Chunking - but not too much

The MIT 'scientific term' Chunking is defined in the NYTimes article as the "process, in which the brain converts a sequence of actions into an automatic routine." It might be looked at as the nirvana of many marketers of repeat purchase products and services - where our brains turn regular behaviors into habits that no longer need much brain activity.

The article goes on the describe a '3 step loop' that our brains go through that includes: a cue that tells your brain to go into automatic mode and which habit to use, a routine, which can be physical or mental or emotional and a reward, which helps your brain figure out if this particular loop is worth remembering for the future. "Over time, this loop — cue, routine, reward; cue, routine, reward — becomes more and more automatic."

The article talks about how the cues can be so incredibly subtle that they are barely even noticeable with scientific study. This reminds me of the 2007 Time Magazine cover story on addiction, which discussed how the reward centers of our brains can override our prefrontal cortex - or reasoning powers.

While we are all susceptible to addictive behavior thankfully, it is a smaller percentage of people who are more likely to form bad addictive habits. On the other hand, sophisticated marketers appear to have learned that habits are more likely to result from building off existing behaviors or rewards - rather than trying to create something entirely new. Or as I like to tell the uninitiated when talking about the marketing communications profession - we can't sell people things that they never really wanted it the first place. But we can tap into desires or rewards and increase their level of importance.

Sophisticated marketers like Target appear to be tapping into 'big data' to often unconscious consumer patterns that make us more susceptible to marketing messages and ultimately altered habits.

Ultimately I like to think about 'chunking' in a very personal way. If I can chunk to create good habits, I can create positive effects in my life. I wish I could chunk more around exercising and eating even more healthy than I already do (hard to avoid some treats like Chunky Monkey once in a while ;-).

But if I chunk too much - I lower my brain activity and tune out - which is something I rarely if ever want to do in my job and personal relationships.