For over 10 years, I’ve been talking about the dangers of social media addiction in various educational settings, giving talks at schools, sports clubs, and in private consultations. However, no one seemed to take it seriously enough until social media gradually invaded our space and time with increasingly sophisticated stimuli built on the foundations of human motivation . This strategy isn’t new; it was used in other marketing fields under the name of gamification . Therefore, we’ll try to explain its application through the famous motivational theory of Octalysis , developed by entrepreneur and marketing and gamification expert Yu-kai Chou (Taipei, 1986).
In the digital age, attention is the most precious commodity, and the design of most platforms is not accidental; it’s based on achieving the greatest possible attentional retention from their clients and potential consumers. If you feel the compulsive need to check notifications or the frustration of not being able to stop scrolling , it’s not a failure of willpower; it’s proof that the design is working exactly as intended and trapping you in an endless cycle of need, just like any other type of addiction that activates the reward system and thus deregulates our ability to make rational decisions. Even if you think otherwise.
To understand this phenomenon, we must go beyond superficial points and medals. We must discuss the concept of Gamification as defined by Yu-kai Chou , the author and pioneer who revolutionized this discipline.
Chou, in his seminal work Actionable Gamification: Beyond Points, Badges and Leaderboards , proposes a paradigm shift: moving from Function-Focused Design (which only seeks efficiency) to Human-Focused Design . This approach recognizes that humans are not algorithms; we are emotional beings with insecurities, desires, and complex psychological motivations .
For Chou, effective gamification is a combination of game design, behavioral economics, and neurobiology. It’s a behavioral engineering tool that aims to create lasting and meaningful engagement . The map that allows us to navigate this complexity is the Octalysis Framework .
Yu-kai Chou is not just an author; he is a pioneer who began his research in 2003 to understand what makes games addictive and how to translate that to real life. His framework, Octalysis, is the result of years of analyzing why we react to certain stimuli while others leave us indifferent.
Through his system, Chou proposes that for us to perform a “desired action,” at least one of the eight vital drivers, or Core Drives, must be present. If there are no drivers, there is simply no motivation, and the action does not occur.
The Octalysis framework breaks down human motivation into eight core drives , represented in an octagon. These drives explain not only why we play games, but also why we invest our time in any activity, from cleaning the house to posting on social media.
These Core Drives are divided by brain hemispheres (Left: logic and propriety; Right: creativity and socialization) and by their ethical and emotional impact (White Hat and Black Hat). From my point of view, such a drastic division of the different functions of the left and right brain hemispheres shouldn’t be made, since more recent studies suggest that both interact in decision-making. However, this division helps us differentiate between these different ways of thinking—whether more logical or more creative—depending on the context.
According to this theory, the 8 Core Drives or drivers of human motivation would be the following:
The following presents each of these vital drivers according to the Octalysis theory:
This is the impulse that makes us believe we are participating in something bigger than ourselves. It’s the motivation to feel indispensable or to contribute to a noble cause. People are willing to do tedious or difficult work if they feel they are part of an epic story.
Some examples include Wikipedia and citizen science projects. Thousands of people donate unpaid hours of work because they believe they are helping to preserve or expand global knowledge. Or even science communicators who generate content simply because they know they are adding value to the community, regardless of its reach.
It is therefore directly related to the promotion of intrinsic motivation : motivation for the mere fact of doing things.
It’s the inner desire to progress, master new skills, and overcome challenges. This is the most visible driver in traditional gamification: points, badges, rankings, and progress bars. It’s the engine of Mastery .
This is commonly used in gamification through profile progress bars on professional platforms like LinkedIn or experience levels on Duolingo. Seeing that your profile is at 90% encourages you to fill the remaining gap, activating your need for completion. The Duolingo example is an educational context that works, so it could be adapted to learning any other skill. This marker acts as an external motivator, but is also driven by the individual’s own internal motivation for personal improvement.
This engine is inherently motivating and everlasting. It’s a process where users test different combinations of elements, receive immediate feedback on their success or failure, and adapt their strategy.
For example, TikTok video editors, Instagram filters, or modular construction sets. The system provides the tools (pieces), and the user’s imagination is the engine, while likes provide instant feedback. This strategy is also used to sell car parts in “installments” so you can assemble the car yourself with the tools provided for its improvement.
On social media, gamification works very similarly through viral challenges like dances or games. Currently, on Instagram or TikTok, you can see many “Impostor” games where a group of people play and share their videos, which also encourages creativity in the responses. The more creative the responses, the more it generates positive feedback through likes or similar videos.
This drive stems from the principle that we want to improve, increase, and protect what we consider ours. The mere feeling of ownership motivates us to invest time in an asset. Yes, when you buy a house, you’re already thinking about decorating it, and that’s the idea.
It’s clear that on social media, the obsession with collecting followers or likes is constant. Everyone checks the number of views their reel has received or its reach, because it feels like something personal. Even though these are digital assets with no intrinsic value, we perceive them as an extension of our social standing.
This is a powerful motivator, based on all the elements that drive us to act because of other people: mentorship, camaraderie, competition, acceptance, or even envy. It’s the fear of missing out ( FOMO ).
The “Like” button or the unfollow button . Seeing a friend achieve a certain status or acquire something sparks a drive to excel. In a gamified gym, competing for a spot on the leaderboard is a clear example of Core Drive 5.
I always say that social media works like slot machines, and these have a social validation function that many people overlook: when you hit the jackpot, the coins fall and make a lot of noise, with the intention of letting everyone know you’ve won, thus encouraging others to try their luck next time. Besides, there’s the social validation of seeing others perceive you as a winner. That’s cool and makes you want to repeat the behavior. It’s a basic principle of social influence or persuasion .
The desire for what is rare, exclusive, or requires a temporary effort. This driver generates urgency and immediate action, often through limitation.
“Last unit” offers on e-commerce sites or “only 2 tickets left” messages on booking platforms. Psychologically, scarcity increases the perceived value of the object and encourages people not to miss the opportunity to acquire or consume it while it lasts.
It’s the need to know what will happen next. Uncertainty releases dopamine, the neurotransmitter of anticipation and reward. It’s the driving force behind scrolling addiction .
push notifications for messages or the algorithmic feed . You never know if the next thing you’ll see will be boring or incredibly relevant. It’s important to understand that social media operates with this game-like mechanism, just like slot machines or gambling games , where variable rewards are more addictive than constant ones.
In psychology, this is called variable-interval reinforcement. Because we don’t know when reinforcement will occur, but we know it will, we repeat the behavior even at the cost of the time and effort wasted trying.
Lotteries and betting operate on this principle of curiosity and unpredictability that makes us think “just in case.” Yes, just in case, you also check your phone 400 times to see if someone has texted you or if your crush has posted a new Instagram story.
This impulse is triggered by the fear of losing progress, reputation, or an opportunity we already have. It’s a driver of immediate action, since the brain values loss much more intensely than gain.
Snapchat or Duolingo “streaks.” If you don’t log in for 24 hours, you lose your 100-day streak. The fear of losing that investment of time compels you to log in, even if it’s just for a second.
This happens constantly on social media: the fear of losing social status. Most people say they’re on social media to stay in touch with their friends. Or perhaps they should be called “friends.” Social media isn’t social; it’s just a network that grabs attention. Being social is something else entirely, something very human that we shouldn’t lose.
Yu-kai Chou classifies impulses into two ethical categories, which are key to understanding the sustainability of motivation:
| Motivation | Drivers (CD) | Emotional Impact | Long-Term Retention |
| White Hat | CD 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (partial) | They make us feel powerful, accomplished, and autonomous. | Sustainable. Generates intrinsic motivation and lasting happiness. |
| Black Hat | CD 6, 7, 8 | They generate urgency, obsession, and often anxiety and remorse. | Fast. Creates addiction and a cycle of use-guilt. |
Most social media and mass retention products rely on a potent Black Hat mix
(Scarcity, Unpredictability, and Loss Avoidance) to ensure that once a user enters, it is psychologically difficult for them to escape.
Modern psychology and neuroscience have validated the mechanisms proposed by Octalysis, especially in the context of digital addiction:
The true power of Octalysis lies in its ethical application. If we can use these principles to create addiction, we can also use them to foster healthy habits, education, and productivity.
For example, in the public health sector , vaccination or early disease detection can be promoted using CD8 (Avoid Loss), emphasizing the risk of inaction. In community management and sustainability , CD5 (Social Influence) is key, promoting recycling or energy conservation through rankings and social recognition.
Educational platforms use CD3 (Empowering Creativity) to allow users to experiment with content, ensuring that learning is intrinsic and not merely an obligation. In the educational field, it is vital to use it to improve skills through critical and creative thinking. making learning more of an adventure than an obligation, an adventure in which to participate through play.
Humans, and especially children, love to PLAY. It’s a fundamental learning motivation that we should use proactively and in a socially ethical way to improve skills. Play is most representative of this in sports, so these white hat strategies should be adapted to increase motivation for the sport itself and for personal improvement and optimization.
This principle can be applied to virtually every aspect of our lives—work, personal life, education—because motivation is what gets us going each morning and inspires us to embark on the adventure of living. Don’t let others control or dictate your motivation, because being human also makes us susceptible to manipulation if we lack preventative tools and fail to utilize what sets us apart from other animals: our superior capacity for reasoning.
Understanding the Octalysis Framework is not just a design tool; it’s a tool for self-knowledge. It allows us to dismantle the hooks that bind us to distraction and, more importantly, build systems that motivate us toward a more fulfilling and productive life.
Chou, Y. (2015). Actionable Gamification: Beyond Points, Badges, and Leaderboards . Octalysis Media.
Gaillard, A., et al. (2025). Changes in prefrontal hemodynamics and mood states during screen use: a functional near-infrared spectroscopy study. Changes in prefrontal hemodynamics and mood states during screen use: a functional near-infrared spectroscopy study [PMC12316940].
Krause, R. and Krause, M. (2025). Neuropsychological aspects of self-image in social media use. Frontiers in Psychology, 16 . [doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1643857].
