Rewards and curiosity
IKEA effect
Things people build themselves feel more valuable than the same things made by others.
Limited evidenceSupporting studies exist, but they are few and conditions matter.
Example
You grow attached to furniture you assembled or sneakers you customized.
Why it works
When effort turns into a result, people value the result more. The effect disappeared when people failed to finish or destroyed what they built.
On the web
Let people assemble a plan, profile, or quote in a few choices, and carry what they built into the sign-up screen.
When it backfires
Too much work means people never finish, the effect vanishes, and drop-off rises. Keep it to a few choices and let people resume.
Sources
People were willing to pay more for storage boxes and origami they built themselves. The effect did not appear when they did not finish.
Norton, M. I., Mochon, D., & Ariely, D. (2012). The IKEA effect: When labor leads to love. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 22(3), 453-460. Open source
Connect with the classics
These links are editorial readings, not research findings. Check the original meaning on each classics page.
功成事遂，百姓皆謂我自然。When the work is done, the people all say “we did it ourselves.” The sense of having built it is what the IKEA effect turns on.
Laozi · Dao De Jing People recognize their own achievement →