Fake pills keep real habits

a Contraceptive pills apply the principle of ease in a more lateral manner. The tablets only need to be taken on the first 21 days of a 28-day cycle to be effective. However, many birth control packets have 21 hormone pills, along with seven sugar pills. Pharmaceutical companies have realised that its easier for people to maintain a habit if they take something every day rather than constantly stopping

and starting.

Nudged

The Illusion of Choice: 16 1/2 psychological biases that influence what we buy

Richard Shotton

Excerpt from

The Illusion of Choice: 16 1/2 psychological biases that influence what we buy

by Richard Shotton

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Behavioural principles

Behavioural ideas at play in this post

Short, plain-English explanations of the principles behind this post, with links to related books and examples in the archive.

Expectation effect

Expectations change how the same experience feels.

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Friction costs

Small hassles and extra steps can sharply reduce action.

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Habit formation

Repetition in a stable context makes behaviour more automatic.

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Fake pills keep real habits

Behavioural ideas at play in this post

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