Rational brain · Judgment & Decision Science
Novelty Effect
New things get a temporary boost — attention, engagement, performance — purely from being new; the effect fades, and decisions made in the novelty window overstate lasting value.
An everyday example
A redesigned dashboard 'improving' engagement for three weeks, then returning to baseline.
What it can cost you
Buying or approving on the novelty bump; A/B results that decay.
Warning signs
- The improvement started when it was new.
- I am deciding inside week two.
One thing to do
Measure after the novelty period, not during it; for any 'improvement', ask for the eight-week number.
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