8 UX Psychology Terms Every Designer Must Know

As designers, our responsibility extends beyond aesthetics; we are tasked with crafting experiences that seamlessly blend functionality with user psychology. By mastering these key concepts, we empower ourselves to create interfaces that resonate deeply, foster engagement and bring satisfaction.

So, let’s unravel the intricacies of UX psychology and uncover the principles that drive effective design.

1: Fitts Law

Fitts Law, named after psychologist Paul Fitts, explains the relationship between target size, distance, and user interaction time. Simply put, it says that larger and closer elements are easier and quicker to interact with.

Imagine your interface as a landscape where users navigate through various elements to accomplish tasks. Fitts Law serves as a guiding principle, reminding designers to prioritize the accessibility and visibility of essential elements. By adhering to Fitts Law, designers optimise user experience, reducing cognitive load and facilitating efficient interaction.

Ok, you may be thinking this seems obvious, but you would be surprised how often this is overlooked. Next time you’re reviewing your designs, put on your ‘Fitts Law hat’ and I guarantee you’ll be surprised at what jumps our at you.

2: Confirmation Bias

Confirmation bias, a cognitive phenomenon, refers to the tendency to favour information that confirms preexisting beliefs or ideas while disregarding contradictory evidence. In the context of user experience design, confirmation bias can influence user decision-making and perception of interfaces.

Understanding confirmation bias is crucial for designers seeking to create unbiased and informative interfaces. By presenting balanced and diverse content, designers can mitigate the impact of confirmation bias, fostering informed decision-making and enhancing user trust and satisfaction.

Example: Jake firmly believes that climate change is a hoax. When he comes across articles or studies that support his belief, he accepts them unquestioningly. However, when presented with scientific evidence of climate change, he dismisses it as part of a conspiracy, reinforcing his denial of the issue.

3: Gestalt Principles

Gestalt Principles, rooted in the field of psychology, explain how humans perceive and organise visual elements into coherent patterns and structures. These principles include proximity, similarity, closure, and continuity, guiding designers in creating cohesive and intuitive interfaces.

Proximity: Objects that are close to each other are perceived as related or grouped together. Designers leverage proximity to visually organise content and convey relationships between elements.

Similarity: Similar visual attributes, such as shape, colour, or size, lead to the perception of objects as belonging to the same group or category. By employing similarity, designers establish visual hierarchy and emphasise important information.

Closure: The brain tends to perceive incomplete or fragmented visual elements as complete shapes or patterns. Designers utilise closure to create recognisable forms and icons, facilitating user comprehension and interpretation.

Continuity: Smooth and continuous lines or patterns are perceived as more related and connected than abrupt changes. Continuity guides users’ eyes along a logical path through the interface, enhancing readability and guiding navigation.

By incorporating Gestalt Principles into design, designers can create interfaces that are visually appealing, intuitive, and conducive to user engagement and understanding.

4: Hick’s Law

Hick’s Law, proposed by psychologists William Edmund Hick and Ray Hyman, proposes that the time it takes for a person to make a decision increases with the number of alternative choices available. In the context of user experience design, Hick’s Law underscores the importance of simplicity and clarity in interface design.

As designers, we must recognise that presenting users with too many options can overwhelm them and hinder decision-making. By simplifying choices and prioritizing essential actions, designers reduce decision fatigue and improve user satisfaction and task completion.

Hick’s Law serves as a reminder to streamline interfaces and prioritise user needs, ultimately enhancing usability and facilitating efficient interaction.

5: Norman’s Seven Stages of Action

Norman’s Seven Stages of Action, formulated by cognitive psychologist Donald Norman, delineate the sequential steps users undergo when interacting with a product or interface. These stages provide valuable insights into understanding user goals, motivations, and frustrations throughout the interaction process.

Forming the Goal: Users establish a clear objective or intention they wish to accomplish.
Forming the Intention: Users develop a plan or strategy to achieve their goal.
Specifying an Action: Users select a specific action or series of actions to execute their intention.
Executing the Action: Users physically or mentally perform the selected action.
Perceiving the System State: Users observe the system’s response to their actions and assess whether progress is made towards their goal.
Interpreting the System State: Users interpret the system’s feedback and determine whether it aligns with their expectations and intentions.
Evaluating the Outcome: Users evaluate the outcome of their actions and assess whether their goal has been successfully achieved.

By understanding Norman’s Seven Stages of Action, designers can anticipate user needs and design interfaces that align with users’ cognitive processes, enhancing usability and overall user experience.

6: Cognitive Load

Cognitive load refers to the total amount of mental effort required to process information and complete a task. In the context of user experience design, managing cognitive load is crucial for creating interfaces that are intuitive, efficient, and user-friendly.

There are three types of cognitive load:

Intrinsic Cognitive Load: The inherent difficulty of the task itself, influenced by the complexity and novelty of the information.
Extraneous Cognitive Load: Additional mental effort imposed by the design of the interface, such as cluttered layouts or unclear instructions.
Germane Cognitive Load: Mental effort dedicated to understanding and learning new concepts or skills, contributing to long-term learning and mastery.

Designers strive to minimise extraneous cognitive load while optimising germane cognitive load to facilitate user understanding and engagement. By simplifying complex tasks, providing clear instructions, and leveraging familiar design patterns, designers can reduce cognitive load and enhance user experience.

7: Zeigarnik Effect

The Zeigarnik Effect, named after psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik, describes the phenomenon whereby people remember incomplete or interrupted tasks more readily than completed ones. This effect underscores the importance of closure and progress indicators in user interfaces.

In the realm of user experience design, the Zeigarnik Effect highlights the value of providing users with clear feedback and visual cues to denote task completion or progress. By incorporating progress bars, checklists, or notifications, designers can leverage the Zeigarnik Effect to maintain user engagement and motivation throughout the interaction process.

Understanding this psychological principle empowers designers to create interfaces that capitalise on users’ natural inclination to seek closure, fostering a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.

8: Aesthetic-Usability Effect

The Aesthetic-Usability Effect explains that users perceive aesthetically pleasing designs as more usable and effective, even if their functionality remains unchanged. This phenomenon underscores the importance of visual appeal in influencing user perceptions and attitudes towards interfaces.

In the world of user experience design, the Aesthetic-Usability Effect emphasises the symbiotic relationship between form and function. Designers must strike a balance between aesthetics and usability, ensuring that visually appealing designs enhance rather than detract from user experience.

By investing in aesthetics, designers can create interfaces that captivate users’ attention, evoke positive emotions, and instil a sense of trust and credibility. Ultimately, the Aesthetic-Usability Effect reminds us that beauty and usability are not mutually exclusive but rather complementary elements of exceptional design.

Conclusion:

In the dynamic landscape of user experience design, understanding the intricacies of human psychology is crucial. The eight UX psychology terms explored in this article serve as invaluable tools for designers, providing insights into user behaviour, cognition, and perception.

From Fitts Law to the Aesthetic-Usability Effect, each term offers a unique perspective on how users interact with interfaces and perceive design elements. By mastering these concepts, designers can create interfaces that are intuitive, engaging, and deeply resonant with users.

Always remember that great design is not merely about aesthetics or functionality — it’s about crafting experiences that delight, inspire, and empower users. By embracing the principles of UX psychology, designers can elevate their craft and make meaningful contributions to the world of digital experiences.

Stay curious, stay creative, and never stop exploring the endless possibilities of user experience design.

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