In the program on decision making, I teach the brain part while Jonathan Lavaaf teaches the gut part. Understanding people's needs is crucial in shaping their behavior. For example, Nike sells shoes that satisfy physiological needs but also self-esteem and social needs. Picking the right motivation to speak to your target audience is essential. Emotionality is closely tied to needs and motivation. When needs are satisfied, we get happy, but when they are dissatisfied, we get mad. Recent research shows that emotionality plays a key role in decision making, even more than the content of reviews. Emotionality can predict the success of movies, books, and restaurants.
Why do we do what we do? What factors drive us? And how do things like competition with others help us achieve our goals?
These are the questions most interesting to Szu-chi Huang, an associate professor of marketing with a specific interest in motivation. “Competition definitely increases motivation,” says Huang. “It makes attaining the goal more valuable.”
In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Huang and host Matt Abrahams explore the intersection of human psychology, behavior, and goal attainment — and how communication connects them all.
Connect: