This week’s must-reads: The Power and Pitfalls of Gamification

In my work as a behavioral designer, I come across important stories on how psychology influences our behavior. Every week, I share my round-up of the most important stories at the intersection of psychology, technology and business. I hope you enjoy them!

Are You a Wage Slave? (NirAndFar) Can we create a future where people no longer have to work at jobs they hate?

Let’s Not Regulate A.I. Out of Existence (OneZero) A.I. regulation is now racing far ahead of more general, and possibly more necessary, tech industry regulation.

Should Young Americans Be Required to Give a Year of Service? (The New York Times) American presidents have long vied to echo John Kennedy’s “Ask not what your country can do for you”

Why Aren’t Text Message Interventions Designed to Boost College Success Working at Scale? (Behavioral Scientist) Recent studies show that statewide and national text campaigns have not had the same impact on college enrollment or persistence as were estimated in the initial trials.

The Power and Pitfalls of Gamification (WIRED) When tech companies first adopted the technique, there was hardly any science supporting it. Now researchers know when game-like features help, and when they hurt.

Happy reading!

- Nir