How to design powerful UX to drive deep user engagement?

Here is a proposal for my thesis plan, which will evolve with time – suggestions, remarks and testimonials are more than welcome 🙂
(you can either write a comment at the bottom of this page or drop me a message here)

Part I. Addictions, history and stakes

1.1. Addictions

  • 1.1.1. Neuropsychology
    • 1.1.1.1. Emotions
    • 1.1.1.2. Hormones
  • 1.1.2. Cognitive neurosciences
    • 1.1.2.1. Socio-cognitive model
    • 1.1.2.2. Cognitive-behavioral model
    • 1.1.2.3. Instincts (Homosapiens / Darwinism)
    • 1.1.2.4. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

1.2. History

  • 1.2.1. Slot machines
  • 1.2.2. Gaming
  • 1.2.3. Social media
    • 1.2.3.1. Support and sharing networks
    • 1.2.3.2. Emergence of new media

1.3. Economic and social issues

  • 1.3.1. War for attention
    • 1.3.1.1. User experience
    • 1.3.1.2. “An app with no engagement is a dead app”
    • 1.3.1.3. Connection time (advertising spaces) and user data
  • 1.3.2. Marketing
    • 1.3.2.1. Neuromarketing and sensorial marketing
    • 1.3.2.2. Predictive marketing and big data
  • 1.3.3. Ethics for design and role of the designer
  • 1.3.4. The Truth About Tech and other “Anti-tech” campaigns

Part II. User-experience-oriented applications

2.1. Social networks

  • 2.1.1. Comprehensive overview of social networks
    • 2.1.1.1. Similarities
    • 2.1.1.2. Differences

2.2. Gaming

  • 2.2.1. Technics used in gaming
  • 2.2.2. Typology of apps vs typology of gaming
  • 2.2.3. Comparative study

2.3. Other application domains

  • 2.3.1. The Netflix case
  • 2.3.2. The Deezer case
  • 2.3.3. What about AI?

Part III. To the perfect user interface