Neuroscience
Dopamine
A neurotransmitter associated with reward, motivation, and pleasure. Plays key roles in learning, movement, and anticipation of rewards.
Biological Context
Dopamine is released in anticipation of rewards, not just upon receiving them—it drives seeking behavior. Addiction involves dopamine pathway hijacking. Parkinson's disease results from dopamine neuron death. Dopamine also regulates movement, attention, and mood.
Business Application
Organizational dopamine: the anticipation and reward signals that motivate behavior—bonuses, recognition, progress indicators, gamification. Understanding dopamine dynamics helps design effective incentive systems.