Principlev1
Match the reward to the actual craving being satisfied, not
Match the reward to the actual craving being satisfied, not to an abstract benefit or rational justification, because the basal ganglia encode sensory events rather than cognitive evaluations.
Why This Is a Principle
Derived from Dopamine neurons fire when a reward is anticipated based on (dopamine prediction system), The brain maintains distinct memory systems for declarative (distinct memory systems for declarative vs procedural), and Cognition Operates Through Dual Processing Systems (System 1 vs System 2). The principle prescribes designing rewards that the procedural/automatic system can learn from, not just the deliberate reasoning system. It's actionable guidance that follows from how habit formation actually works neurologically.