"What Is This Thing?": 50 Times People Stumbled Upon Mysterious Objects And The Internet Offered Them An Explanation (New Pics)

Bored Panda reached out to Matt Johnson, Ph.D., a professor of consumer psychology at Hult International Business School and Harvard University, and he told us about the apparent functionality of products, as well as the law of the market. Moreover, he explained the difference between market-driven and market-driving products. Johnson is the host of the Neuroscience of Branding blog and is the author of 'Branding that Means Business: How to Build Enduring Bonds between Brands, Consumers and Markets.'

According to consumer psychology expert, whether it's vital for an object to have its function apparent from the moment someone sees it depends on the product itself, the industry, and how it's sold. "While consumers will always use a product in the greater context, they don’t always encounter them in this way, especially if its a product they’re unfamiliar with," he said.

"If, for example, the product is being sold via online marketplaces, the 'apparent functionality' can be an important factor in consumer decision-making. Consumers want to understand, intuitively, how to work the product. If they can simulate this in their heads, they can imagine using it, and if they can imagine using it, they can imagine owning it."

However, when it comes to digital products like "mobile apps and digital interfaces with high substitutability," immediate functionality becomes especially important.

"User experience is, of course, very important for digital products and experiences. Being able to 'see' this in the product is typically a reflection of its general intuitiveness," the creator of the Neuroscience of Branding blog told us.

Bored Panda asked Professor Johnson about the extent to which the products that we use are a reflection of our needs as a society, and how much brands themselves influence these needs.

"To a large extent, the products we use follow the 'law of the market': they reflect consumer demand and companies’ ability to capitalize on it. Ultimately, many of the products that have gone out of use have become obsolete, given other technological advancements. We don’t need stationary phones in houses anymore since nearly everyone has mobile devices, etc.," he gave an example.

"These are called market-driven products: they reflect the ability of companies to serve existing needs and capitalize on existing consumer demand."

However, there's also another influence—market-driving products. "Brands also have the ability to create needs that didn’t already exist, and then create and market products that serve these needs," the author of 'Branding that Means Business' said.

"The classic examples are luxury brands, which have an outsized influence on what society deems cool, attractive, and aspirational. However, other popular brands have the power to 'create' needs as well; Nike, Apple, and even Starbucks are great examples of brands that do this at relatively more accessible prices. There’s no deep-seated human need for a pumpkin spice latte. And yet, every Fall, there’s a massive market for PSLs, of which Starbucks created and continuously dominates," Johnson explained.

"All in all, the products on the market reflect commercial technologies best abilities to serve existing human needs. At the same time, the consumer world shapes these needs, and delivers products that purportedly assuage them. It’s a complex interplay between brands, consumers, culture, and market forces."

Created all the way back in September 2010, the ‘What Is This Thing’ subreddit has a very orderly, neat, and systemic approach to solving mysteries. Members of the moderator team have created a series of pages detailing solutions to pretty much any question you might have about becoming a member of the community.

They have a fully functioning Wiki, a great FAQ, as well as a guide for new members. The FAQ, in particular, is fascinating: it’s a compilation of commonly perplexing objects. Check it out before posting anything and asking for help: someone else may have already answered your question years ago.

The subreddit has been so successful that some members of the community actually work with international law enforcement. They are, in a very literal way, making the world a better place using their amateur sleuth skills.

Everyone can take part in helping solve the mysteries. However, if you do that, it’s best to provide a source to back up your claims. That helps filter out facts from opinions. On the flip side, those searching for answers ought to do their best to provide as much info and context about the object as they can. “Help those trying to help you. This will help to eliminate vague posts,” the r/whatisthisthing moderator team notes.

Meanwhile, members who get the answers they were looking for are encouraged to reply, ‘Solved!’ in their threads. They’re also reminded not to delete their posts after this. The idea is to slowly create a massive internet archive of answers. Deleting your posts can lead to a (temporary) ban.

One of the moderators running the subreddit previously told Bored Panda that there are a wide range of reasons why someone would want to become an amateur detective on the internet. For some, it’s the “thrill of the chase,” as people want to show off their talents and skills. Others, however, are drawn in by their curiosity.

“Many [people] have unique and obscure knowledge and they like to use it. Get enough of them together and they cover most things,” the mod said that this is a very extensive group of knowledgeable individuals. Less than 1 in 10 cases go unsolved on the sub. Most people get an answer within 15 minutes. These redditors are incredibly good at what they do.