So last week we talked about the dopamine response and the endorphin rush, and how we can use those brain chemicals to keep students coming to class.

Today, let's talk about serotonin and oxytocin, and how stimulating the release of those brain chemicals can impact our retention rates.

SEROTONIN AND RETENTION

As I mentioned earlier in this series, serotonin has a number of functions and effects on the brain and emotions. However, one of the most interesting things about serotonin is that it's released when we experience social dominance.

Meaning, when you feel like you've moved up a notch in the social structure, your brain releases serotonin. This makes you feel calm and in control, and it's a feeling that is pleasant to experience.

This is also why rewards like job promotions and admittance to exclusive groups and clubs (think rush week for frats and sororities) is such a big deal to some people. It's also the reason why certain people get stuck on keeping up with the Joneses. Social dominance is something we're hard-wired to pursue.

So, how do you think this might play into keeping students coming to class? If you thought about rank promotions and special clubs, you're spot on. People will keep coming to class in order to chase that next rank - again, it's just something that we're wired to do.

Your job as an instructor is to make sure that students are learning new material and developing skills that allow them to move up through the ranks naturally. 

However, your job is NOT to give them pity ranks or loyalty promotions - that only cheapens the experience for them, and it also creates dissension among students who earned it.

THE TRUST HORMONE

This also leads us into a discussion of the effects of oxytocin, which is the body's "bonding" or "trust" hormone. When people feel like they're around people they can trust, or that they belong to a group, their oxytocin levels will be higher.

This feeling of trust is something that is difficult to duplicate in today's society. Generally speaking, many people don't commonly experience that feeling, except in their closest relationships with their family or spouse. 

So, creating an environment where students feel welcome and where they feel like they belong is key to keeping students coming to class. 

This is one of the main reasons why you don't want your school to be a shark tank. If the higher ranking students always see new students as fresh meat, they're going to be chasing students out of your school faster than you can replenish them with your marketing.

It's also why you need to encourage an environment where senior students are encouraged to help newer students. This not only takes a lot of the responsibilities of teaching new students off your back, it also creates an environment where students help each other. Students bond when they help each other, and that sort of environment keeps them coming to class.

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Alright, so we've talked about the so-called positive brain chemicals in the context of student retention. Next, we'll look at the negative brain chemicals, and what happens when students have negative experiences at your dojo. Stay tuned.