New things are fascinating, which is why our brains love them. Novelty directly activates the dopamine system, making us happy and motivated to experience more.
In one experiment, researchers occasionally showed participants images like landscapes and interiors with oddball photos to see how their brains responded. The results showed that the participants’ brains reacted much more to the oddball pictures.
They Make Us Feel Good
Novelty items are designed to capture our attention and make us feel good. They are often created to solve a problem but can also be created to satisfy our desire for something different or unique. Many novelty items come and go, but some become permanent fixtures in the market. Examples include Frisbees and hula hoops, which started as novelty items but became established in the marketplace. These products have become popular because they provide a fun and exciting way to entertain or exercise.
People are naturally drawn to novelty, so most mammals, including humans, prefer it over the familiar. For example, rats in a lab maze will automatically explore a new section of the labyrinth or a new toy. Novelty items by RetailMeNot, for instance, activate our brain’s reward centers, causing a dopamine rush. This feels good and helps us feel motivated, optimistic, and ready to take on challenges.
Incorporating novelty into our lives is essential for growth, especially in adversity. Novelty can help us reframe situations and develop new perspectives, ideas, and solutions. It can also break us out of our daily routines and help us find more joy in the mundane tasks that make up most of our time on this planet. While novelty-seeking behavior can be dangerous, it can boost our creativity, motivation, and quality of life when used responsibly.
They Make Us Feel Unique
Novelty is any experience that is not a familiar one, and it can be as simple as meeting a new person or trying a different restaurant. We tend to love novelty because it makes us unique, and we’re wired to seek out anything that will give us this feeling. It’s why people stand in long lines to get the newest iPhone and brag about it to their friends, even though most of the time, the phones are the same as last year’s model with slightly tweaked software and camera specs.
Our desire for novelty can harm our happiness if we allow it to take over our lives. It can keep you from sticking with a diet or exercise plan, stopping saving money, and preventing learning new skills. It can also be dangerous if you’re dating someone who can’t seem to quit their addictions or try new things.
The good news is that novelty can be used to our advantage, and there are ways to ensure a positive experience. For example, by using novelty to help you learn something new, you can boost your brain’s plasticity and increase the likelihood that it will stick. This is because new experiences and information stimulate the memory centers in your brain, and they’re closely linked to the pleasure centers that trigger a rush of dopamine when you encounter novelty.
They Make Us Feel Special
Novelty is anything that deviates from our everyday routines, whether it’s a new toy, an exotic vacation, or a thrilling career move. Most mammals, including humans, naturally prefer novelty as long as it’s not a threat. Rats in a maze will automatically explore the newly opened section, and children will immediately gravitate toward the newest toy, even when their old favorites are nearby. Novelty activates the brain’s reward centers, which release feel-good hormones, such as dopamine, that improve our mood and motivation while offsetting stress hormones, such as cortisol. Fun and novel experiences also boost our self-esteem by making us feel more unique, energized, and confident.
The desire for novelty is so strong that we will go to great lengths to possess it, such as waiting in line or traveling worldwide to be among the first to own a new product or experience. A positive sense of novelty is associated with creativity, divergent thinking, alternative perspectives, and possibilities for solutions to daily challenges.
But a love of novelty must be carefully balanced with the need for consistency, or we can quickly get stuck in a rut that limits our growth and enjoyment of life. The key to a fulfilling life is embracing newness in moderation to grow and thrive in our safe, modern world.
They Make Us Feel Important
Novelty items, called gimmicks, are miniature manufactured adornments designed to amuse and entertain. They can be collectibles, gadgets, or even everyday objects with fanciful and nonfunctional additions like toilet paper that looks like dollars or aprons with muscular torsos. Many novelty items, however, start as novelties but then move into the general market and become commonplace, such as frisbees or hula hoops or even foods such as deep-fried Mars bars.
Aside from spicing up daily life, novelty also plays a vital role in our long-term mental health. When we seek out novelty, it triggers a rush of dopamine in the brain, essential for stimulating and strengthening neural pathways and making memory recall and learning easier.
Interestingly enough, novelty can also act as a tool for breaking bad habits. For example, if you find yourself getting stuck in a vicious cycle of binge drinking, seeking out novelty can help you break the habit by forcing you to step outside your comfort zone. For instance, you could take a different route to work, offering a fresh perspective and introducing you to new sights and sounds.
However, novelty can be dangerous if taken to extremes, as it has been associated with impulsive behavior and addiction. Hence, it’s best to balance novelty-seeking with healthy routines to maximize this brain-boosting nutrient.