By: Michael Beiter

So far, this has been my favorite book of 2024. Amanda Montell teaches the cognitive biases and how they have affected her life. I loved it!

Here is an excerpt that I read yesterday which caused me to gasp out loud:

The propensity to ascribe disproportionately high worth to items we helped create is a cognitive bias known as the IKEA effect. It's delightful name is an homage to the Swedish furniture company whose affordable products require assembly.

The IKEA effect was observed long before it was described. An oft-cited example comes from the mid-twentieth century during the golden age of processed foods. As the anecdote goes, in 1974, General Mills launched a new line of Betty Crocker instant cake mixes that tasted nearly indistinguishable from the stuff made from scratch. The product took off at first, but sales eventually slowed to a near halt. In a state of consternation, General Mills solicited the analysis of a Freudian psychologist, who determined that this sales decline was a result of guilt. Homemakes felt that if all they did was add water, the cake was not truly theirs. They couldn't proudly tell their husbands and children that they'd prepared the fluffy confection with their own two hands. General Mills responded with an unexpected marketing pivot. They relaunched the instant cake mixes with a new slogan "Add and Egg." Now, baking was easy but not too easy. Betty Crocker's sales soared.

We like things better when we've created them ourselves. Psychologists found that what truly displeased Betty Crocker consumers was the sobering shock of insignificance. New tech insinuated that mothers home cooking, and thus mothers themselves were unnecessary. No one likes that feeling.

The new cake mix didn't require an egg, but having consumers crack an egg makes them feel like they caused something to happen in the world. The egg made people feel like they mattered.

The Age of Magical Overthinking by Amanda Montell