People are drawn to the unknown. When users never know what they'll discover next, they don't just browse—they keep coming back to explore.
Curiosity is the psychological force that drives us to seek new information, explore the unknown, and discover what we don't yet know. It's about the thrill of discovery.
We're driven to close the gap between what we know and what we want to know. Products that create this gap spark curiosity and engagement.
We're motivated by the possibility of finding something new and unexpected. Products that enable discovery create addictive engagement.
See how successful products use Curiosity to create addictive discovery experiences.
Short-Form Video
Shows infinite scroll of videos personalized by algorithm, where each swipe could reveal the next viral hit or perfectly matched content.
Variable rewards keep you swiping. You never know if the next video will be mediocre or the best thing you've seen today—so you keep exploring.
Discussion Platform
Organizes thousands of subreddits with nested comment threads, upvoting systems that surface hidden gems, and endless rabbit holes to explore.
Discovery through depth. Top comments are just the start—the real gems are buried in threads, rewarding curiosity with unexpected insights.
Music Streaming
Creates personalized Discover Weekly playlists every Monday with 30 songs algorithmically selected based on your taste but unfamiliar to you.
Scheduled novelty creates anticipation. Monday isn't just another day—it's discovery day. The algorithm surprises you with music you didn't know you'd love.
Practical strategies to create discovery and exploration in your product.
Show enough to intrigue, hide enough to compel exploration
"Tease without revealing. Netflix shows '92% match' and a cryptic preview—enough to spark interest, not enough to satisfy it. You have to click to close the gap."
Make outcomes unpredictable to create addictive engagement
"Randomize discovery. TikTok's algorithm ensures you never know if the next video will be average or amazing—variable rewards keep you swiping longer than predictable feeds."
Hide depth that rewards exploration without overwhelming newcomers
"Layer complexity. Figma's right-click context menus hide power features—they're discoverable when needed but don't clutter the interface for beginners."
Create regular moments of discovery users anticipate
"Make discovery a habit. Spotify's Discover Weekly arrives every Monday at the same time—turning music discovery into a weekly ritual users look forward to."
Specific tactics to strengthen Curiosity in your product. Each one is grounded in behavioral science and proven in real products.
Unpredictable rewards create stronger engagement than predictable ones
TikTok's For You feed—you never know if next video will be gold, so you keep swiping
Randomize content discovery, surprise with bonuses, vary timing of rewards, keep uncertainty in the system
We're driven to close gaps between what we know and want to know
Netflix's 'Continue Watching' with progress bars creates tension—you need to know what happens
Tease without revealing everything, create cliffhangers, show partial information, build anticipation
New experiences activate reward centers in our brains
Spotify's Discover Weekly—new music every Monday keeps users returning
Rotate content regularly, introduce features gradually, create scheduled discovery moments, keep something fresh
Hidden elements drive exploration
Notion's template gallery constantly features new submissions—always something to discover
Hide advanced features until ready, create Easter eggs, reward exploration, make the product feel infinite
More options leads to harder decisions and slower action
Amazon's 'Buy Now' vs 15 shipping options—too many choices paralyze
Limit options to essentials, guide toward best choice, use progressive disclosure, don't overwhelm
Vary placement and format to maintain attention
Right-side ad placements get ignored because users learned to filter them out
Vary placement and format, don't repeat same patterns, surprise users, avoid predictable positions
Items that stand out are noticed and remembered more
Pricing tables with one option highlighted in different color—it gets chosen more
Make important elements visually distinct, use contrast strategically, break patterns intentionally
Previous stimuli influence subsequent decisions
Seeing 'premium' and 'luxury' words before pricing makes higher prices feel more acceptable
Set context before key moments, use language strategically, create associations, prime desired perceptions
Create moments when users first realize your product's value
Twitter's 'aha moment' is seeing your first interesting tweet from someone you don't know personally
Identify and optimize for this moment, get users there fast, make value obvious early
The ease with which users can find features
Figma's right-click context menus—power features are there when you look but don't clutter the main interface
Make features findable not hidden, use progressive disclosure, provide discovery paths, don't bury critical functions
People perceive beautiful designs as easier to use
Apple products—elegant design makes people more forgiving of learning curves
Invest in visual design, create polished experiences, use beauty to build perceived usability, sweat the details
People remember unexpected and playful pleasures
Slack's loading messages ('Reticulating splines...') turn a boring moment into a smile
Add Easter eggs, surprise with unexpected moments, inject personality, make mundane moments memorable
Start by evaluating where Curiosity fits in your motivational spine—then use these tactics to create the discovery experiences that keep users exploring.