by katharina.rauch -

Cognitive UX #4 // Cognitive Biases: Uncovering Unconscious Filters and Heuristics affecting UX Design.

Cognitive bias, first identified by Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman in 1972, refers to the brain’s tendency to process complex information through the filter of personal experience and preference. This bias is largely unconscious and manifests itself in the form of mental shortcuts, known as heuristics, which can lead to irrational judgements. In areas such as UX design and software development, these biases can influence decision making and data interpretation, affecting everything from user interface design to the results of machine learning algorithms. Being aware of and understanding these biases is crucial for more objective decision making and accurate data analysis.1

Types of Cognitive Biases

Over the past six decades, research in fields such as cognitive psychology, social psychology and behavioral economics has identified a variety of cognitive biases. At this point, I would like to share the list of https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/definition/cognitive-bias with various cognitive biases.

  • Actor-Observer Bias
    The tendency for an individual to credit their own situation to external causes while ascribing other people’s behaviours to internal causes.
  • Anchoring Bias
    The tendency for the brain to rely too much on the first information it received when making decisions.
  • Attentional Bias
    The tendency for an individual to pay attention to a single object or idea while deviating from others.
  • Availability Bias
    The tendency for the brain to conclude that a known instance is more representative of the whole than is actually the case.
  • Availability Heuristic
    The tendency to use information that comes to the mind quickly when making decisions based on the future.
  • Bandwagon Effect
    The tendency for the brain to conclude that something must be desirable because other people desire it.
  • Bias Blind Spot
    The tendency for the brain to recognise another’s bias but not its own.
  • Clustering Illusion
  • The tendency for the brain to want to see a pattern in what is actually a random sequence of numbers or events.
  • Confirmation Bias
    The tendency for the brain to value new information that supports existing ideas.
  • The Dunning-Kruger Effect
    The tendency for an individual with limited knowledge or competence in a given field to overestimate their own skills in that field.
  • False Consensus Effect
    The tendency for an individual to overestimate how much other people agree with them.
  • Framing Effect
    The tendency for the brain to arrive at different conclusions when reviewing the same information, depending on how the information is presented.
  • Functional Fixedness
    The tendency to see objects as only being used in one specific way.
  • Group Think
    The tendency for the brain to place value on consensus. 
  • Halo Effect
    The tendency for a person’s impression in one area to influence an opinion in another area.
  • Hindsight Bias
    The tendency to interpret past events as more predictable than they actually were.
  • Misinformation Effect
    The tendency for information that appears after an event to interfere with the memory of an original event.
  • Negativity Bias
    The tendency for the brain to subconsciously place more significance on negative events than positive ones.
  • Proximity Bias
    Proximity bias is the subconscious tendency to give preferential treatment to people that are physically close. A physical worker being considered for a raise before a remote worker because they are in the immediate vicinity of their superior is an example of proximity bias.
  • Recency Bias
    The tendency for the brain to subconsciously place more value on the last information it received about a topic.
  • Self-Serving Bias
    The tendency for an individual to blame external forces when bad events happen but give themselves credit when good events happen.
  • Sunk Cost Effect
    Also called the sunk cost fallacy, this is the tendency for the brain to continue investing in something that clearly isn’t working in order to avoid failure.
  • Survivorship Bias
    The tendency for the brain to focus on positive outcomes in favor of negative ones. A related phenomenon is the ostrich effect, in which people metaphorically bury their heads in the sand to avoid bad news.

  1. https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/definition/cognitive-bias ↩︎
by katharina.rauch -

Cognitive UX #3 // Exploring Cognitive Psychology including Key Principles.

According to the American Psychological Association, cognitive psychology is defined as a field of psychology that investigates mental processes associated with perception, attention, thinking, language, and memory. This approach, which emerged in the 1940s and 1950s, represents a significant departure from the behaviourist perspective prevalent at the time. Unlike behaviourism, which concentrates on observable behaviours, cognitive psychology focuses on internal mental processes. It proposes that the link between stimulus and response is not straightforward but is mediated by these complex mental processes. Cognitive psychology also differs from psychoanalysis, which emphasises instincts and unconscious forces, by its emphasis on higher mental processes. In recent years, cognitive psychology has integrated insights from computer science and artificial intelligence, particularly in the realms of information processing and information theory, further expanding its scope and understanding.1

Cognitive Psychology, Rakhi Rajani
https://de.slideshare.net/rakhirajani/cognition-in-space-13467968

In cognitive psychology, the brain is compared to an information-processing unit. The graphic simplifies this concept to a three-part flow: input, processing and output. Input refers to the raw data taken in by our senses. This data is then processed in the complex neural circuits of our brain, a stage artistically represented by a complex and vibrant ecosystem of thoughts and interactions. The output is the culmination of this internal processing and results in the various actions and behavioral responses we exhibit. This illustration serves as a metaphor for the journey from initial sensory experience to final behavioral response and captures the essence of cognitive psychology.2

Key Principles

In the field of User Experience (UX) design, insights from cognitive psychology are instrumental in comprehending how users interact with and make decisions while engaging with digital interfaces. To integrate cognitive psychology into UX design effectively, designers should consider several fundamental principles.3

  1. Perception: How do users perceive and interpret information, including color, typography, and visual hierarchy?
    This involves understanding how users perceive and interpret information. In the context of user experience, this includes how colors, typography, and visual hierarchy affect a user’s ability to process and understand information. For example, certain colors can evoke specific emotions or draw attention, while the choice of typography can affect readability. Visual hierarchy helps in guiding the user’s eye through the content, prioritizing certain elements over others.
  2. Attention: How do users process information and what captures their attention? 
    This topic explores what captures and holds a user’s attention. In the digital realm, this could refer to how users focus on certain aspects of a website or app, like banners, pop-ups, or video content. Understanding attention helps in designing interfaces that are engaging and don’t overwhelm or confuse the user. It’s crucial in determining where to place important information or calls to action.
  3. Thinking: How do users make decisions and form opinions based on information and evidence?
    This area focuses on how users make decisions and form opinions based on the information presented to them. In user experience, this can relate to how users navigate a website and what influences their decision to make a purchase, click a link, or trust the credibility of the content. It involves understanding the logical processes and emotional influences behind user decisions.
  4. Language: How does language in digital interfaces affect user cognition and behavior?
    In cognitive psychology, language is vital for user experience design. It includes the choice of words, tone, and clarity in digital interfaces. Effective language use can significantly impact how users understand and interact with digital content, guiding their decisions and overall engagement. It emphasizes the need for clear, user-friendly communication tailored to the audience’s needs.
  5. Memory: How do users store and retrieve information from memory?
    This topic deals with how users store and retrieve information. In terms of user interface design, it’s important to understand how users remember information from one part of an interface to another, or from one visit to the next. This understanding can guide the design of navigation menus, the layout of information, and the overall user interface to make it more intuitive and easier to remember how to use.
  6. Problem-Solving: How do users navigate and make decisions when faced with a problem or task?
    This refers to how users approach and resolve tasks or challenges. In a digital context, this could be how users find information on a website, complete a complex task in an application, or navigate through a troubleshooting process. Understanding the problem-solving process helps in designing interfaces that support and guide the user through these tasks efficiently and effectively, reducing frustration and increasing satisfaction.
  1. https://dictionary.apa.org/cognitive-psychology ↩︎
  2. https://twitter.com/micro1p/status/1231172011998797824 ↩︎
  3. https://uxplanet.org/psychology-in-ux-design-understanding-cognitive-psychology-in-ux-design-375c940d34ab ↩︎
by katharina.rauch -

Cognitive UX #1 // Designing for the Mind: The Intersection of Cognitive Psychology and User Experience Design.

Regardless of the type of products you are working on, what matters is that you design systems for how people think.

Don Norman

With „Cognitive UX“ I want to delve into the connection between cognitive psychology and user experience design (UX). I will explore how a deeper understanding of our minds can enhance the way we design various user interfaces, that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also psychologically effective, engaging and user friendly. I want to explore how our minds work and use these insights to improve the overall design of digital spaces.

Psychology in UX Design, Ish∆n
https://uxdesign.cc/the-psychology-of-ux-design-859439bc8a32

Research Questions

Within my research, I aim to answer the main research questions: „How does cognitive psychology influence user experience design?“ and „How to enhance user experience through psychological considerations in an effective and user-friendly way?“ and investigate into various directions and influences, such as:

Understanding User Cognition

– How do users think and process information and various design elements?
– What mental processes influence how users interact with digital interfaces?
– How can understanding cognitive biases improve UX design?

Perception and Design

– How do users perceive and respond to various design elements and information?
– How can design elements be structured to align with users cognitive perceptions?
– How do visual and sensory perceptions influence the aesthetics and functionality of a user interface?

Design Thinking and Problem Solving

– How to apply cognitive processes to creative problem-solving?
– In what ways can cognitive processes enhance creative problem-solving in design?
– How can UX designers use cognitive psychology to anticipate and solve user problems?

Emotional Psychology

– What impact do user emotions have on the overall user experience?
– What design elements can trigger positive emotional reactions in users?
– How can UX designers measure and analyse emotional responses to their designs?

Decision Making and User Choice

– How do design elements influence and support user decision-making processes?
– What strategies can be used to simplify user choices?
– How can cognitive psychology be used to predict and guide user decisions?

User Behaviour and Interaction Patterns

– What common patterns emerge in user behaviour when interacting with digital interfaces?
– How can designers anticipate and cater to these behavioural patterns?
– What role does user context (e.g., environment, device) play in shaping interaction patterns?

Accessibility and Cognitive Diversity

– How can UX design be tailored to accommodate users with different cognitive abilities and limitations?
– What are the challenges in designing for cognitive diversity, and how can they be addressed?
– How can universal design principles be applied to ensure cognitive accessibility?

User Testing and Cognitive Feedback

– How can insights from cognitive psychology be effectively applied in conducting usability tests?
– How can designers interpret cognitive feedback to improve UX design?
– Which methods are most effective for collecting cognitive feedback during user testing?

Cognitive Psychology in UX Strategy

– How can cognitive psychology principles be integrated into a holistic UX strategy?
– What are the benefits and potential pitfalls of applying cognitive psychology in UX design?
– How can cognitive psychology inform the long-term vision and direction of UX projects?

Development and Prospects in Cognitive UX

– How has the practice of cognitive UX evolved over time, and what key historical insights have shaped its development?
– What are the emerging trends in cognitive psychology that could impact future UX design
– How might advancements in technology, like AI, augment cognitive UX strategies?

Personal Motivation

After careful consideration and alternating between topics in user experience design (UX Unicorn) and mental health (Imposter Syndrome), I have decided on a new topic that combines these two interests in a certain way. I have a strong interest in human minds and a desire to deepen my knowledge of UX design, which makes this topic an ideal choice. It allows me to explore the humans psyche and how to apply this knowledge to create better user interfaces. It also illustrates the intersection of science, psychology and art and emphasises the role of psychology in a field like UX that seamlessly connects different disciplines.

Relevance

This topic holds significant value as it merges insights about the human mind with the enhancement of user experience design. Understanding how people think and process information enables the creation of user interfaces like websites and apps that are not only visually appealing but also intuitive and user-centric. This approach can lead to more effective and satisfying user interactions, making digital products more accessible and enjoyable. It leads to better experiences for users and more impactful designs.

A designer who doesn’t understand human psychologies is going to be no more successful than an architect who doesn’t understand physics.

Joe Leech

Challenges

One possible challenge with this topic is balancing the complex theories of cognitive psychology with practical UX design. Cognitive psychology can be quite detailed and scientific, so applying these concepts to design in a simple, user-friendly way might be tricky. Another challenge could be keeping up with the latest research and technology in both fields. Also, designers need to consider diverse user needs, which means understanding a wide range of cognitive abilities and preferences. This can make it hard to create designs that work well for everyone.

Relevant Institutions

Literature

Preview

For my next steps, I want to look at the basic concepts of cognitive psychology and how they apply when it comes to UX design. This will help build a solid foundation for the topic. I will also explore different directions and aspects in this regard. In terms of general topics, I don’t want to limit myself too much yet. These can be extended in a variety of directions: From exploring the Gestalt principles of design, the laws and principles of UX and interesting personalities in this field (such as Don Norman) through a closer look at the past and future of „Cognitive UX“ and different directions (such as emotional design, mindful design, user-centred design) to very specific examples (such as the phenomenon around Facebook’s Like button or the small but impactful difference within ATMs). I would then also like to provide some examples of how these theories are used in the design of user interfaces such as websites and apps and show some case studies of successful designs. Tests and interviews with users would also be interesting at a later stage. I am looking forward to dive deeper into the field of UX psychology and how it shapes and improves the user experience in profound ways.