Person
Nir Eyal
Author, Hooked, Indistractable, and Beyond Belief; former Stanford GSB lecturer
Founded two tech companies before writing Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products and later Indistractable. Taught at Stanford Graduate School of Business. Guest across two episodes — first explaining the Hook Model behind habit-forming products, then its inverse: how individuals and workplaces can resist unwanted distraction. Referenced again in Episode 17 for his two-question ethics test on habit-forming design (would the user benefit? would the maker use it themselves?), and in Episode 18's year-end recap.
Third appearance, on the psychology of belief (Episode 289). Explains his newest book, Beyond Belief, arguing that belief in an outcome is a necessary third ingredient alongside desire and ability that most motivation frameworks omit — illustrated at length through placebo and nocebo research (see Placebo and Nocebo Effect).
Discussed in
- Episode 13 — 13- What makes products like Instagram so addictive
- Episode 14 — 14- How to stop getting distracted
- Episode 17 — 17- How marketers alter our behavior (referenced)
- Episode 18 — 18- 8 nudges you need in 2020 (referenced)
- Episode 289 — 289-nir-eyal-why-these-39-placebo-pills-actually-work (3rd appearance; placebo and nocebo effect)