News Investigation

Investigating the Irresistible: A Conversation with Adam Alter

Jan 2018 🇺🇸 Behavioral Scientist

In this written interview with Behavioral Scientist, Adam Alter expands on ideas from Irresistible, distinguishing between 'liking' and 'wanting' — arguing that people can compulsively check apps they do not actually enjoy because the apps satisfy an underlying psychological pull rather than genuine preference. He is candid that writing the book did not make his own device habits easier to manage, since each check feels justified in the moment. Alter describes limiting his young children's screen time and being deliberate about his own device use around them. He also raises the possibility of government regulation targeting exploitative in-app purchases aimed at children, and warns that increasingly immersive virtual-reality environments could be designed to feel preferable to face-to-face interaction. TechKids Foundation includes this interview for its discussion of both the personal and policy dimensions of the design critique.

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CITATION

Weingarten, Elizabeth. "Investigating the Irresistible: A Conversation with Adam Alter." Behavioral Scientist, January 8, 2018. https://behavioralscientist.org/investigating-irresistible-conversation-adam-alter/

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