Our neuroscience expert’s opinion:
Mélissa Canseliet
Expert in neuroscience and cyberpsychology
What role does dopamine play in the purchasing process?
Dopamine plays a central role in the purchasing process because it is linked to the brain’s reward system. When a product catches our attention, a promotion appears, or a purchase seems “urgent,” the brain anticipates immediate pleasure. This anticipation triggers the release of dopamine, which creates a feeling of excitement and reinforces the urge to act quickly. The “click to purchase” then becomes an emotional, sometimes automatic response, rather than a rational decision. The problem is that this pleasure is often very short-lived. Once the purchase is made, the dopamine levels drop, sometimes giving way to disappointment or regret and that’s when we try to give ourselves reasons to counteract the resulting frustration: “life is too short,” “I can treat myself from time to time,” etc.
Can we give our brain the illusion of a purchase... without actually buying anything?
Once a product has caught our attention, we can actually derive pleasure from the purchasing process, thanks to the anticipation created, just as with a real product. When we know we’re not buying anything, it’s more complex, but we can still derive pleasure from the quality of the purchasing process, which can in itself provide a certain level of satisfaction
Does marketing deliberately push our brains to overconsume?
Yes, absolutely. Marketing is, by definition, a field whose ultimate goal is to influence purchasing behavior. It is the brain that makes decisions and is the target of marketing, whether digital or not. For example, some stores emit an artificial bread smell (F115) that is not representative of what is actually being baked, so that our brains are enticed by the smell and our appetites are triggered. This is marketing, and it targets the brain.
How can we create pleasure and reward without resorting to purchasing?
When it comes to websites, this could involve creating content that provides enjoyable experiences, such as funny, informative, and entertaining commercials. We can also entertain ourselves with simple, satisfying interactions, as in Imaginair.
On an individual level, we can also create pleasure for ourselves. We can simply focus on the good we do for ourselves with our budget without buying anything, but also by anticipating a purchase that takes longer but contributes significantly more to our quality of life. Having projects also helps to create positive anticipation. For example, we can refrain from impulse buying and help ourselves by thinking about a project that is close to our hearts and the next steps to take.
