
Andrew Huberman    / @hubermanlab  
Dr Tracey Marks    / @drtraceymarks  

📚 Other resources:
Rewire your Brain - John B. Arden
We Are Developers Conference in Berlin

Chapters:
00:00 Dopamine then vs dopamine now
00:36 How dopamine neurotransmitter works: anticipation and rewards
01:00 Rewarding low effort with dopamine (effortless gratification)
01:15 3 Examples of modern app manipulation (food delivery, social media and dating apps)
01:37 The Hooked Revolution
02:15 B.F Skinner and Operant Conditioning (variable reward scheduling)
03:31 The impact of variable rewards on engagement and addiction
04:25 Intermitent rewards in apps (slot machines)
04:46 How product uses tracking for pattern detection & manipulation
05:55 How Instagram used teenager vulnerability to sell more (Sarah Wynn-Williams)
07:38 Dating apps (why you get no matches)
08:29 I'm attending We Are Developers, are you?
10:02 The social media trap
10:41 The pandemic (COVID-19) & phone addiction
11:15 The dopamine detox movement
11:44 The creator's paradox (predictive lack of reward)
12:32 How I hijacked my dopamine for YouTube
13:38 Develop awareness & objectivity
13:55 Facebook's new feature about political content
16:48 Conclusion
17:07 The challenge
20:10 My question to you

🧩 Want to do slow life? Make a puzzle, grow a plant and share your experiments in the comments.

🧠 SUBSCRIBE for more behavioral breakdowns, app psychology, and honest insights from inside product teams.

👇 QUESTION FOR YOU:
Have you ever noticed your most targeted ads appear right after an emotional dip? Comment your experience.

Questions responded in this content:
Why can't I stop scrolling
Dopamine detox
What does dopamine do to your brain
Why am I addicted to my phone
How does dopamine affect motivation
What is a dopamine detox and does it work
Why do I feel empty after using social media
How can I retrain my brain to enjoy life again
Why does nothing feel rewarding anymore
How are apps designed to be addictive
Is social media hijacking our brains
What is variable reward scheduling
Do apps use psychology to keep us hooked
How do dating apps manipulate your dopamine
Why are notifications so addictive
New Facebook feature
How do product managers track user behavior
What is the “Hooked” model in product design
How do product managers use psychology
Is app design ethical
What’s the dark side of being a product manager
How do tech companies track user engagement