5 Theories in Psychology That Guide a UX Designer!

Maytar Ben-Biniamin
Nov 5, 2021
2 min read

Psychology is a very important piece to UX Design that many people don't realize! Allow me to explain 5 important theories that should be considered in every design, which will guide the user to have the experience you want them to have.

#1 Retention Theory

Retention theory determines how long a user will interact with the page. The time spent on a page depends on how much information is provided to the user to process. When a user spends a long time on one page, they will start to lose focus and patience. Several aspects of the page can negatively effect the retention of the information, such as, fonts, images, colors, and the position of the elements.

Retention Theory can assist UX Designers to:

Gauge how much information is going to be taken in
Get an approximate of how long it will take a user to take in the information
see potential drawbacks for the user to retain the information

#2 The Serial-Position Effect

People tend to only remember the first and last items in a list of similar images or information. With this theory, UX Designers can guide the user to retain the information they want them to by putting the content in a specific and strategic order.

#3 Hick's Law

Too many options causes users to slow down and take a very long time to make decisions, which can push them away from your site. It is crucial to know how to minimize the amount of options you, as a designer, provide to the user. However, if it is necessary to include a lot of options on one page, it may be useful to organize them in a way that guides the user slowly to the next steps.

#4 The Schema Theory

The schema theory represents how our brain organizes information into categories and structured units. UX Designers are responsible for breaking down the information into significant categories; this will create an easier time for the user to understand the information.

#5 The Chameleon Effect

People subconsciously imitate things that they see, also known as the chameleon effect. While this is true between interactions you may have with another person, it is also true while browsing through a site. Certain designs provoke certain emotions, and those emotions will lead the user to either leave the website or continue to use the website. If a UX Designer creates a smooth process throughout the website, it will motivate the users to continue to the next step and to continue to use the site with joy.