THE HUNT FOR NOVELTY
Florence could not wait another autumn. Stepping out of the Galleria degli Uffizi, one’s senses are still overwhelmed by Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus. Her gaze — delicate, ethereal — lingers like a whisper in the mind. As the narrow streets unfold, the way leads to the Ponte Vecchio. Aglow in the afternoon light, the bridge shimmers above the quiet Arno. All around, the scent of freshly-baked schiacciata wafts through the air, drawing lines of people to taste its crusty, olive-infused perfection. Nearby, in a small trattoria, the final reward awaits: the tiramisù fiorentino, with its cantucci biscuits soaked in Vin Santo, offering a flavour that blends comfort and revelation. Nothing compares to the innocent beauty of first times: the awe, the thrill, the enchantment.
The new. Human beings have been seekers of novelty for millennia. Early humans had to be curious to survive. Curiosity led to the discovery of fire, the development of tools, the creation of language. Those who were curious possessed an evolutionary advantage in understanding their environment: they knew which plants were edible, how to build shelter, how to track animals. Today, curiosity is not essential for survival, but our brain’s mechanisms remain wired to seek it out.
Curiosity itself isn’t a singular concept; it can be broken down into three main types: epistemic, empathic, and diversive. Epistemic curiosity is the drive to fill gaps in knowledge, much like when one is immersed in art or gets lost in a rabbit hole of link-clicking about an intriguing topic.
Empathic curiosity, on the other hand, is the desire to understand what others think and feel. In social interactions, this form of curiosity can deepen our connections with others. Lastly, diversive curiosity is more about seeking novelty and stimulation for its own sake.
It’s the urge that drives people to scroll endlessly through social media, providing a quick, fleeting sense of satisfaction.
IS SEEKING FOR NOVELTY A PERSONALITY TRAIT?
In the early 1990s, psychologist C. Robert Cloninger(b. 1944) and his team developed a seven-factor model of personality that integrates hereditary and environmental influences. Among these dimensions is novelty-seeking, a largely inherent trait driving the pursuit of new experiences, standing alongside harm avoidance, reward dependence, and persistence.
Psychologist Marvin Zuckerman (1928–2018) further explored the concept of novelty-seeking, suggesting that those who derive pleasure from new experiences tend to exhibit higher creativity, as innovative thinking often requires a willingness to venture into the unknown.
DOPAMINE KICKS IN
The thrill of the new is deeply embedded in our neural circuitry. Sometimes referred to as the “feel-good hormone”, dopamine is central to understanding why novelty feels so good. Whenever individuals encounter something new, this neurotransmitter is released, creating a sense of pleasure and satisfaction. This “reward” encourages them to repeat the behaviour, whether it’s enjoying a delicious dessert or binge-watching a streaming show.
In 2020, research from the Allen Institute for Brain Science has shed light on how our brains specifically react to novelty. In a unique study, scientists trained mice to detect changes in a sequence of images, rewarding them for correctly identifying when an image changed. The experiment involved a series of images displayed on a screen, where the mice had to lick a waterspout to indicate a change from one image to another, such as from a flower to a bear.
As they encountered unfamiliar images, a type of neuron known as VIP interneurons became highly active, signalling the brain to pay attention. This study illustrates how our inherent drive for new experiences is rooted in evolutionary necessity. By understanding the role of these novelty-detecting neurons, we gain insight into the fundamental mechanisms underlying memory and learning.
DECISIONS, DECISIONS
It’s the holiday season, and dinner is being served. As the television hums in the background, a new advertisement appears. A model, draped in flowing fabric, wanders through a golden city at dusk. The music swells, the camera zooms in on a shimmering bottle — mysterious, elegant, and full of promise. The ad culminates with the magical words: “the new fragrance by…”.
Brands have long understood how to harness this allure of novelty. From the highly anticipated launch of the latest iPhone or PlayStation to the excitement surrounding the opening of a new Starbucks location or the unveiling of Burger King’s limited-edition burger, the strategy remains the same. The “newness effect” taps into the brain’s reward system, creating a desire not just to try, but to experience over and over.
95% of decision-making happens unconsciously.
But what truly influences a consumer’s product choice? Beyond price or brand loyalty, once again the answer lies in the brain. Enter Neuromarketing, a field combining Neuroscience, Psychology, and Marketing to explore the biology behind consumer decision-making. This discipline emerged in the early 2000s, driven by advancements in neuroimaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG).
Its most common methods also include physiological tracking, which measures proxies of brain activity such as eye movement or facial expression coding, and biometrics like heart rate, respiration rate, and skin conductivity. These technologies allow marketers to observe the audience’s response to new advertisements, products, and brand messages, providing insights that go beyond traditional surveys or focus groups. A recent example of this is the groundbreaking partnership between L’Oréal and neurotechnology company EMOTIV, which uses Neuromarketing to help consumers choose personalized fragrances.
Through a multi-sensor EEG headset, the system interprets brain activity while users experience different scent families. This data, combined with machine learning algorithms, provides precise fragrance recommendations based on how each scent emotionally resonates with the individual. This technology was rolled out in Yves Saint Laurent flagship stores globally, including in 2023, offering an entirely new level of personalized shopping.
Neuromarketing can transform the way businesses communicate with their customers.
People like to believe they make purchasing decisions based on careful consideration of options and facts, yet research reveals that an estimated 95% of decision-making occurs unconsciously. Advances in neuroscience are beginning to reveal how brain activity might be harnessed to guide purchasing decisions. With this power comes the responsibility to consider how these insights are used. One key application is better segmentation, where marketers could leverage brain activity to identify consumer segments more susceptible to Marketing messages, enhancing targeting strategies.
Another area of exploration is sleep nudging: research indicates that specific sleep phases may make individuals more receptive to influence, suggesting new opportunities for tactics that align with these times. Additionally, hormone manipulation involves altering neuromodulators like testosterone, which has been shown to increase preferences for luxury brands, raising important questions about consumer autonomy. Techniques such as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) could temporarily inhibit brain areas associated with social conformity, potentially altering decision-making processes.
This raises the question of how transparent brands should be when using tools that tap into subconscious behaviours. To build and maintain trust, companies need to establish clear ethical guidelines and ensure consumers are fully informed about how their data is being used.
CONSTANTLY CRAVING FOR NOVELTY
In today’s digital age, novelty is at our fingertips 24/7, with its infinite feeds and refreshes. This constant influx of new stimuli can overwhelm the brain, leading to what researchers call “novelty fatigue.” In the book Dopamine Nation (2021), psychiatrist Anna Lembke explores how digital habits have created “dopamine junkies”. Every spare second offers an opportunity for stimulation — whether by falling into the TikTok vortex, scrolling through Instagram, swiping on Tinder, or bingeing on e-shopping and online gambling. As the author points out, this leads to a phenomenon called homeostasis, where our brains compensate for overstimulation by dulling our pleasure response, leading to a joy-seeking spiral that demands more intense stimulation to achieve the same effects.
Unlike with physical addictions, where limitations like money or time eventually force a pause, there are few barriers in the digital realm. Lembke warns that this constant craving erodes the ability to focus and engage deeply with life. To counterbalance these effects, the author advocates for a “monastic mindset,” and challenges individuals with activities that don’t offer immediate rewards. She emphasizes the importance of taking time to just be – a practice mirrored by the Dutch concept of niksen, which encourages setting aside time to do nothing and be still with one’s thoughts.
By replacing quick dopamine fixes with “painful” pursuits, such as exercise, meditation, or reading, individuals can retrain their brains to experience more lasting satisfaction. Somehow in those pauses, away from the constant pull of screens, curiosity finds the space to flourish. Like that first time in Florence, when the new became more meaningful allowing the mind to wander freely, uninterrupted instead of chasing every distraction. This can be a reminder that unexpected highs can be much sweeter. And speaking of sweet moments, how about another slice of tiramisù?
