United Airlines
United's app is for flight management and boarding passes. Task-directed with flight-specific notifications.
Why this score
Standard airline utility with clear task completion points.
In-flight entertainment integration extends use during travel but doesn't add engagement mechanics.
The breakdown
- Attention Capture1.0
Mechanics designed to keep you in the app right now — infinite scroll, autoplay, variable rewards, and reactive swipe-tap loops.
- Habit Formation2.0
Mechanics designed to bring you back — streak coercion, default push notifications, and re-engagement of dormant users.
- Social Pressure1.0
How much the experience exploits social psychology — public metrics, profile curation, and status comparison against others.
- Time Theft1.0
Mechanics that steal more time than you intended to give — no stopping cues, short units, and 'just one more' loops.
- Cognitive Erosion1.0
Mechanics that replace your independent thinking, memory, or judgment — creating dependency on the tool to function.
- Cognitive Nourishment2.0
Whether the app actively strengthens your ability to think for yourself. Shown on the label, but it does not affect the score.