Why is a reward you get sometimes more addictive than one you get every time?

A prize that shows up at random pulls you back harder than one you can count on.

When a reward arrives on an unpredictable schedule, you keep doing the action to chase the next possible hit, and you quit far more slowly than if the reward came every time. The not-knowing is the hook: each attempt might be the one that pays off, so you keep going. This is why slot machines and refreshing feeds feel hard to put down.

You pull to refresh your feed because sometimes there is something great and sometimes nothing, and that maybe is exactly what keeps your thumb moving.

Uncertain rewards drive more repeat behavior than guaranteed ones, because the chase for the next maybe is the pull.

Spot the maybe and you can see why a feed or a game keeps you scrolling, and decide on purpose instead of by reflex.

Maybe beats always: the random prize hooks harder than the sure one.

Learn the idea and practice English at the same time.