UX Psychological Principles
As digital product owners, the goal is to create engaging and satisfying experiences for users. To do this, it is essential to understand the basic psychological principles that influence user behaviour and emotions. By applying these UX Psychological Principles to the design of digital products, we can create more engaging experiences that keep users coming back. Here are some key psychological principles to consider:
Habituation
Habituation is a psychological principle that refers to the way that humans adapt to stimuli over time. As users become familiar with a product or experience, their initial excitement and engagement can begin to wane. This is why it’s essential for digital product owners to continuously introduce new and varied experiences within their products to keep users engaged.
One example of this in action can be seen in the sports technology industry. Many sports tech products, such as wearable fitness trackers, provide users with regular feedback on their physical activity. Over time, users may become habituated to this feedback and find it less motivating. To combat this, sports tech companies may introduce new features, such as gamification elements or social sharing capabilities, to maintain user engagement.
By continually introducing new experiences and features, sports tech companies can keep users engaged and motivated to continue using their products. This not only helps build user loyalty but also ensures that users continue to see value in the product over time. By understanding the principle of habituation and incorporating new experiences into their products, digital product owners can create user experiences that are both engaging and effective.
Fogg Behavior Model
The Fogg Behavior Model suggests that in order for a behaviour to occur, a person must have sufficient motivation, ability, and a trigger to initiate the action. To encourage desired behaviours, it is important to increase motivation, simplify the action required, and provide clear triggers.
An example of how this can be applied in the e-commerce industry is in the design of an online shopping website. The website’s goal is to encourage users to complete a purchase. To increase motivation, the site may offer discounts or promotions to entice users to buy. To simplify the required action, the site may have a user-friendly interface and easy-to-use checkout process. Finally, to provide clear triggers, the site may display urgency messaging, such as limited-time offers or low-stock alerts, to prompt the user to take action.
By utilizing the Fogg Behavior Model, e-commerce companies can design their websites to be more effective in encouraging desired behaviors and improving conversion rates. By understanding the three factors that influence behavior, product owners can create user experiences that are both engaging and effective.
Social proof
Social proof refers to the phenomenon where people tend to follow the actions of others, especially those they trust or admire, in making decisions and forming opinions. This concept is based on the idea that people look to others for guidance, especially in unfamiliar or uncertain situations.
An example of how this can be applied in the travel industry is in the design of a hotel booking website. The website can incorporate social proof by prominently displaying the number of people who have booked the hotel, or by featuring user-generated content, such as reviews and ratings from past guests. By showcasing this information, the website can increase trust and engagement, as potential guests are more likely to book a hotel that has been highly rated and recommended by others.
Incorporating social proof into digital products can have a powerful impact on user behavior, as it capitalizes on the natural human tendency to follow the actions of others. By displaying information about the popularity and success of a product, product owners can increase trust and engagement, ultimately leading to better business outcomes.
Endowed Progress
Endowed Progress refers to the idea that people are motivated by the perception of making progress towards a goal. This principle is based on the idea that people are more likely to persist with a task if they perceive that they are making progress, as opposed to feeling like they are stuck in a rut.
An example of how this can be applied in the fitness industry is in the design of a workout app. The app can incorporate Endowed Progress by using a progress bar to track the user’s progress towards their fitness goals, or by incorporating gamification elements, such as rewards and challenges, to keep users motivated and engaged.
By incorporating progress indicators into the app, the product owners can tap into the user’s innate desire to make progress and see results. This not only keeps users engaged and motivated, but also increases the likelihood of them sticking with the app and reaching their fitness goals.
Incorporating Endowed Progress into digital products can have a powerful impact on user behavior, as it taps into the human desire for progress and achievement. By providing users with a sense of progress and forward momentum, product owners can keep users engaged and motivated, ultimately leading to better business outcomes.
Scarcity
Scarcity refers to the principle that people value things that are rare or in limited supply. This is based on the idea that humans tend to assign more value to things that are hard to obtain, or that have a limited availability.
An example of how this can be applied in the e-commerce industry is in the design of an online store. The store can incorporate scarcity by offering limited time deals or exclusive content, such as early access to new products. By doing this, the store can increase motivation and engagement among its customers, as they are more likely to take action when they feel like they are missing out on a limited opportunity.
Incorporating scarcity into digital products can have a powerful impact on user behavior, as it taps into the human desire for exclusivity and the fear of missing out. By presenting users with limited opportunities, product owners can increase motivation and engagement, ultimately leading to better business outcomes.
Anchoring
Anchoring refers to the principle that people make decisions based on the first information they receive. This is based on the idea that our initial reference point has a significant influence on the decisions we make.
An example of how this can be applied in the travel industry is in the design of a travel booking website. The website can incorporate anchoring by presenting users with a range of options and pricing, starting with the most expensive. This can lead users to make a decision based on the most expensive option as their reference point, making the other options appear more attractive in comparison.
By incorporating anchoring into digital products, product owners can guide users towards desired outcomes, such as making a purchase or choosing a specific option. It is important to carefully consider the initial information presented and the order in which it is presented, as this will have a significant impact on user behavior and decision making.
In conclusion, anchoring is a powerful psychological principle that can be used to influence user behavior and guide users towards desired outcomes. By understanding how anchoring works and incorporating it into digital products, product owners can create a more engaging and effective user experience.
Familiarity Bias
The Familiarity Bias refers to the tendency of people to prefer familiar things, even when objectively better options are available. This is because familiarity can increase comfort, reduce anxiety, and make it easier for users to understand and use a product.
An example of this in the food industry is a restaurant offering both familiar menu items and new and innovative dishes. By offering both familiar and new options, the restaurant can attract both repeat customers and new customers, increasing engagement and customer satisfaction.
Incorporating familiar elements into digital products can be beneficial, as it can help users feel more comfortable and confident using the product. However, it is important to balance the use of familiar elements with new and innovative elements, as this can keep users engaged and prevent boredom.
The Familiarity Bias is an important psychological principle that can be used to create more engaging user experiences. By understanding the power of familiarity and incorporating it into digital products, product owners can increase user engagement and satisfaction.
Conclusion
In conclusion, understanding the UX Psychological Principles that influence user behavior and emotions is essential for creating engaging and satisfying digital products. By applying principles such as habituation, the Fogg Behavior Model, social proof, Endowed Progress, and scarcity, product owners can create user experiences that are both effective and engaging.
At the end of the day, the goal is to create experiences that keep users coming back and build customer loyalty. By incorporating these principles into their products, digital product owners can achieve these outcomes and more.
So if you’re looking to take your digital product to the next level, and create engaging and satisfying experiences for your users, then be sure to get in touch with us. Our team is always here to help, and we’d love to hear from you. Simply fill out the form at the bottom of this page, and one of our experts will be in touch with you shortly. Don’t wait, start creating amazing digital products today!
