Pavlov's Writer

Taking a break from Wicked Wednesday today to discuss something else...

Long long ago in another life, I was a psychology major in college.  (Yeah, yeah... let the jokes commence - later.)  And something struck me the other day.

Ever heard of classical conditioning?  You know, Pavlov and his whole drooling dog shtick?  That.  Anyway, part of it has to do with intermittent reward or punishment and, if I remember correctly, how when the reward or punishment isn't consistent it can actually increase the behavior.  (After a certain time of being consistent, that is.)  Think of it as a child wants a candy bar at the store, and you say no, so he screams and you give it to him.  The next time maybe you say no three times but still give in and give him the candy bar.  The next time he will scream his fool head off until you give in.  If you stay strong through, you can decrease the behavior until it becomes intermittent.  But the one time you give in, that behavior comes back stronger than before.

That's a simplification, but you get the gist.  And I have a point.  Here it is...

When I first launched Dying Embers for sale, I checked my sales data constantly and I was rewarded consistently.  Soon, the rewards (sales) became inconsistent, but I still checked the data constantly.  Over this last week, the rewards dropped off entirely and thus, my checking the data dropped off to once a day.  (Cuz really who needs that depressing data staring at you throughout the day?)  Then I checked my data yesterday morning, and I had a sale!  And the constant checking behavior swooped right back.  :eyeroll: 

Like Pavlov's dog, there I was drooling away, waiting for my next reward.  

Does any of this ring a bell?  :smirk:

Seriously, though, ever experience this?  What's ringing your bell?