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In the latest episode of BrainCraft, Vanessa Hall explores the science behind personalisation, and why we seemingly can't resist anything that's been offered just to us.
For example, research shows that waitresses who deliver chocolate as a "personal gesture" at the end of a meal get tipped more. And it's not just in the food industry, we generally feel indebted to people who do something nice for us.
It's a similar phenomenon to the one that causes many people to believe their horoscopes and fortunes. When we believe a message has personal significance to us, research shows we're more likely to believe it's accurate. This is known as subjective validation.
A recent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study even showed that the areas of our brain associated with considering different perspectives, which is a key part of persuasion, are more active when we receive tailored messages or advice. So it's almost like we can't help but be sold on a personalised message.
Watch the latest episode of BrainCraft above to find out more about how a little targeted act can go a long way.
Source: BrainCraft