Manipulation through Reduction

Taking away options can make life easier. Take away.

How can a Smartphone be easy for Seniors or how can an unhealthy lifestyle change without hard work? I am trying to understand the process to create the ultimative App for Seniors with a modern phone.

People follow steps from other people and their previous actions and get manipulated without noticing.

The first one to show a behavior or a pattern effects others and invisibly codes new situational rules.

For example: the first one to use a bicycle-basket as a bin will lead others to do so as well and gives the basket a new function.

That is a natural instinct from the reptilian brain, which we can use as an advantage for us. Patrick Renvoise, a Neuromarketing expert works in this field and manipulates/triggers the reptilian brain of customers to make them want something without making them feel pressured to do so.

Is There a Buy Button Inside the Brain: Patrick Renvoise at TEDxBend – YouTube

That means, placing a red carpet on a festival would make people throw less waste on the ground, combining it with basketball-bins would make them WANT to hit the shot but actually to not litter the environment.

Putting a sign on the pissoir to not miss, will not do the work, but sticking a fly inside the pissoir will trigger the reptilian brain, the hunting instinct, to catch the fly and not make a mess in the bathroom. Take away the signs that tell them what to do. Take away the choice. Take away.

Telling people what to do or letting them know that you take something away from them, will trigger the opposite reaction. But silently manipulating their behavior makes wonders.

You can actually use your laziness as an advantage. Is your lifestyle bad? Do you always choose the shorter, easier way with the least effort? Are you starting to ignore your favourite tasks and Hobbys, just because something easier is in the way?

Use Laziness To Your Advantage – The 20 Second Rule – YouTube

Basically, make the way to easy, unhealthy habits longer, harder and put your hobbies in front of you or keep them ready. Like Taking out the batteries from the TV remote and keeping them far away, but having your bicycle next to the door and not in the basement or sleeping in fresh gym clothes for the next day will automatically make your habits better. Take away the easiness from lazy tasks. Take away.

The same thing has to happen to my application. Take away Error-zones, problem areas, difficulties, too many choices and options, leave them with a modern phone and WhatsApp to send pictures to their families, but block for example the brightness or settings. Take away possible problems. Take away.

There are several Apps or phones on the market, but all of them didn´t pass the critics test.