Loss aversion: encourage more play with FOMO
We all have a fear of missing out. Who wants to miss the party when there's fun to be had? It's a powerful motivator, so why not use it to movitate play?
Imagine you find a £20 note on the ground - a nice surprise, right? But now imagine losing £20 from your wallet. That feeling of loss probably stings more than the joy of finding money. This is loss aversion in action - the principle that people are more motivated to avoid losses than to achieve equivalent gains.
For parents, loss aversion can be a powerful tool to nudge your child towards independent play. Instead of only highlighting the benefits of screen-free time, framing play in terms of what she loses by choosing screens can be a more effective motivator.
Did you know? The concept of loss aversion was introduced by Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky in 1979 as part of prospect theory, which explains how people weigh potential losses more heavily than gains.
How loss aversion works in play
Your child - just like adults - is highly sensitive to the idea of missing out. If she perceives that choosing screens means losing something valuable, she may be more inclined to engage in play instead. The key is to frame play opportunities as limited-time, special, or something she does not want to miss.
10 loss aversion nudges to encourage play
Here are ten simple nudges that use loss aversion to make play the irresistible choice:
