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Intermittent Variable Rewards

Meaning

A neurobiological and behavioral principle where a reward is delivered unpredictably and intermittently, rather than consistently, leading to a sustained and highly heightened state of engagement and powerful dopamine-driven seeking behavior. In a health context, this powerful mechanism, often exploited by modern digital technologies, can lead to a state of chronic dopaminergic hyper-stimulation and eventual burnout or desensitization of the natural reward pathways. Understanding this mechanism is crucial for managing behavioral addiction and optimizing the body’s intrinsic reward system.