Summary: Linking simple, easy-to-overlook tasks to distinctive, attention-grabbing cues encountered at the right place and time can significantly improve follow-through, according to new research.
Source: APS
Many everyday tasks—paying a bill, taking laundry out of the dryer, or dropping off a donation—get forgotten despite our good intentions. New research published in Psychological Science shows that pairing those intentions with distinctive cues you will notice at the moment you can act makes you much more likely to follow through.
Common reminder methods—calendar alerts, to-do lists, or notes—often fail because they don’t appear or register when and where you need them. The researchers propose a simple alternative: use “reminders through association,” where a striking cue (visual or otherwise) is deliberately associated with the intended action and placed in the environment where the action will be possible.
“People are more likely to act on their intentions when a noticeable cue appears at the exact time and place the action can be taken,” says Todd Rogers of the Harvard Kennedy School, one of the study’s authors.
Rogers and co-author Katherine Milkman (Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania) tested this approach in several experiments. The cue-based reminders require no special technology—only the human capacity to notice and associate cues with intended actions. Crucially, the cue must be distinctive enough to capture attention amidst other stimuli.
In one lab study, 87 participants completed a computer task. They were told that in addition to their payment for participation, $1 could be donated to a food bank—but to trigger the donation they had to pick up a paper clip when they collected their payment. Some participants were informed that an elephant statue would sit on the counter where they would pick up their payment, serving as a reminder; others received no such cue.
The result was clear: 74% of participants who had the elephant statue cue collected a paper clip, compared with 42% in the no-cue group. That demonstrates how a single, well-placed, noticeable cue can markedly increase follow-through.
Subsequent online experiments explored what makes cues effective. Participants were instructed that selecting a particular answer on a specific survey page would generate a donation. On that page they encountered a cue intended to remind them which answer to choose.
The studies showed that distinctiveness matters: cues that stand out relative to surrounding stimuli are far more successful than ordinary reminders. For example, a unique visual cue (an image of a Toy Story alien) outperformed a standard written reminder when both were placed among competing flyers and signs. If a cue blends into the background, people tend to miss it and the reminder fails.
Field data from a coffee shop reinforced these findings. Over a single business day, 500 customers received coupons valid two days later. Only some customers were told that a stuffed alien would be sitting near the register as a reminder to use the coupon. About 24% of customers exposed to the cue used their coupon, versus 17% of customers with no cue—a relative increase in redemption of roughly 40%.
The research also reveals a behavioral gap: people often undervalue these cue-based reminders. In an online study of 605 participants, many declined the opportunity to pay a small fee to receive a cue-based reminder because they mispredicted how unreliable their memory would be, and so missed potential benefits.
Taken together, these findings suggest that “reminders through association” provide a low-cost, low-effort strategy to reduce the number of intended tasks that fall through the cracks. When cues are distinctive and placed where and when an action can be taken, they reliably boost follow-through and can outperform standard written or electronic reminders.
The authors note potential practical applications beyond everyday errands. Distinctive, well-timed cues may help improve adherence to medical regimens, appointment attendance, and other health-related behaviors—areas the researchers plan to investigate further.
Funding: This research was supported by the National Institute on Aging through the Roybal Center for Behavior Change in Health and Savings at the National Bureau of Economic Research (Award No. P30AG034532). The content is the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NBER.
Source: Anna Mikulak – APS
Original research: “Reminders Through Association” by Todd Rogers and Katherine L. Milkman, Psychological Science. Published online May 20, 2016. DOI: 10.1177/0956797616643071
Reminders Through Association
People often fail to follow through on intentions because they simply forget when opportunities arise. The reminders-through-association approach pairs intentions with distinctive cues that capture attention at moments when actions can be taken (for example, placing a conspicuous object where you will perform the intended task). The approach is most effective when cues are distinctive relative to other regularly encountered stimuli and to other stimuli present at the same time. These cue-based reminders can outperform written or electronic messages, yet people tend to undervalue them. Developed by integrating research on self-control, reminders, and prospective memory, the approach offers a practical tool for individuals and policymakers.