Whether you’re designing a user interface, interaction or experience, understanding some key psychological principles can make the process more successful. Kolawole Daramola MBCS explores and explains.
We often focus on the codes, engineering and the highly technical work in creating our computer systems, while many other crucial components go unnoticed. One of these overlooked contributors is psychology. Cognitive approaches have helped IT develop more purposeful systems to serve users better, and the most effective computer systems leverage an understanding of their users' minds to create more valuable products. In this article, we will explore 12 psychological principles incorporated into computing that have enhanced the quality of the systems we produce.
Gestalt Principles
It is quite impossible to study UX without crossing paths with the Gestalt Principles. The Gestalt Principles are rules of human perception that describe how humans process objects after perceiving them. Designers are guided by these principles to create more usable interfaces that are visually appealing and technically productive. A typical example is the similarity rules of the Gestalt Principles, which state that when objects on an interface share similar characteristics, humans perceive them as grouped. Website designers use the similarity rule to make their website hierarchy transparent to users.
Endowment Effect
This refers to an individual’s tendency to endow items or responsibilities in their possession more than someone else's, and items into which they have invested resources, with value. This psychological principle has proven helpful in cybersecurity; for example, messaging about multifactor authentication is best framed as a personal responsibility.
Cognitive load
Cognitive load refers to the mental effort required to process information. In IT, this theory emphasises minimising cognitive load in website and software design to enhance user engagement and efficiency. Cognitive Load Theory, introduced by John Sweller, identifies three types of cognitive load: intrinsic, extraneous, and germane. Intrinsic load relates to the complexity of the information itself; extraneous load arises from how the information is presented; germane load is the mental effort needed to create schemas which help organise and interpret the information. By applying these principles, designers can reduce unnecessary cognitive load, improve usability and enhance user satisfaction through clear visual hierarchies, intuitive navigation and alignment with users' existing mental models and expectations.
Fitt’s law
This states that the time required to move a point to a target area is a function of the distance to the target divided by the size of the target. The longer the distance, and the smaller the size, the longer it takes to hit the target. This theory allows designers to create interfaces that permit easy interactivity with users.
Habituation effect
This effect explains how humans stop noticing repetitive stimuli over time. That is, people stop noticing things after the initial shock fades away. For example, security warnings lose their effect over time. This effect helps designers draft adequate warnings that are not overbearing and fatiguing to users.
Jakob’s Law
Jakob’s Law states that users expect your system to work similarly to other sites they are accustomed to, based on their mental models. This is why common elements like dropdowns, carousels and the three-line ‘hamburger icon’ are prevalent. While designers might be tempted to innovate radically, such deviations can increase cognitive load as users must learn new interfaces. Adhering to familiar design patterns can reduce cognitive load and enhance usability, leveraging users’ existing mental models for more intuitive and user-friendly interfaces.
Hick’s Law
Hick’s Law states that the time it takes to make a decision increases with the number of options available. This principle, formulated by psychologists William Edmund Hick and Ray Hyman, is crucial in UX design as it highlights the impact of choice overload on user experience. Users with too many options increase their cognitive load, leading to decision paralysis and discouraging website activity. By streamlining choices and simplifying navigation, designers can make interfaces more intuitive and user-friendly.
Von Restorff Effect
This is also called the isolation effect and states that people notice things that stand out from their surroundings. Objects isolated or highlighted from the surroundings catch users' attention better. For example, highlighting the login or sign-up button on a login page helps users identify it better, and it has become a widespread practice.
Postel's Law
Postel’s Law, or the Robustness Principle, is crucial in software development, website creation, and cybersecurity.
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It advises developers to ‘be conservative in what you send, be liberal in what you accept’, meaning systems should strictly adhere to protocols when sending data but be flexible in interpreting incoming data.
This principle enhances interoperability and user experience by allowing systems to handle unexpected inputs gracefully. Website creation ensures that web browsers can display pages correctly even if the HTML or CSS isn't perfect.
Postel's Law helps systems remain robust against malformed data that could otherwise cause failures or vulnerabilities in cybersecurity. However, it also requires careful implementation to avoid security risks associated with overly permissive input handling.
Miller’s Law
Miller’s Law, proposed by psychologist George A. Miller, states that the average person can only hold about seven (plus or minus two) items in their working memory at one time. This principle is crucial in web design, underscoring the importance of simplicity and focus. By limiting the number of options or pieces of information presented simultaneously, designers can prevent cognitive overload and make interfaces more user-friendly. For example, breaking down complex tasks into more minor, manageable steps can help users process information more effectively and reduce errors.
Peak-End Rule
The Peak-End Rule, introduced by psychologist Daniel Kahneman, suggests that people judge an experience based mainly on how they felt at its peak (the most intense point) and its end, rather than the total sum or average of every moment of the experience. In web design, creating memorable moments and ensuring a positive end experience can significantly impact user satisfaction and retention. For instance, a smooth checkout process or a delightful confirmation message at the end of a transaction can leave users with a positive impression, encouraging repeat visits.
The intersection of psychology and IT has played a crucial role in shaping user experiences, cybersecurity strategies and system efficiencies. By applying these psychological principles, designers and engineers can reduce cognitive friction and build more intuitive, secure and effective digital products, ultimately leading to more efficient systems and better user satisfaction. As technology evolves, these principles will ensure that digital solutions remain user-centred, effective and impactful.
