There are currently different concepts and terminology that is not always easy to understand.

What are triggers?

Generally, this concept can be considered in a variety of areas. It is found in science: medicine, psychology, computer science, computing systems, and even in economics. Each definition means completely different things that are not related. Computing systems have the most common terminology.

Triggers in medicine and psychology

As a medical term is a factor in asthma. Allergy triggers are common dust that often forms on the surface of home furniture. Allergy symptoms can also be bird feathers, wool and plant pollen. Allergies are not always triggers, they can be caused by:

  • virus infection;
  • Ecology;
  • harmful substances;
  • Hormonal functions of the body;
  • Emotional moods of a person

In psychology, they represent human reactions. This is a special process that acts as phenomena of the surrounding world, and a person, in turn, perceives it. Mechanical actions that are capable of doing such a process are called triggers.

Human responses to mechanisms are completely different, so they can be harmful to health. Harm such as smoking, overeating, poisoning drugs and alcoholic products. People under the influence of such reactions cannot control their body, their brain automatically turns off and does not perceive external world. Mechanical reactions can also have a positive effect on the human body, these include emotions: joy, happiness, love, etc.

Triggers in computer science

They are an important part of a computer's RAM as well as its internal registers. Such information devices allow storing, storing and reading important information. Triggers in computer science are electronic circuits, which are used in the registers of the computer and remember the binary code. A binary code is two stable states of 0 and 1.

Triggers in the economy

Today, the economy has a huge impact on human life. The concept of a “trigger” plays the role of a managerial function in marketing, that is, it forces you to perform some action. The main goal for the management function is to attract customers, fulfillment of assigned tasks. This factor helps to make large transactions, find new buyers for the product and do the same in the future.

A powerful tool that gives a response among buyers is advertising. With its help, the consumer learns a lot about the product, its quality. Manufacturers who advertise their product usually make good profits. The main thing is to design a beautiful advertisement design, describe everything as it should, and the tricks will work. The demand for the goods will grow, and consequently, the trading business will move in the right direction. All this goes hand in hand individual entrepreneurs because they know exactly what their job is.

Site triggers

They represent various functions, which can attract site visitors, help to do something useful for the site owner, i.e. open the portal. Such triggers encourage people to buy goods from the site or order services. Due to this, the owner of the organization receives a good profit. simple view portfolio is used as a trigger. This includes the brand of the company, usually its logo. All awards, diplomas and certificates also form trust among consumers of the company's products. Positive reviews that are posted on sites are the same triggers as guarantees. Guarantees are a sign that the consumer will be entitled to a refund or exchange of goods.

Computing systems and triggers

In computing systems, they represent class of electronic devices, which can be in two stable states and alternate them when exposed to any signals. The status can be determined using the output voltages of the devices. Usually they work as impulse devices and the change of states occurs in the shortest possible time. Distinctive feature for such devices, this is the storage of binary information, the encoding of which is often used by programmers in their work.

Memory refers to two stable states, like 1 and 0. So, a unit can mean that a signal is coming, and zero, in turn, on the contrary, plays the opposite role. Triggers in computing systems are made from semiconductor devices, such as: transistors, bipolar or field. Their schemes are created in an integrated environment for various logical elements of the device. Depending on the presentation of the output information, the following triggers are distinguished: dynamic and static.

Dynamic are those that represent controlled generators, one state equal to 1, and the second equal to 0. They are changed using internal impulses. The value "1" represents the presence of a pulse of certain frequencies, and the value "0" - the absence of a pulse.

Static devices are those that characterize each state by the invariance of the output voltage levels. High levels are usually close to the supply voltage, and low levels are close to zero. It is also customary to call static triggers potential, which can be divided into two types: symmetrical and asymmetric. They were implemented using a two-stage two-inverter amplifier with positive feedback.

The difference between symmetrical triggers and asymmetric ones in that they are formed symmetrically in their structure, the parameters of the elements will also be symmetrical. They form the basis of triggers that are used today in electronic devices. Asymmetric devices have non-identical parameters and connections between them.

A common feature of functionality for symmetrical and asymmetric triggers systematizes them according to the way they are organized. On this basis, a classification of logical elements is compiled, the number of inputs and outputs is calculated.

Exists different types triggers:

RS are those trigger devices that can be presented in two versions: synchronized and asynchronized. Asynchronous ones can change their state, depending on the moment the corresponding signal appears, with a certain delay. Synchronous can respond to informational signals if there is a corresponding signal at the synchronization output.

D are synchronous devices with delay. They are a device that remembers the state of the input and outputs it at the output. Usually they have two inputs: synchronous and informational. Information in such devices is stored only when the synchronization pulses fall. Typically, devices of this type are called latch flip-flops. Their name sounds like this because they literally remember the information and leave it unchanged until the very exit.

T triggers are asynchronous and synchronous devices that resemble a counter. Asynchronous counters do not have inputs that enable counting, they can only switch on a pulse at the input. Synchronous counters, with a value of "1" at input T, are able to change their logical state to the opposite, already at input C. The output state will not change with a value of "0" at input T. Such flip-flops are used to reduce frequency waves.

JK flip-flops- these are devices that work on the principle of RS flip-flops, but they have one difference. It lies in the fact that when a logical element is applied to the unit, both inputs will change the opposite ones. The J input is almost as good as the S input of RS devices, and K will, on the contrary, be similar to the R input. Usually, synchronous JK devices are used in the application, their states are taken into account only at the time of the pulse cycle. The base of such devices allows building D and T flip-flops.

There is such a concept in psychology as “triggers”, which act as causative agents of certain psycho-emotional reactions in a person. Triggering the desire to perform some action is the basis of how triggers work, sending special impulses to the human brain. These impulses give rise to the desire to do something in one way or another. These psychological maneuvers are used in business, gently leading customers to understand the need to purchase the right product or service. For success in sales, it is not necessary to master hypnosis, thus gaining customers.

Proven Techniques for Attracting Customers: Selling Triggers

Certain people can manage the emotions of buyers psychological tricks- triggers. These indispensable business assistants evoke various motivations, shape right attitude to the proposed product. The most common business triggers are:

  • Greed;
  • Confidence;
  • Fear;
  • Expectation;
  • Commitment to innovation;
  • Comparison;
  • The desire to get a product or service for free;
  • Rivalry.

Selling psychological triggers can be listed for a long time, they all affect the human brain in order to direct them to perform the necessary action. In business, many companies use these techniques to achieve success and increase profits.

The most proven way to attract customers in business is to hold promotions and discount programs. Every entrepreneur who wants to succeed in his business uses this technique. Bonus systems, sales - all this attracts a large number of people. A common example is the cumulative points system “1 ruble = 1 point”. This system is relevant not only in retail stores, but also in social networks. Points can be awarded for liking, joining communities, etc.

Such simple actions, which do not require significant effort from a person, guarantee him a discount, and an increase in profits for the entrepreneur. Psychological triggers of greed aimed at "seducing" the buyer with profitable opportunities, and as a result, he becomes part of a permanent customer base.

Also, as an example, consider the following trigger sentence:

When you buy one product, you will receive 1000 rubles back to your balance, which you can use to make purchases in our store...

As you can see, you will not be able to withdraw these 1000 rubles to your card or electronic wallet, this is done solely for the further purchase of the next product with a small discount, but you still invest your money in this thing.

Novelty

All users of the 21st century are essentially innovators, in constant pursuit of novelties and advanced technologies. In search of non-standard solutions, people go to the Internet. This is what business should be based on: you need to give the client what he is looking for. The ideal option is to create a category of new products on your own website with an original system for naming new products. Psychological triggers of novelty used by many successful cosmetic companies, online retailers household appliances and electronics.

If the assortment is regularly updated on the site, then you need to send messages to customers with announcements of new products. The effect of innovation in business is not only in the way you present your products in the right way. You can realize novelty by changing the most memorable elements on the sites, simplifying the structure and ways of interaction between the buyer and the seller. You should definitely take care of redesigning the conditions of discount programs, as well as offers of new services. What does it result in? The user over time "on the machine" will go to the site in search of something new, non-standard.

Authority

All people who make a difficult decision in life or plan to do something serious seek the advice of people they trust. In any field there are professionals - those who are considered an authority, from whom you can learn. In business, it is important to be an authority: an entrepreneur advises potential buyers to purchase their products, and the latter, in turn, decide whether to follow this advice or not.

  1. Create a portfolio that you can be proud of, and in some cases, brag about.
  2. Show your value to your audience. In this case, reviews work great.
  3. It is necessary to share experience and knowledge, to be a professional in your field of activity;
  4. Make a professional advanced interface: high quality photos instead of amateur, thoughtful website, stylish clothes and more. others
  5. Demonstrate success in business, show the audience the recommendations of well-known personalities in a certain field, market experts.

How do authority triggers work?

People will follow a person who has shown 100% of his abilities in business, who has established himself as a pro, and will buy the products that he offers. It is worth paying attention to one of the most important signs of authority - self-confidence, strong charisma. Even if there is no such trait, then you need to develop it with constant training, only in this way you can achieve success.

Expectation and comparison

Psychological anticipation triggers have been proven to be effective with companies such as Samsung and Apple achieving worldwide success. Consumer interest in products arises even before they appear on store shelves. Global advertising campaigns, opinions of experts and amateurs - all these are well-thought-out PR actions that increase sales by several times in the months before the release of the product. This strategy is the real formula for the success of any large-scale business.

Psychological tricks based on comparison can significantly affect the buyer. For example, if a person chooses a TV set on the site, and among the same prices notices an option for $100 less, then this model will seem to him the most profitable. If identical positions If the maximum price is set at $1,000 and the minimum price is $600, then the golden mean will be $750. It is worth remembering that before a serious purchase, people will definitely compare prices for the product of interest, so this should be used.

Useful for a businessman

There is no single correct way to influence customers. Each case is individual, and what works for one will adversely affect the development of the business of another. Success can be achieved by relying on your experience and guided by useful recommendations. Some of them:

  1. It is imperative to provide the buyer with guarantees: the phrases “guaranteed return”, “complain to the administrator” or “track the status of the order” inspire confidence;
  2. Do not make everything complicated, guided by the fact that simplicity implies the absence of additional services and opportunities for the consumer;
  3. Constantly test psychological triggers in practice, and then conduct a full analysis, correct application triggers will not only increase the number of customers, but also strengthen their desire for cooperation;
  4. The proposed products should solve the problems of customers, and not create additional ones;
  5. Everything new should not be a repetition taken from competitors, the main thing is to really interest people, show them something different from what they have already seen.

Triggers are one of the most powerful tools for achieving success and attracting new customers. It is important to take into account the specifics of your business, understand how triggers work in a particular case, and which ones will be most useful.

And 10 more examples of trigger sales psychology

  1. The trigger - resiprocity (mutual gratitude) - is when we are given values ​​and we feel guilty because we must reciprocate. There is nothing wrong with that, this is how the world works - when you give something, you always expect reciprocity. Resiprocity is the evoked feeling of reciprocity.
  2. Trigger - credibility (plausibility) - is the answer to the question, why do you have the right to talk about it?! For example - why exactly do we have the right to talk about it? Because we have already weaned 1,000,000 people and all of them are successfully developing their business. Or, - we sell this product and we have 250,000 satisfied customers, besides, we use it ourselves. Credibility is the answer to the question why you should be listened to.
  3. The trigger - scarcity (scarcity) - is when a lot of people want to buy something, but this is getting smaller and smaller and you need to win the fight to buy the goods in order to be one of the few owners of a scarce product. Scarcity is a competition between buyers.
  4. Trigger - mental engagement (mental interaction) is an intellectual involvement. We give a person to think and write his opinion about the product. Mental Engagement is an appeal to the client and involvement in the process.
  5. Trigger - open loop (open loop) - this is when we say - watch the video to the end and at the end you will find out ... Or for example - in the next article we will analyze such and such a topic ... At the next meeting you will learn this .. this. .. and a little more... When subscribing, you will find out what kind of gifts we have prepared for you... Open loop - this is when a person cannot fall asleep without knowing what it meant or what you have prepared for tomorrow, having previously intrigued people. In general, open loop is an intrigue.
  6. The trigger is story telling (storytelling) - these are stories, everything is very simple. Our brains are great at processing stories. Living stories, stories from real people. It’s tedious for a person to look at diagrams - give us a story. Parables, myths, gossip are made entirely of stories, which is why they are so popular and interesting to everyone. Story telling is the transfer of knowledge, history.
  7. Trigger - proof of value (proof of value) - is a way to prove the value of the product. It is necessary to prove to the person the value of the goods. For example, listing the details of a product, visualizing a product, design, etc. Proof of value is the ability to show the magnitude of a product's value.
  8. Trigger - emotions (emotions) - is emotional decision making. Emotions "rule" in business, everything happens on emotions. If you take away emotions, you turn off right hemisphere if you remove emotionally colored words, images, jokes - you remove the right hemisphere of the brain and work only on the left. Remember, only a small part of the purchases are made logically. Emotions is a call to the emotions of the buyer.
  9. Trigger - involvement in ownership (involvement in possession) - is a transfer for the moment of purchase. Talk to people as if they have already made a purchase and then the person will get used to the idea that he has already decided to buy. Involvement in ownership is the ability to create the illusion that a person already owns the proposed product.
  10. The trigger - honesty (honesty) - is the full compliance with what you say, what you feel and what you believe. Honesty is perhaps the most important trigger, honesty is always felt. Be honest.

These were 10 of an unlimited number of trigger examples. Everyone can come up with their own triggers for marketing and maintaining successful business, managing the behavior of buyers to make a purchase.

A marketer cannot do without basic knowledge in the field behavioral psychology because he needs to know why consumers buy if he wants his ad campaign to sell.

It’s not about the quality of the product and its price at all: people’s propensity to make a purchase is determined by the intrinsic motivation that occurs when certain emotional triggers are activated in their minds.

Therefore, the marketing message should not only reflect the value of the offer, but also affect the target audience, having potential buyers to making a deal.

There are 15 main triggers, the use of which increases the desire of consumers to make a purchase. In this post, you will learn about each of them and look at examples of how they work in practice.

1. Pleasure and discomfort

The main and most powerful stimulus of all people is the desire to enjoy or get rid of discomfort. It is this motivation that determines the vast majority of our decisions.

In order to implement this trigger in your marketing message, you must identify the main needs/problems of your potential buyers and help them go from point A to point B: point A is the position in which buyers are in this moment, and point B is the position they would like to be in.

How closer man will achieve the desired result, whether it is obtaining a benefit or solving a problem, the more he will want to purchase the product or service that will bring him complete satisfaction.

Marketers of the Go To Meeting service ( software for online meetings and webinars) offer visitors a free trial period of using the platform. A user who is convinced of the quality of the service will be very close to the desired result - the constant use of high-quality software for online conferences. All you need is a paid subscription.

In this case, point A is the start of the trial period, and point B is the use of the SaaS platform on an ongoing basis.

Your product can also be presented as a means to remove barriers to achieving what you want. Such a trigger is even more effective because we tend to apply to avoid discomfort rather than for pleasure.

The title of the landing page for Harvest, a cloud-based time optimization and time management service, reads: "Tracking time is now easy." Harvest marketers know that their target audience has experienced difficulties with time tracking applications, so they promise to save buyers from this problem.

2. Novelty

Everyone loves new things - some Apple fans are ready to buy new iPads and iPhones every time, despite the fact that the updated model is not much different from the old one.

Showcasing something new and unknown causes a rush of dopamine in the brain, which makes a person more inclined to acquire the novelty for the sake of pleasure. This is most often used by electronics manufacturers and automakers, and in the online industry, this trigger is most often used to promote the latest digital services.

Using this motivator is very simple: present all your products or services as an innovation. You can use this trigger for both new and old products with a few tweaks.

The sales text on the landing page of the Squarespace mobile app reads: “New management. Introducing a new set of iOS apps to help you remember, showcase and track your best ideas". Such a USP will grab the attention of any visitor interested in this kind of application.

3. Explanation

A 1978 study by psychologist Ellen Langer found that people are more likely to perform a certain action if they have rational reasons for doing so.

Ellen stood in line at the photocopier and asked people to let her go ahead, explaining her request by saying that she "needed to make several copies of documents." Oddly enough, such a seemingly understandable reason affected 34% of those standing in line and they missed it.

This behavior is explained by the fact that our consciousness is always looking for rational explanations for certain actions. Therefore, if the buyer can logically justify his need for a particular product, he will be inclined to purchase it.

Explain to your potential buyers why your offer is effective, how exactly it will solve their problems, and by what criteria it outperforms competitors' offers.

The invitation page of the Startup Weekend conference outlines 6 simple reasons why you should attend.

4. Stories

If you want to establish a strong emotional connection with your potential customers that will positively influence their desire to close a deal later, tell them a story.

Reading and listening to various stories and stories activates our subconscious, absorbing 95% of all the information we receive.

Marketers Rob Walker and Joshua Glen conducted an experiment: they bought 200 cheap items from a thrift store and tried to sell them for a higher price using stories. The researchers invited 200 authors who wrote a unique story for each item and then placed the item on eBay.

As a result, Rob and Joshua earned $8,000 with a 2700% return. The plastic teddy bear shown in the photo above was bought by them for $1 and sold for $51 - all thanks to emotional connection created by stories and stories.

5. Simplicity

Laureate Nobel Prize, psychologist Daniel Kahneman argues that a person, choosing between 2 ways to achieve a goal, will always give preference to the option that requires the least effort.

Communicate to consumers that your solution is the simplest and most fast way fulfillment of their tasks.

Landing title of RIght Signature cloud service “The fastest and easiest way to put electronic signature” is a great example of using this incentive.

6. Common enemy

Each person has some object - another personality, personal shortcomings or some external problem - responsible for all his failures and difficulties.

Your task: to stand on the side of potential buyers and show them how the proposed offer will become their weapon in the fight against your common enemy.

Job search resource CareerBuilder.com has become an ally of its target audience against boring work, annoying employees, inflexible hours and other problems that most people who do not love their profession face.

Using this trigger, you can also display your superiority over competitors, as Apple marketers did, turning Microsoft into a competitor.

A pretty girl played the role of a home movie created on a Mac, and a man dressed in a woman's outfit played a video created on a Windows computer. Apple's message is clear: their utility is better than Microsoft's.

But be careful when choosing an enemy: avoid religious, political, international and other images, the use of which can turn the audience against you.

7. Generate Interest

According to the "information gap" theory, a person almost always performs necessary actions to remove the barrier between what he knows and what he wants to know.

Using a trigger like this will give you high email open rates and content sharing, as well as make users more likely to complete a transaction due to their unmet interest.

Here's an example of a thank you flyer from a California Pizza Kitchen restaurant with a highly motivating headline: "Don't Open." Even you, probably, wondered what is written inside this leaflet. ;)

Speaking of the internet industry: the highest open rate emails bring topics like "DO NOT OPEN this letter!" and "This is the worst email I've ever sent."

You can also use compelling sentences in your landing page titles, CTA text, and any other landing page content.

8. Waiting

We all know how popular Apple technology is: many people are always aware latest news this company, and brand fans order a new iPhone model long before its official release.

Such interest in Apple's new products is the merit of marketers who create web resources to spread rumors about new devices and publish photos of their concepts. Such PR attracts the attention of a wide audience, and people are looking forward to the release of a new product.

Start an advertising campaign for your product or service a few months before its release. Use various marketing channels to spread the word about the new product, and also try to attract the attention of reputable bloggers and online publications to it.

Renowned personal trainer Marie Forleo created a landing page for her training long before it began, collecting the email addresses of many interested attendees.

Marie's subscribers will receive regular updates on her training program, which will positively influence their propensity to purchase the expected course.

9. Use Social Proof

Social proof is not only one of the most effective emotional triggers, but also an essential part of any landing page.

The essence of this motivator is very simple: consumers trust a business and believe in the effectiveness of its offer if they see positive reviews from other people.

To use this trigger, place recommendations and reviews from your customers on the landing page. Moreover, d Adding a testimonial block using the section builder is very simple:

10. Comparisons

We can determine the value of this or that object only by comparing it with another - it is not for nothing that they say that "everything is known in comparison."

Display the prices of your product sequentially, from highest to lowest. This will make each successive product more attractive by making it seem more affordable than the more expensive option.

This trigger is used on the landing page of Basecamp's SaaS solution: the price and description of the most advanced $150 subscription plan is displayed first in the list, which makes the next $100 plan more attractive.

11. Significance

According to renowned speaker Tony Robbins, a sense of worth is one of the 6 basic human needs. So if you want to win customer loyalty, show them how much they mean to you.

High-class customer support is the best way to show that you care about your customers.

Providing high-quality technical support is the main task of the service for automating work in social networks BufferApp. This is displayed on their landing page in the sentence “We answer 80% of emails within 6 hours. See for yourself!"

Encouragement with various bonuses, discounts and special offers is also in a good way win over customers.

12. Community

Each of us wants to feel social belonging and connection with other people. Being part of a community makes a person feel comfortable and safe, which makes him more likely to achieve his goals - if your product helps him in this, then he will certainly buy it.

To create a community of loyal followers of your brand, tell consumers about the ideology of the business, as Apple does.

“Whatever we do, we always try to change the current state of affairs and think outside the box. We achieve this by designing our products first class and making them easy to use. It so happens that we also make good computers. Would you like to buy one?"

Apple doesn't just sell to its customers good phones and productive computers - the brand invites people to become part of a community that believes in innovation and creativity.

By telling clients about your belief in a certain idea, you will win great amount fans ready to talk about your business to everyone and everywhere.

13. Relevance

Breaking news and events that the audience is talking about right now is one of the most important marketing tools.

In order for consumers to associate your business with certain events, take a passive part in them, as the popular Oreo cookie brand does.

Oreo marketers created this image in honor of the anniversary of the landing of the Appolo 11 spacecraft on the surface of the moon. Remembering this event, people who see this picture will also think of Oreo cookies.

14. Scarcity

The limited nature of a particular product makes it more valuable in the eyes of consumers - they not only make a positive purchase decision faster, but are also willing to pay more for a scarce product.

To trigger this trigger, you can create a limited edition product, restrict access to it, or sell it at a discount only for a certain period of time.

Groupon uses this technique to increase the value of each product they sell: under the CTA button for completing an order, there is a timer that displays the time the discount is valid, as well as the text "Promotion is limited."

15. Contradictions

According to writer Tim Ferris, all of the most popular articles on information portals contradict people's beliefs, which causes them strong interest and even anger, which is the most effective emotion to create viral content.

Touch on people's behaviors, beliefs, or values ​​to get their attention. But be careful: do not touch on political, religious and racial topics.

The title of an article about Steve Jobs on the SaaS Help Scout corporate blog reads: "Why Steve Jobs never listened to users." All people who know the ideology of the creator of Apple will not agree with such a statement (this is contrary to their beliefs), which will make them very desire read the content of the article, which, in their opinion, does not correspond to reality.

Conclusion

We hope that these 15 triggers will be useful to you and you will start using them on your landing pages and in advertising campaigns. Many of these psychological characteristics seem quite obvious, but they are taken into account much less often than one might think.

Remember, any changes in the design should be tested in advance in order to see firsthand how they will affect the traffic and conversion of your landing page. You can test your hypotheses and choose the best landing design in terms of conversion today with the help of .

The definition of "trigger" is found in many fields of knowledge. It comes from the English "trigger" - literally, "trigger". A capacious concept is called a pain point, a sharp launch of a new state, a sudden discovery of a problem. A trigger in psychology is a stimulator of a sudden emotional reaction that has a special meaning. The stronger the pain point of consciousness, the brighter the emerging emotion.

Any phenomenon can become a trigger for a certain person:

  • sounds;
  • smells;
  • the words;
  • events;
  • another man.

There is a "trigger" on emotional condition. The color of the subsequent emotion is different: positive, neutral, negative. Typically, a trigger in psychology is considered as the starting point of negative emotions: apathy, anger, anger, longing, irritation. Such manifestations interfere with an adequate assessment of the surrounding reality, as they turn off consciousness for a while and trigger uncontrolled reactions.

Not only negative ones. The event may cause positive emotion, euphoria. But if such an impact leads to negative consequences, these situations also need to be worked out and get rid of the desire to succumb to temptation to the detriment of oneself.

How do triggers work?

The appearance of an irritant leads to a lightning-fast reaction. It depends on the type of personality, the initial state of the nervous system, mood, life circumstances and experience.

First of all, it is experience that makes us show emotions, and it also helps to avoid unpleasant consequences.

Let's say one day a person survived a car accident. A moment before her, he heard the squeal of brakes. Later this sound will become Starting point for the manifestation of sharp anxiety, panic, power surge. The stronger the shock from the experience, the more painful the reaction will be. Such a person will not be able to be, for example, at a driving competition (drift), where the squeal of brakes is not a threat to life, but only accompanies a spectacular event. For those who have not experienced a strong shock from a car accident, the competition will seem spectacular and interesting. But if the sound of the brake high speed, sharp turns car - serious psychological triggers, the brain will give a signal for an adrenaline rush, the sensations from which will not seem pleasant.

Trigger in psychology: examples

Since a trigger is an individual reaction in psychology, there are many examples. For some, they will become understandable and familiar, others will not understand how the phenomenon described can cause a violent emotional reaction. Here are the most common examples:

  • a queue or a crowd: if a large number of people are considering something, the queue goes from the room to the street, we become interested in why the curiosity reaction is triggered: we want to stop and see: “Am I missing something really important to me?”;
  • scream: life experience gives an indication that if someone shouts somewhere, then there is danger. Perhaps it is shouting for joy or during the game. But a state of anxiety sets in. After clarifying the circumstances, the reaction may change;
  • the sounds of music, phrases, smells that memory associates with a loved one will trigger a feeling of nostalgia in the subconscious. Perhaps this song sounded at the moment when the first kiss took place, or, conversely, it was a farewell dance before parting. Memories temporarily turn off consciousness from the surrounding reality and take you to that moment that is important for memory.

In most cases, the influence of a psychological trigger does not have devastating consequences: the emotion disappears with the disappearance of the stimulus. For example, having figured out that the crying of a child does not mean that the baby is lost, but simply that he requires a new toy from his mother, we calm down. For psychology, these are neutral triggers that a person copes with on a daily basis. Problems begin when the reaction lasts longer than the situation requires, the stress is too strong, leads to negative consequences. It happens that a “trigger” is an intentional impact in order to evoke the desired emotion.

Features of psychological triggers

What is a trigger in psychology? those who face difficulties need:

  • events that you do not want to remember because they cause unpleasant, painful thoughts and images. These are traumatic triggers. They accumulate over the course of a lifetime through experience. Attempts to find a safe environment and protect yourself from negative memories lead to psychosomatic illnesses and constant stress;
  • situations that disrupt harmony and stability. Children are afraid of a strict teacher and experience anxiety even a few days before the lesson. The boss inspires such horror that even an innocent meeting in the hall causes uncontrollable horror: hands begin to tremble, legs give way, the back becomes cold;
  • manipulative triggers are found in those who, for example, struggle with bad habits. The desire to smoke for the company becomes unbearable if everyone around invites you to join. At this point, stress reaches a maximum, and a person can break loose.

Psychological triggers in marketing

Psychological triggers are widely used in sales. If you know the mechanisms of mind control, you can increase the number of buyers and clients with skillfully selected slogans, expressions, and actions. There is a special section: trigger marketing based on data on the best ways to sell.

Ways to catch a client:

  • promise of easy results;
  • inclusion in the list of VIP clients;
  • association against a common enemy or for the sake of a great goal;
  • work only on pre-order;
  • artificially created deficit;
  • creating a secret around the object of sale;
  • testimonials from enthusiastic customers.

A well-known example: the hype before the release of a new smartphone model of a well-known brand. An illusion is created that everyone around is waiting for the appearance of an updated device, some features of the novelty are kept secret, others become known. The secret is the first "trigger": there are fewer and fewer indifferent people. The queue before the start of sales, in which places are supposedly taken up in a day, and some even sell and buy, is the second trigger that causes a burning desire to be among the first to own a new model.

Only those whose “pain” is greed or a sense of loss of profit become hostages of the hype. In the pursuit of leaders, those who really do not really need a new smartphone suffer: unjustified spending drives them into debt, and the result is not as pleasant as it seemed.

This is how the slogans “Only today!”, “Only the first ten buyers!”, “Those who collect a thousand points”, and so on, work. For the trick to work, the author must clearly understand how certain triggers work with the psychology of emotions. This impact is usually aimed at pity, joy, sadness, anxiety - depending on the product offered and the category of customers or buyers.

Effects of Triggers

Why is it worth working on yourself if there is a risk of falling under the influence psychological triggers? First of all, any manipulation leads out of a state of equilibrium and an adequate perception of reality. The psychology of emotions is a complex system for evaluating the world, thanks to which interaction with others occurs. A psychologist-hypnologist talks in detail about the nuances of emotional self-control and emotional intelligence

We constantly experience emotions: joy, irritability, fear, peace, etc. But where do these sensations come from?

Sometimes - we ourselves create them with our thoughts, and sometimes - they are unconsciously provoked by external stimuli - triggers. Emotions that appear push us to make decisions and actions, and if we do not control ourselves, this can lead to sad consequences: spending large amounts of money, breaking relationships, deteriorating health, etc.

We will talk further about what a trigger is in psychology, how to recognize and control it.

A trigger is any stimulus that influences our behavior.
“Triggers. Build Habits - Build Character, Marshall Goldsmith, Mark Reiter.

What are triggers in psychology: definition

A trigger in psychology is an external stimulus (also called a “tumbler”) that causes emotions in us, because of which we seem to turn off for a while and perform unconscious actions. Such stimuli can be any signals to the brain from tactile, olfactory, auditory, visual or taste sensations.

The word trigger comes from the English “trigger”, which translates as “trigger”.

Some of these signals can shock a person, and some can simply change his emotional state. The most dangerous triggers are those that cause fear, panic, apathy - generally strong negative feelings. They are difficult to resist, so we can not always pull ourselves together and make informed decisions.

Often the concept of a trigger is associated with negative feelings, since it is most often used in psychotherapy in the treatment of diseases. But this is not always the case. There are people who can evoke positive emotions in us through various manipulations in order to win over and use: to put pressure on “ pain points” and push us to make an automatic decision to our detriment.

Trigger in psychology: examples

scream

When we hear a scream, we immediately draw some kind of dangerous picture in our head.

This causes our brain to pump adrenaline, which causes us to turn sharply in that direction in order to assess the situation and decide what to do: attack, run away, help, etc.

Crowd

If we see a crowd of people on the street who will consider something, this will arouse wild interest in us.

We will feel an impulse inside that will push us in that direction to find out what happened.

The words

You may hear from someone a phrase that a person dear to you said in the past. This can trigger an emotional outburst in you, as you will connect this moment with the past (often without realizing it).

Triggers can be both weak - from which you can immediately get out of control, and strong - which cause a storm of emotions in us. How do they affect us?

How triggers work in psychology

Our brains can't always separate the real from the fictional. The proof of this is that when we watch a movie, we experience real emotions. But what happens on the screen is fiction.

Since we have a highly developed sensory memory, triggers have such a strong effect on us. Our strong memories triggered by stimuli (music, pictures, words we heard, etc.) link them to what is happening now: the brain replays the painful picture in our head and draws parallels to the present. Thus, we begin to feel real emotions from events that have long been left behind.

In order not to fall under the influence of triggers, you need to carefully monitor your feelings and study what in the past caused a strong emotional reaction and pushed you to wrong actions.


Remember that not only negative emotions can be destructive, but also positive ones: some people skillfully manipulate the state of other people in order to obtain personal gain. Therefore, carefully monitor your feelings - as if from the outside - in order to soberly assess situations and make the right decisions.

We are masters at making up reasons why we shouldn't change.
We come up with excuses. We find logical explanations. We accumulate beliefs that provoke denial and resistance in all manifestations.
As a result, we constantly fail when we try to become who we want to be.
“Triggers. Build habits - build character

What effect do triggers have on our lives?

Very few people can control their behavior under the influence of external stimuli: as soon as the trigger affects us, we immediately switch to “autopilot”. What does it mean?

Our sense of self becomes foggy and we begin to act unconsciously. That is, we do not control our behavior, but act out of habit.

Since we do not remember or control the actions we take in this foggy state, this can create huge problems for us in life.

Here are some examples of this negative impact:

  • Spending large sums of money “on emotions”. Experienced manipulative salespeople use the mechanism of launching various triggers in their customers: greed, fear of loss, arousing pleasant emotions in relation to themselves, etc. If we give ourselves the opportunity to make decisions unconsciously in such situations, we can lose a large amount of money.
  • Breaking off a relationship with a loved one. If we succumb to our feelings caused by any incentives (gossip, our own guesses), we can quarrel with loved ones.
  • Undermining your health. The pleasurable sensations of food, drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes can cut off our conscious control over what we do. And it can undermine our health. We will start to overeat or become addicted to harmful substances.
In order to get rid of the impact of triggers, in no case do you need to blame yourself. Because this mechanism operates autonomously - by itself. What you need to do is to pay close attention to your internal sensations and study what has a strong effect on you and turns on the “autopilot”.

How to control psychological triggers

Don't be afraid of triggers. If we learn to control them, these incentives cannot harm us. Next, we will tell you a few tricks for regaining control over yourself, but if you have deep psychological problems, and sometimes you can not influence your behavior, then you should contact a psychotherapist.

How to control triggers:

  • Look for reasons in the past.
    Look for things that made you make bad decisions in the past. It could be a trigger that made you feel fear, shame, anger, whatever. Find out in order to recognize a similar situation in time in the future and not be influenced again.

    The very recognition of the beginning of the reaction will help you extinguish the emotions that have flashed inside and allow you to take conscious actions. You will start to see the picture a little off, so you can gain control of yourself.

  • Constantly monitor your feelings.
    In order to learn to feel your state, you need to develop attention as a whole. Meditation will help you do this. proper nutrition, daily reading for 1-2 hours, full immersion to work. That is, any activity where you can disconnect from the outside world.
By learning to concentrate, you will be able to better feel what is happening in your body. And then you will notice when you are under the influence of triggers.

Create your own triggers

Triggers can be created both automatically and consciously. How to do it? Learn to associate certain stimuli with what needs to be done. Now let's look at this in more detail:

For example, you want to take care of your body a little. How to help yourself? Put a yoga mat in the kitchen. But in such a way that it is visible as soon as you enter there. Next, make a rule for yourself: every time you see this rug, you will be required to do 20 squats.

Then, as the habit gets stronger, you will unconsciously have the urge to squat when you see the mat again. This is the simplest example - so that you can more clearly understand how a trigger can be used in psychology.

How are you going to use triggers? Do you have interesting ideas? Share with us! This is how you express your gratitude: we will see that you not only received the information, but really use it and change your life.