The Pringles Effect is when someone asks for one piece of workforce data. Then they come back and ask for two more things. Then they ask for four. Before too long, they are taking advantage of every opportunity for more information. It is largely identical to the behavior when you have one Pringles chip, and before long your hand is stuck in the canister. In general the phenomenon is “information addiction” which feeds the reward centre of your brain with dopamine. Unlike other addictions, information addiction does not appear to have a major downside, aside from hours lost, and resources spent on research which has no outcome (this time). On average, curiosity and the desire to advance society’s knowledge is laudable. But the superficial behavior, particularly in the early stages, resembles compulsive snacking.
Stuart Murray Speaks 