Every long term goal we try to achieve in our lives requires an almost never-ending supply of self discipline.
We want to stay healthy, so we need to eat healthy, exercise twice a week, do our daily 20 minutes meditation, all while also having a day job and perhaps while trying to learn a new language on the side. In the end it is all too common to run out of self-discipline and succumb to easy and immediate gratification supplied by instagram, netflix and deliveroo from the comfort of our couch. Most of us experience a 'tug of war' like this between what we know we should be doing, and what our short term desire makes us want to do.
Distractions are everywhere
Tempting distractions such as instagram and netflix with immediate gratification are designed to be addictive and are more available than ever before.
Self-discipline is tough and limited
Overruling our subconscious tendencies in order to start studying, stop smoking or to go the gym, through sheer discipline is tough, exhausting and limited.
Bias is subconscious and automatic
Subconscious automatic tendencies steer us toward immediate reward seeking behavior such as tiktok, netflix, smoking, alcohol or junkfood.
Back in 2011, Steven was studying a social neuroscience minor which exposed him to the dual process of behaviour theory dating (originating in 1986!). This theory, later popularized in 'Thinking, Fast and Slow' by Daniel Kahneman, was spot on in underlining the role of our subconscious in our behavior, addiction and 'choices'. At the same time new alcoholism research outlining the success of experimental CBM methods were being published. This is where we started to think; ‘why not view regular daily short term gratification behavior as similar to addiction behavior, adapt the alcoholism CBM treatment for daily temptations, and see if it can help us nudge our subconscious toward our long term goal serving behaviors, while steering us away from tiktok, youtube and other unproductive and unhealthy behaviors’.
The birth of Betterbias!
Joined by former colleague and co-founder Anjo we entered the techstars_ hackathon (UtrechtInc, 2021) with this project idea and won first place!
We are now pursuing the mission that was created in the hackathon and the rest is history ;)
Our mission
Addiction research has a strong and deep scientific background, but its insights and treatment methodologies are not yet being applied to help us fight the little temptations we face every day. Whether it is the addictive nature of social media, the convenience of junkfood delivery or our nicotine addiction. We can’t and shouldn't rely on just our self-discipline to get us where we want to be.
So what is this 'Cognitive Bias Modification' I keep hearing about?
Cognitive bias modification (CBM) is a methodology used in psychology that aims to directly change biases in cognitive processes, such as biased attention and biased interpretation toward a stimuli of addiction or immediate gratification The procedures are designed to modify information processing via cognitive tasks that use basic learning principles and repeated practice to encourage a healthier thinking style in line with the training contingency.
Have a look at our 'what is Cognitive Bias Modification' page for a more extensive description of CBM, its subtypes and relevant peer-reviewed articles.