A new food trend is on the rise. Health- and environmentally-conscious people are embracing food innovations, such as plant based meat and scoring systems that measure our meal’s dietary risk and shows how we can reduce carbon footprint. ^[1]

Why do we even need scoring systems?

Why do we need a scoring system to monitor our diet? This question should, however, be asked in a bigger context as we use scoring system in all aspects of our lives.

From debt credit scores that measure credit rating to social credit scores that blacklist socially inappropriate behavior ^[2] , there’s something about point-scoring that’s intrinsic to us. Why is that so?

Being in school for a decade or two meant that most of us have been perpetually exposed to a scoring or grading system that reflects academic aptitude. We are inadvertently indoctrinated to use scores as a reference to measure competency.

However, our relationship with the scoring system is a far more intrinsic one.

We all want to feel competent

Do you remember the feeling when you did well for a particular test? Whether it was a driving or school test, that incredible sense of achievement makes you want to continue to ride on that high.

An empirical motivation theory, termed as the Self Determination Theory, explains this feeling. Self-determination refers to each person’s ability to make choices and manage their own life. In a journal article cited 6,930 times in the research community, “Self-determination theory: a macro-theory of human motivation, development and health”, the authors, Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, both psychology professors, describe how we have the psychological need to be competent and hence, take steps to grow our area of proficiency. When we score well, we feel accomplished even if there is no one we are comparing ourselves with. An external stimulus, namely the favorable score, causes us to feel good.

That is how the scoring system motivates us. Through empirical research, Deci noted that mere feelings of competency will not motivate one to improve self-determination unless it is supported by external feedback ^[3], such as the scoring systems. We are motivated to maintain or exceed our own score to reaffirm our innate need to feel competent. Hence when given positive and feasible feedback through a trusted scoring system, we need no prompt to follow the feedback to improve our score.

But scoring systems run the risk of being irrelevant and impersonal. Scoring systems must account for individual values, beliefs, and lifestyles, without which they will merely serve as arbitrary references that find no resonance or value with the individual person. Sadly, many financial ratios and metrics lack this personalization which is the very key to financial advisory. This hinders engagement and trust-building between customers and organizations. It also disempowers people from taking steps to grow their competency and satisfaction. Hence, 360F develops a financial scoring system pertaining to your financial happiness defined on your own terms.

It’s your personal financial happiness we care about

The proprietary scoring system, 360-HappiU^©, is the scoring benchmark for personal financial satisfaction. The score known as the HappiU^© forecasts the person’s ability to cope with personal crises and yet achieve their financial aspirations. This scoring system is robust as it involves stress-testing the person’s future through some 10,000 scenarios based on his personal probabilities of personal and market risks. Through this, your HappiU^© score will be personalized to your needs, priorities and lifestyle.

We expand the HappiU^© functionality with insights that emphasizes feasible action points to help you raise or maintain your score. By offering positive and actionable feedback, you can now take feasible steps to boost your competency level and find personal satisfaction: a sign of a truly self-determined person.

As scoring systems affirm our intrinsic need for competency, 360-HappiU^© will be the future’s ubiquitous reference for satisfaction in your financial capability. After all, you were made to be and feel competent.

As you feel financially accomplished, you are empowered to chart your own financial journey and stay the top, always.

 

Discuss more?

Drop us an eMail here: clarie.kwa@360f.com

 

Notes

^[1] Eaternity Database, 2017

^[2]  https://www.businessinsider.com/china-social-credit-system-punishments-and-rewards-explained-2018-4

 ^[3] Sailer, M., Hense, J.U., Mayr, S.K. & Mandl, H. (2017). How gamification motivates: An experimental study of the effects of specific game design elements on psychological need satisfaction. Computers in Human Behavior, 69 (371-280)