The user believes that they are capable of performing actions within the appThe user believes that they are capable of performing actions within the app
People are generally more likely to do some behavior if they think they are capable of doing it. I'm not going to sign up for a marathon because I can barely run a mile. I believe I'm capable of giving advice about how to incorporate behavioral science into product design, so I do. See more detail on the page for Self-efficacy
The user believes that their actions in the app lead to goal achievementThe user believes that their actions in the app lead to goal achievement
If people are going to do something effortful, they want to know that their effort is going towards their goal.
In the app, this can be communicated through Progress monitoring and feedback systems that show how the app is instrumental to goal achievement. It can also be communicated through other UX that shows the user concrete pathways to goal achievement. This is what allows you to Speak to the user with a shared vocabulary
Many “aha moments” can be encapsulated through this principle.
The user believes that the app will help them achieve a goal that they actually haveThe user believes that the app will help them achieve a goal that they actually have
This is just good product design and user research. Learn about the user’s goals and how committed they are to achieving them and the product with that in mind.
The intuition for why this leads to voluntary behavior is clear - if people don’t stand to benefit from a task in a way that they care about, then why bother?