Why Games Are So Hard to Resist

Adam Alter breaks down game design hooks like variable rewards and social features that increase addictiveness.

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Oprah is joined by a live audience in New York City for an in-depth look at the crisis of tech addiction among Gen Z. Millions of young people ages 13 to 28 struggle to separate themselves from the many addictive digital experiences from social media, video games to adult content. Oprah is joined by Adam Alter, a professor of marketing at New York University's Stern School of Business and author of Irresistible The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked. Also joining this important conversation are Dr. Kaitlyn Regehr, author of Smartphone Nation: Building Digital Boundaries When Offline Isn't an Option and Dr. Christina Brezing, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University. Additional guests include Conor McLaren and Alex Slater, co-founders of “Quittr” - an app designed to help people struggling with an addiction to online adult content. We also hear from several young guests who are struggling with addictions to video games and adult content.

BUY THE BOOKS!

Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked

https://adamalterauthor.com/irresistible

Smartphone Nation: Building Digital Boundaries When Offline Isn't an Option

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/804258/smartphone-nation-by-kaitlyn-regehr-phd/

00:00:00 - Tech addiction is a crisis

00:01:33 - Adam Alter, author of Irresistible

00:03:06 - Kaitlyn Regehr, author of Smartphone Nation

00:04:00 - Hate, Harm & Disinformation Is Algorithmically Prioritized

00:06:28 - Christina Brezing on Tech Addiction

00:08:54 - Nisha’s Son & Video Game Addiction

00:13:12 - What Can Parents Do?