Variable-Ratio-Reinforcement

From engineered engagement to evidence-based development: the neuroscience of short-form video and a framework for redirecting its mechanisms

2026-07-14

Short-form video platforms exploit dopaminergic prediction error, variable-ratio reinforcement, and algorithmic personalization to achieve compulsive engagement; the same mechanisms, when redirected through Self-Determination Theory-aligned design and evidence-based learning science, can promote skill acquisition and sustainable habit formation.