UX Psychology
A skill for applying psychological effects to UI design.
Application Patterns
Landing Page
| Section | Applied Effect | Implementation Example |
|---|
| Hero | Framing Effect | Emphasize positive outcomes |
| Social Proof | Authority Bias | Display well-known customer logos, media features |
| CTA | Loss Aversion | "Don't miss this opportunity" |
| Pricing Table | Anchoring Effect | Display the high-priced plan first |
Onboarding
| Step | Effect | Implementation Example |
|---|
| First Launch | Progressive Disclosure | One concept per screen |
| In-Progress | Goal Gradient Effect | Display progress bar |
| Completion | Peak-End Rule | Celebration animation |
Pricing Table
| Effect | Implementation |
|---|
| Anchoring Effect | Display Pro (high-priced) plan first |
| Decoy Effect | Make the middle plan the most attractive |
| Social Proof | "Most Popular" badge |
| Loss Aversion | "Save 2 months with annual billing" |
Key Psychological Effects
Effects Related to Cognitive Load
Hick's Law
Increasing the number of options increases decision-making time.
→ Limit options to 3-5
Cognitive Load Theory
Human working memory has limits.
→ One action per screen, chunk information
Miller's Law
7±2 is the limit of memory capacity.
→ Limit menu items and number of steps
Effects Related to Behavior Promotion
Goal Gradient Effect
Motivation increases as you approach the goal.
→ Progress bar, "Only X steps left"
Zeigarnik Effect
Uncompleted tasks are more likely to be remembered.
→ Display "X% completed"
Gradual Commitment
Starting with small commitments leads to larger ones.
→ Micro-conversions
Effects Related to Trust Building
Social Proof
Tendency to reference others' behaviors.
→ Number of users, reviews, logos
Authority Bias
Tendency to trust experts' opinions.
→ Media features, qualifications, awards
Mere Exposure Effect
Tendency to develop a preference for things seen repeatedly.
→ Consistent branding
Effects Related to Decision-Making
Framing Effect
The same information can create different impressions depending on presentation.
→ "90% success" vs "10% failure"
Anchoring Effect
The first number seen becomes the reference point.
→ Display high-priced plans first
Loss Aversion
Losses are felt more strongly than gains.
→ "Don't miss out"
Status Quo Bias
Tendency to avoid change.
→ Set recommended options as default
Dark Patterns Prohibited
Absolutely avoid the following:
- False scarcity (e.g., lies like "Only 3 spots left")
- Concealment of mandatory recurring charges
- Intentional confusion (misleading buttons)
- Excessive notifications
- Copy that incites guilt
- Complicated cancellation processes
Application Checklist
Related Skills
- ui-ux-pro-max: Visual implementation
- lp-optimizer: Page optimization
- marketing-psychology: Psychology from a marketing perspective
- copywriting: Applying psychology to copy