Psychology Principles & Laws to Apply to Your Web Design
Design is the most important element of any website and it gives the most effective results when executed with knowledge of psychology. Psychology is present everywhere in design. Being a designer, you can’t ignore psychology as it effects the experience the visitors have on their sites. Though, sometime it looked too complicated but the truth is they are associated with web design principles, which are easy to implement. Therefore we have to be aware of the function of our web design aesthetics. From “usability design” to “user experience,” we need to be careful while creating a website for business. In this article, we will explore some psychology principles and laws which can assist in the usability / experience of our design as well as the
aesthetic values. You can use them to improve the effectiveness of your web design even without knowing the theory behind it. 1. The Von Restorff Effect
The Von Restorff effect tells us that the more absurd an element is, the more it will stand out and be remembered. 2. Psychology of Color
Colors can influence emotions, the positive ones as follows:
Black: sophistication and power White: cleanliness, sophistication, virtue Red: courage, power, strength; can also stimulate appetite Blue: calmness, peace, trust, safety Yellow: optimism, happiness Green: balance, sustainability growth Purple: royalty, spiritual awareness, luxury Orange: friendliness, comfort, and food Pink: tranquility, femininity, sexuality
3. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
The pyramid is designed to show the steps one must take to reach selfactualization. 4. Hick’s Law
Hick’s Law relates to how long it takes someone to make a decision. If people have more choices to choose from, it will take them longer to decide. 5. Facial Recognition
Incorporating faces into your design is one of the most effective design techniques that pulls someone into your web page, or book cover. 6. Fitt’s Law
Fitt’s Law is a scientific law that’s often used to describe computerhuman interaction. 7. Occam’s Razor
Occam’s Razor tells us that the simplest solutions are always the best. Although this is more of a philosophical idea than a law of design.
No doubt, psychology plays an important role in day to day life. Above we have mentioned some useful psychology principles and laws you can apply to your next web development project that can speak to your audience.