Psychology of
Customer Experience

• Fundamental-Attribution-Error
  Understanding the situation
  Situations are underestimated. People explain behavior through character rather than circumstances.
  Schwächen zeigen
• Constructive-Error-Attribution
  Constructive error attribution
  The attribution of errors determines the response. Those who see the cause as changeable forgive. Those who interpret it as stable lose trust.
  Schwächen zeigen
• Hindsight-Bias
  Hindsight bias
  Those who know the outcome believe they always knew it would happen. This 'I-knew-it-all-along' bias underestimates original uncertainty and leads to unfair evaluations.
  Schwächen zeigen
• Pratfall-Effekt
  Admitting weaknesses
  Small, controlled weaknesses increase likability and credibility – but only when competence is already established. Perfection creates distance, humanity creates closeness.
  Schwächen zeigen
• Inequity-Aversion
  Inequality aversion
  People actively reject unfair distributions – even when they would benefit from them. Perceived injustice destroys trust and loyalty more sustainably than high prices.
  Schwächen zeigen
• Pygmalion-Effekt
  Assume good intent
  Expectations influence behavior. Those who treat customers as trustworthy make them more trustworthy.
  Vertrauen schenken
• Voice-Effekt
  Let customers have a say
  Being heard increases acceptance. Customers accept even negative decisions better when they were allowed to have their say beforehand.
  Vertrauen schenken
• Lost-Wallet
  Customers trust
  Trust activates honesty. People act more honestly when they are visibly shown trust.
  Vertrauen schenken
• Reziprozitat
  Reciprocity
  Those who give first activate the strong urge to reciprocate. Small, unexpected gifts generate disproportionate responses.
  Vertrauen schenken
• Trust-Bias
  Building trust
  Trust disables critical thinking. People question trusted sources less and adopt their statements uncritically.
  Vertrauen schenken
• Illusory-Truth-Effekt
  Illusory Truth
  Repeated statements are perceived as more true, even when they are objectively false. Mere familiarity through repetition creates a feeling of truth.
  Soziale Beweise nutzen
• Uniform-Authority
  Making Authority Visible
  Expertise must be visible. Titles, certificates, and professional design automatically increase trust.
  Kompetenz zeigen
• Halo-Effekt
  Leveraging the First Impression
  The first impression radiates outward. One positive trait makes everything else appear more positive as well.
  Kompetenz zeigen
• Processing Fluency
  Formulate simply
  What is easy to read is believed. Simple language and clear design increase perceived credibility.
  Kompetenz zeigen
• Automatisierungseffekt
  Enable control
  Automation can reduce trust and competence. People overestimate automated systems or rely on them blindly – until the first error occurs.
  Kompetenz zeigen
• Representativeness-Heuristik
  Representativeness heuristic
  People judge probabilities based on how much something resembles a typical example – not on statistical reality. Prototypes trump probabilities.
  Kompetenz zeigen
• Rhyme-As-Reason-Effekt
  Rhyme-as-Reason
  Rhymed statements appear more truthful and memorable than non-rhymed ones – even with identical content. Linguistic fluency is unconsciously interpreted as a signal of truth.
  Kompetenz zeigen
• Swift-Trust-Formation
  Swift Trust
  Trust emerges immediately through competence characteristics and professional framework conditions. Temporary teams demonstrate high initial trust based on categorization, not experience.
  Kompetenz zeigen
• Typography-Psychology
  Typography Psychology
  Fonts influence credibility, readability, and emotional impact independent of content. Well-chosen typography increases trust and comprehension.
  Kompetenz zeigen
• Availability-Heuristik
  Availability heuristic
  People estimate probabilities based on how easily examples come to mind. Availability in memory is confused with frequency.
  Kompetenz zeigen
• Perceptual-Constancy
  Perceptual constancy
  People recognize objects as identical despite differences in size, color, angle, or lighting. The brain automatically corrects for contextual changes.
  Kompetenz zeigen
• Candy-Tipping
  Offering small extras
  Small extras have a disproportionate impact. Unexpected, personalized gifts after purchase create strong loyalty.
  Beziehung aufbauen
• Liking
  Like something
  Likability is a powerful purchase driver. Those who are liked find their arguments more persuasive – regardless of the objective quality of the offering.
  Beziehung aufbauen
• Mirroring
  Mirroring
  Subtle mirroring of body language, gestures, and speech creates unconscious rapport. Overly obvious imitation comes across as manipulative.
  Beziehung aufbauen
• Barnum-Effekt
  Being truly personal
  True personalization works. Vague statements are perceived as personal – but only genuine relevance builds trust.
  Beziehung aufbauen
• Bevorzugung-Runder-Formen
  Preference for rounded shapes
  Round shapes are perceived as more pleasant, safer, and more trustworthy than angular ones. They activate the reward center in the brain.
  Positiv erleben
• Mental-Accounting
  Spending framework
  Money is not all the same. People maintain mental accounts and evaluate spending differently depending on its source.
  Preise & Wert kommunizieren
• Money-Omission
  Money omission
  Money symbols activate transactional thinking and reduce emotional connection. Those who minimize money create space for value perception.
  Preise & Wert kommunizieren
• Money-Illusion
  Money illusion
  People evaluate money based on nominal figures rather than actual purchasing power. A 2% salary increase during 4% inflation feels better than a 2% pay cut with 0% inflation—even though both scenarios result in identical real-term losses.
  Preise & Wert kommunizieren
• Magnitude-Priming
  Size priming
  Large numbers in context increase willingness to pay. A high phone number or house number makes the same wine more expensive.
  Preise & Wert kommunizieren
• Contrast
  Contrast Effect
  Evaluations are relative, not absolute. An offer appears attractive or unattractive depending on the comparison context.
  Preise & Wert kommunizieren
• Unit-Bias
  Define portions
  People treat a unit as a natural portion – regardless of its size. The definition of the unit determines consumption and willingness to pay.
  Preise & Wert kommunizieren
• Price-Quality
  Price as a Quality Signal
  Higher price = higher quality. People actually experience more expensive products as better.
  Preise & Wert kommunizieren
• Pseudo-Set-Framing
  Present as pre-selected
  The mere designation as a 'set' increases purchase intent, even when no actual bundling exists. Customers perceive greater completeness and higher value.
  Preise & Wert kommunizieren
• Social-Comparison-Effekt
  Social Comparison
  People evaluate themselves through comparison with others, not in absolute terms. Those who control the comparison context influence satisfaction and purchase intent.
  Preise & Wert kommunizieren
• Decoy-Effekt
  Control comparison
  A strategically placed third option dramatically shifts preference between two alternatives. The decoy makes one option more attractive without being purchased itself.
  Preise & Wert kommunizieren
• Webers-Law
  Leverage ratios
  Differences must be proportional to the baseline value to be perceived. A €10 discount has a strong effect at €50, but not at €500.
  Preise & Wert kommunizieren
• Time-Vs-Money-Effekt
  Time vs. Money
  Time-based messages activate personal experiences and identity, while money-based messages activate calculation and comparison. For experiential products, time works more effectively; for utilitarian products, money does.
  Preise & Wert kommunizieren
• Anker-Effekt
  Mention price first
  The first number determines everything. The anchor price defines what is perceived as expensive or cheap.
  Preise & Wert kommunizieren
• Effort-Heuristik
  Make effort visible
  Effort signals quality. Products with visible effort are perceived as more valuable.
  Wert erlebbar machen
• Endowment
  Convey ownership
  What you have, you want to keep. Possession alone dramatically increases perceived value.
  Wert erlebbar machen
• Having-Vs-Using-Effekt
  Ownership vs. Usage
  People evaluate products at the point of purchase based on ownership utility (many features), but during use based on usage utility (ease of use). This divergence leads to poor purchasing decisions and dissatisfaction.
  Wert erlebbar machen
• Embodiment-Effekt
  Experience physically
  Physical experience shapes mental evaluation. Weight, texture, temperature, and haptics influence perceived value, trust, and decisions – even in digital contexts.
  Wert erlebbar machen
• Erwartungs-Bestatigungs-Effekt
  Expectation confirmation
  Expectations shape perception more powerfully than objective reality. Those who set expectations thereby control the subsequent evaluation.
  Wert erlebbar machen
• Juxtaposition
  Show contrasts
  Information is always evaluated in context. Strategic juxtaposition amplifies desired attributes through contrast.
  Wert erlebbar machen
• Knappheits-Effekt
  Show scarcity
  Scarce goods appear more valuable. Limited availability increases desire and willingness to pay.
  Wert erlebbar machen
• Ikea-Effekt
  Let them participate in building
  Homemade is overrated. Those who are involved in the creation value the result more highly.
  Wert erlebbar machen
• Sensory-Appeal
  Sensory Appeal
  Sensory descriptions activate mental simulation and increase purchase intent. Concrete sensory stimuli in text and images make products more tangible and desirable.
  Wert erlebbar machen
• Perceptual-Set
  Perceptual set
  Expectations and context determine perception. People do not see objectively, but rather interpret through the filter of their preconceptions.
  Wert erlebbar machen
• Serial-Position-Effekt
  Utilize the beginning and the end
  The beginning and end stick. The first and last positions receive the most attention.
  Aufmerksamkeit lenken
• Peripheral-Motion
  Utilize movement
  Movement catches the eye. Our peripheral vision automatically responds to movement at the edge.
  Aufmerksamkeit lenken
• Interruptibility
  Choosing the right moment
  Timing determines acceptance. After completing tasks, people are more open to new things.
  Aufmerksamkeit lenken
• Focusing-Effekt
  Focusing effect
  People overestimate the importance of what their attention is currently focused on. A highlighted feature dominates the evaluation and causes other factors to fade into the background.
  Aufmerksamkeit lenken
• Color-Hierarchy
  Leading with Color
  Color directs attention. High-contrast colors draw the eye to important elements.
  Aufmerksamkeit lenken
• Curiosity-Gap
  Spark curiosity
  Knowledge gaps create curiosity. An information gap generates the urge to close it.
  Aufmerksamkeit lenken
• Priming-Effekt
  Prime ahead
  Subtle cues unconsciously activate concepts and influence subsequent behavior. Those who pre-activate the right association guide perception and decisions.
  Aufmerksamkeit lenken
• Identifiable-Victim-Effekt
  Show individuals, not numbers
  A face moves us more than numbers. Individual fates trigger stronger reactions than statistics.
  Geschichten erzählen
• Storytelling-Effekt
  Tell stories
  Stories are better remembered and processed more emotionally than facts. Narrative structure activates the brain more holistically and creates stronger memory traces.
  Geschichten erzählen
• Belief-Bias
  Sound credible
  Plausible seems logical. People are more likely to accept arguments when the conclusion sounds credible.
  Verständlich kommunizieren
• Golden-Ratio-Skepticism
  Golden Ratio
  The Golden Ratio has no demonstrable superiority in aesthetic perception. People prefer different proportions depending on the situation.
  Verständlich kommunizieren
• Inner-Dialogue
  Internal Dialogue
  Self-generated arguments are more persuasive than prescribed ones. Those who get customers thinking rather than trying to convince them achieve more sustainable persuasion.
  Verständlich kommunizieren
• Cultural-Color-Meaning
  Observe cultural codes
  Colors have different meanings depending on the culture. White represents purity or mourning – the context determines which.
  Verständlich kommunizieren
• Disfluency-Effekt
  Impair readability
  Information that is harder to read is processed more deeply and remembered better. Cognitive effort during reading activates analytical thinking.
  Verständlich kommunizieren
• Conjunction-Trugschluss
  Convince with details
  The typical is more convincing. Vivid details make statements more credible – even when they are less probable.
  Verständlich kommunizieren
• Picture-Superiority-Effekt
  Picture Superiority
  Images are remembered 6x better than text. Visual information remains permanently in memory, while verbal content quickly fades.
  Verständlich kommunizieren
• Framing-Effekt
  Phrase positively
  The same information, different impact. Whether '90% fat-free' or '10% fat' – the wording determines the response.
  Verständlich kommunizieren
• Regulatory-Focus-Theorie
  Regulatory Focus
  People are either promotion-focused (seizing opportunities) or prevention-focused (avoiding risks). The same message has completely different effects depending on the focus.
  Verständlich kommunizieren
• Primacy-Of-Affect
  Feelings before facts
  The feeling comes before the thought. Emotional reactions arise faster than rational judgments.
  Positiv erleben
• Motivating-Uncertainty-Effekt
  Motivating Uncertainty
  Uncertain rewards generate more engagement than guaranteed ones. The uncertainty increases curiosity and motivation more strongly than a certain but predictable benefit.
  Positiv erleben
• Dopamin-Antizipation
  Building anticipation
  The brain rewards anticipation more strongly than possession. Those who design anticipation increase engagement and perceived value.
  Positiv erleben
• Affordance-Theorie
  # Affordance Theory
  Objects signal through their form and context how they are to be used. Good design makes functions recognizable without explanation.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Fittss-Law
  Make buttons larger
  Large, nearby targets are faster to reach than small, distant ones. The time for a pointer movement follows a mathematical law: it increases logarithmically with distance and decreases with target size.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Future-Self
  Showing the Future Self
  The future self is a stranger. Those who visualize their future self make better decisions.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Parkinsons-Law
  Shorten deadlines
  Work expands to fill the time available until the deadline. Tight time constraints lead to faster completion without loss of quality.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Compromise-Effekt
  Offering the middle ground
  The middle option is preferred. People avoid extremes and choose the compromise.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• False-Dichotomy
  Simply explain
  Two options are easier. Either-or frames simplify complex decisions.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Hot-Cold-Empathy-Gap
  Plan for emotions
  Emotions change decisions. We make different decisions when in different emotional states.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Choice-Architecture
  Decision Architecture
  The design of the decision context systematically influences what people choose. Defaults, sequencing, and framing guide decisions without removing options.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Entscheidungsmudigkeit
  Decision fatigue
  Every decision depletes mental resources. After many decisions, decision quality declines, customers choose the easiest path or procrastinate.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Expectancy-Value-Theorie
  Expectancy-Value Theory
  Motivation arises from two factors: expectation of success and subjective value. Action only follows when both are high.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Kognitive-Tunnelbildung
  Simplify focus
  Under stress, attention narrows to what is immediately urgent. Important peripheral information is overlooked, and alternative solutions go unrecognized.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Door-In-The-Face
  Ask big, get small
  After rejection, agreement becomes more likely. A rejected large request makes the small one more attractive.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Hobsons-1-Choice-Effekt
  Hobson's Choice
  A well-presented single option is often more readily accepted than a choice between unattractive alternatives. The context of presentation determines whether an option is accepted or rejected.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Dual-Process-Theorie
  Design intuitively
  Two thinking systems control decisions: System 1 operates quickly, intuitively, and emotionally. System 2 thinks slowly, analytically, and consciously. Most decisions are made in System 1.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Disjunction-Effekt
  Create clarity
  Uncertainty blocks action. As long as an outcome is uncertain, people prefer to wait.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Teslers-Law
  Complexity into the System
  Complexity is constant – it can only be shifted, not eliminated. Every simplification for the user increases complexity in the system.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Simplification-Bias
  Reduce complexity
  People reduce complex decisions to a single, easily evaluable dimension. Multidimensional information is systematically ignored, even when it is available and relevant.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Prinzip-Des-Geringsten-Aufwands
  Least Effort
  People choose the path of least resistance. Every additional hurdle—cognitive, physical, or temporal—dramatically reduces conversion.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Temporal-Construal
  Thinking near or far
  Distant future = abstract thinking. We plan idealistically for later, practically for tomorrow.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Nudging
  Nudge
  Small changes in decision architecture lead to major behavioral shifts. Smart defaults and context design guide decisions without restricting freedom of choice.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Hicks-Law
  Reduce options
  Each additional option increases decision time logarithmically. Fewer choices lead to faster, more confident decisions.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Pennies-A-Day-Effekt
  Pennies-a-Day
  Presenting prices as small daily amounts dramatically increases willingness to pay. '€1 per day' appears more attractive than '€365 per year', even though the amount is identical.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Temptation-Bundling
  Coupling duty with pleasure
  Obligations become more bearable when coupled with pleasure. The combination of 'should' and 'want to' drastically increases the completion rate.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Pseudo-Justification
  Pseudo-justification
  Any justification increases agreement – even if it's meaningless. The word 'because' triggers automatic acceptance.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Wiedererkennen-Vs-Erinnern
  # Recognition vs. Recall
  Recognition is cognitively much easier than free recall. Showing options instead of asking open-ended questions significantly reduces drop-offs and errors.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Hyperbolic-Discounting
  Utilize immediate rewards
  Now is more important than later. Immediate rewards are disproportionately preferred.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Default-Effekt
  Choose your standard wisely
  The default wins most of the time. People stick with the standard – use this for good decisions.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• System-Override-Psychology
  System Override
  People systematically override system defaults when these are perceived as obstacles. Too many security prompts or unclear warnings lead to habituation and disregard.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Perception-Action-Coupling-Prinzip
  Perception-action coupling
  Perception and action are neurologically coupled. Interfaces that support this coupling feel more natural and lead to better performance.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Millers-Law
  Show fewer simultaneously
  Working memory can only process 7±2 units of information simultaneously. More information leads to forgetting and abandonment.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Aesthetic-Usability-Effekt
  Aesthetic-Usability Effect
  Aesthetically appealing interfaces are perceived as more user-friendly, even with identical functionality. Beauty creates tolerance for usability problems.
  Entscheidungen vereinfachen
• Fogg-Behavior-Model
  All three combine
  Behavior only occurs when three factors come together simultaneously: sufficient motivation, ability to perform the action, and a triggering prompt. If one is missing, nothing happens.
  Schritt für Schritt führen
• Commitment-Und-Konsistenzprinzip
  Commitment & Consistency
  Once someone makes a commitment, they act consistently with that decision. Small initial commitments lead to larger subsequent actions.
  Schritt für Schritt führen
• Precommitment
  Secure commitment early
  Early commitments hold better. When you commit beforehand, you're more likely to stick to it.
  Schritt für Schritt führen
• Flow-State
  Flow state
  People experience flow when task difficulty and skills are perfectly balanced. Clear goals and immediate feedback reinforce this state of intrinsic motivation.
  Schritt für Schritt führen
• Foot-In-Door
  Request a quote
  Small commitment leads to larger ones. Those who say yes once are more likely to say yes again – even to more.
  Schritt für Schritt führen
• Low-Ball-Effekt
  Low-Ball Technique
  Once someone has committed, they stick with it – even when unfavorable conditions arise later. The initial commitment binds more strongly than rational reassessment.
  Schritt für Schritt führen
• Neuroplastizitaet
  Neuroplasticity
  The brain remains malleable throughout life through experience. Repeated new behaviors create new neural connections and can override old patterns.
  Schritt für Schritt führen
• Scaffolding-Theorie
  Support learning
  Temporary assistance enables independent action. Those who gradually reduce support foster competence without dependency.
  Schritt für Schritt führen
• Shaping
  Reward steps
  Complex behavior emerges through gradual approximation. Reward small progress toward the target behavior, not just the final result.
  Schritt für Schritt führen
• Self-Efficacy
  Self-efficacy
  Belief in one's own abilities determines whether people accept challenges. Small successes strengthen this belief more than verbal encouragement.
  Schritt für Schritt führen
• Goal-Setting-Theorie
  Goal-Setting Theory
  Specific, challenging goals increase performance more effectively than vague instructions or simple goals. Feedback and commitment are critical amplifiers.
  Schritt für Schritt führen
• Reaktanz
  Allow freedom
  Prohibitions create resistance. Restricted freedom makes the forbidden option more attractive.
  Autonomie gewähren
• Illusion-Of-Control
  Give control
  Having choices is reassuring. Even meaningless control increases satisfaction and engagement.
  Autonomie gewähren
• Not-Invented-Here-Syndrome
  Save ownership feeling
  Internal teams systematically rate their own solutions higher than external ones, even when objectively inferior. The origin of an idea influences its acceptance more than its quality.
  Autonomie gewähren
• Autonomy-Effekt
  Enable self-determination
  Autonomy motivates. Those who make their own decisions are more satisfied and engaged.
  Autonomie gewähren
• Reverse-Psychology
  Reverse Psychology
  Prohibitions and restrictions sometimes increase desire. Those who perceive their freedom of choice as threatened want the forbidden thing all the more.
  Autonomie gewähren
• Affect-Heuristik
  Affect heuristic
  Positive emotions lower perceived risks and increase perceived benefits – automatically and unconsciously. Those who create rapport reduce purchase barriers.
  Ängste abbauen
• Sozialer-Beweis
  Show others
  People orient themselves based on the behavior of others, especially in uncertain situations. The more people do something, the more correct it appears to be.
  Ängste abbauen
• Threat
  Threat perception
  Threats only motivate when accompanied by concrete action options. Without a solution path, warnings lead to defensiveness and denial.
  Ängste abbauen
• Buyers-Remorse
  Purchase regret
  After major purchase decisions, discomfort and doubt often arise. This cognitive dissonance is strongest with irreversible, expensive decisions involving multiple attractive alternatives.
  Ängste abbauen
• Streisand-Effekt
  Communicate openly
  Attempts to suppress information often lead to the massive spread of precisely that information. Censorship generates attention and reactance.
  Ängste abbauen
• Predictive-Brain-Theorie
  Predictive Processing
  The brain is a prediction machine, not a passive receiver. Met expectations create trust, positive surprises generate joy—large deviations cause stress.
  Ängste abbauen
• Equality-Attraction
  Similarity-Attraction
  People prefer partners with similar status. Excessive differences in attractiveness, competence, or prestige create distance rather than attraction.
  Ängste abbauen
• Spotlight-Effekt
  Put worries into perspective
  People drastically overestimate how much others notice them. What seems enormous to us is barely noticed by others – a cognitive bias with direct implications for customer communication.
  Ängste abbauen
• Stress-Belohnungseffekt
  Stress-Reward Effect
  Under stress, people increasingly resort to immediate rewards and impulsive decisions. Stressful customer journeys increase susceptibility to upselling and add-on sales.
  Ängste abbauen
• Uncanny-Valley-Effekt
  Uncanny Valley
  Near-human representations create discomfort. Too realistic, but not perfect, triggers stronger rejection than obviously artificial.
  Ängste abbauen
• Ambiguity-Aversion
  Reduce uncertainty
  Known risk is better. People avoid unknown probabilities, not risk itself.
  Ängste abbauen
• Omission-Bias
  Omission bias
  People prefer inaction over active intervention, even when not acting leads to worse consequences. Those who don't act feel less responsible for negative outcomes.
  Ängste abbauen
• Loss-Aversion
  Addressing fear of loss
  Losses hurt twice as much. The pain of loss is stronger than the joy of gain.
  Ängste abbauen
• Response-Efficacy
  Prove effectiveness
  Risk warnings only prompt action when people believe that the recommended measure actually solves the problem. Without efficacy beliefs, even dramatic warnings remain without consequence.
  Ängste abbauen
• Operational-Transparency
  Show what's behind it
  Customers rate waiting times more positively when they can see what's happening behind the scenes. Transparency about ongoing processes reduces perceived wait time and increases satisfaction.
  Ängste abbauen
• Funktionale-Fixierung
  Show alternatives
  Familiar objects are perceived only in their customary function. This mental block prevents creative problem-solving and alternative forms of use.
  Verständnis sichern
• Confirmation-Bias
  Respect what exists
  We seek confirmation. People prefer information that supports their opinion.
  Verständnis sichern
• Gestalt-Principles
  Gestalt Principles
  The brain automatically groups visual elements according to proximity, similarity, closure, and common movement. Those who utilize these principles create intuitive layouts without additional explanation.
  Verständnis sichern
• Signifiers
  Make instructions visible
  Visual cues show how something is to be used. Without recognizable signals, even simple interfaces become frustrating.
  Verständnis sichern
• Context-Dependent-Memory
  Context-dependent memory
  Information is better remembered when the retrieval context is similar to the learning context. Contextual cues serve as memory aids.
  Verständnis sichern
• Learned-Convention-Override
  Convention override
  Learned conventions can be overridden by better alternatives when the new solution offers clearly superior affordances and the learning curve is mitigated through good design.
  Verständnis sichern
• Mental-Model
  Mental Models
  People only understand new systems through their existing mental models. If the interface doesn't match these expectations, errors and frustration occur.
  Verständnis sichern
• Optimism-Bias
  Emphasize risks
  People systematically overestimate the probability of positive events and underestimate risks. This bias is robust, even when statistical facts are known.
  Verständnis sichern
• Situationsmodelle
  Describe situations
  People construct mental models of the described situation while reading. Texts that support this model formation are better understood and remembered.
  Verständnis sichern
• Feedback-Loop
  Provide immediate feedback
  Immediate, concrete feedback on one's own behavior leads to measurable behavior change. Without feedback, consequences remain abstract and ineffective.
  Verständnis sichern
• Illusion-Of-Depth
  Check understanding
  Understanding is overrated. People believe they understand more than they actually do.
  Verständnis sichern
• Observer-Expectancy-Effekt
  Experimenter effect
  Observer expectations influence both their perception and the actual behavior of observed individuals. Even objective measurements are distorted by implicit signals.
  Verständnis sichern
• Curse-Of-Knowledge
  How Beginners Think
  Experts forget what it's like not to know. Those who know something underestimate how difficult it is to understand.
  Verständnis sichern
• Spacing-Effekt
  Repeat with breaks
  Distributed learning over time beats massed learning. Repeating information at intervals leads to better long-term memory than intensive one-time presentation.
  Verständnis sichern
• Von-Restorff-Effekt
  Design differently
  What stands out stays in memory. A single deviating element is remembered up to 10 times better than identical elements.
  Aufmerksamkeit lenken
• Perceptual-Load-Theorie
  Increase task complexity
  High cognitive load prevents distraction. When someone solves a task with concentration, they automatically filter out disruptive stimuli.
  Aufmerksamkeit lenken
• Disrupt-Then-Reframe
  First confuse, then convince
  A brief interruption of the expected sequence, followed by reframing, dramatically increases persuasiveness. This technique works by disrupting automatic defensive reactions.
  Aufmerksamkeit lenken
• External-Trigger
  External Triggers
  External triggering activates behavior more reliably than waiting for self-initiative. Push notifications, emails, and contextual cues measurably increase usage.
  Aufmerksamkeit lenken
• Fovea
  Focus
  Only 2° of the visual field is perceived sharply – the rest is blurred. What is not in focus is not seen.
  Aufmerksamkeit lenken
• Gaze-Cueing-Effekt
  Gaze Cueing
  People automatically follow the gaze of others. Faces looking in a particular direction direct attention there – even when we consciously try to avoid it.
  Aufmerksamkeit lenken
• Habituationseffekt
  Get used to
  Repeated stimuli lose their impact. What initially stands out becomes increasingly ignored with repetition – the habituation effect.
  Aufmerksamkeit lenken
• Feature-Detection-Theorie
  Feature Detection Theory
  The brain recognizes basic visual features (color, shape, movement) in parallel and automatically before processing complex objects. Interface design must leverage this hierarchy.
  Aufmerksamkeit lenken
• Mind-Wandering-Frequency
  Mind Wandering
  Mind wandering occurs during 30-50% of all activities. Monotonous, predictable interfaces promote distraction and drastically reduce information retention.
  Aufmerksamkeit lenken
• Pattern-Interrupt
  Breaking patterns
  Unexpected interruptions of patterns generate attention. The brain responds to deviations from the expected with heightened alertness.
  Aufmerksamkeit lenken
• Attentional-Blink
  Build in breaks
  After capturing information, our brain is 'blind' to additional stimuli for 200-500ms. Important information presented in rapid succession will be overlooked.
  Aufmerksamkeit lenken
• Saccadic-Suppression
  Saccadic suppression
  The brain suppresses visual perception during eye movements. Changes during this phase go unnoticed – a blind spot of 40-50ms.
  Aufmerksamkeit lenken
• Selective-Attention
  Selective Attention
  People consciously perceive only a fraction of the available information. What receives attention depends on expectation, task, and salience.
  Aufmerksamkeit lenken
• Depth-Perception-Cues
  Depth perception
  Depth cues such as shadows, size, and overlap create visual hierarchy on flat screens. They guide attention and facilitate navigation.
  Aufmerksamkeit lenken
• Unvollstandiges-Lesen
  Incomplete reading
  Users don't read web content linearly, but scan in F- and Z-patterns. Only 16-28% of text is actually read – position and design determine perception.
  Aufmerksamkeit lenken
• Change-Blindness-Phänomen
  Change blindness
  People overlook even major changes when their attention is not specifically directed to them. Changes must be actively communicated.
  Aufmerksamkeit lenken
• Visual-Hierarchy
  Visual Hierarchy
  Size, contrast, and position direct attention. Without clear visual hierarchy, attention is distributed evenly and nothing sticks.
  Aufmerksamkeit lenken
• Service-Recovery-Paradoxon
  Correcting mistakes effectively
  Well-resolved problems create stronger bonds. Customers after a complaint can be more loyal than before.
  Positive Erlebnisse schaffen
• Hedonic-Adaptation
  Working Against Habituation
  You get used to good things. Vary positive experiences so they don't become routine.
  Positive Erlebnisse schaffen
• Peak-End-Regel
  Shaping peaks and endings
  Peak moments and endings shape memory. Consciously design these moments to be positive.
  Positive Erlebnisse schaffen
• Negativity-Bias
  Avoid negatives
  Negative experiences carry more weight. A single bad experience requires multiple good ones to compensate for it.
  Positive Erlebnisse schaffen
• Reconstructive-Memory-Bias
  Reconstructive Memory
  Memories are not recordings, but active reconstructions. What customers have experienced is rewritten by subsequent information, current feelings, and social expectations.
  Positive Erlebnisse schaffen
• Waiting-Psychology
  Making waiting bearable
  Occupied waiting time passes faster. Information and distraction make waiting more bearable.
  Positive Erlebnisse schaffen
• Spark-Effekt
  Surprise instead of reward
  Unexpected small gestures have a stronger impact than anticipated large rewards. The element of surprise activates emotional connection.
  Positive Erlebnisse schaffen
• Hawthorne-Effekt
  Show attention
  Observation changes behavior. Simply showing attention improves results.
  Motivation erhalten
• Meaningful-Choices
  Meaningful Decisions
  Choice strengthens engagement when it is meaningful, comprehensible, and linked to values. Trivial or overly complex decisions weaken commitment.
  Motivation erhalten
• Goal-Gradient
  Show progress
  The closer the goal, the greater the effort. Show progress to increase motivation.
  Motivation erhalten
• Overjustification-Effekt
  Overjustification
  External rewards can destroy intrinsic motivation. What people do for pleasure becomes an obligation once they are paid for it.
  Motivation erhalten
• Zeigarnik-Effekt
  Leveraging the unfinished
  Unfinished business stays on your mind. Open tasks create the urge to complete them.
  Motivation erhalten
• Selbstbestimmungstheorie
  Meeting needs
  Intrinsic motivation arises from three fundamental needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Those who fulfill these create sustainable engagement instead of short-term rewards.
  Motivation erhalten
• Benjamin-Franklin-Effekt
  Ben Franklin Effect
  Those who ask for a small favor become more likeable. People justify their behavior retrospectively – they must like those they have helped.
  Beziehung aufbauen
• Attachment-Theorie
  Attachment Theory
  Early attachment experiences shape how people build relationships with brands. Secure attachment leads to loyalty and trust, while insecure attachment leads to mistrust or dependency.
  Beziehung aufbauen
• Cocktail-Party-Effekt
  Use the name
  One's own name penetrates everything. Personal address captures attention immediately.
  Beziehung aufbauen
• Bystander-Effekt
  Address directly
  In a crowd, no one feels responsible. Direct address activates accountability.
  Beziehung aufbauen
• Voluntary-Engagement-Emphasis
  Voluntariness
  Voluntarily chosen engagement creates stronger bonds than forced interaction. Autonomy is the key to genuine loyalty.
  Beziehung aufbauen
• Early-Intervention
  Intervene early
  Early intervention prevents escalation. Solving small problems early avoids larger ones later.
  Beziehung aufbauen
• Identity-Formation-Stages
  Identity Development
  Identity develops in recognizable phases. Those who meet customers in their current developmental phase strengthen connection and relevance.
  Beziehung aufbauen
• Idiosyncratic-Fit
  Idiosyncratic Fit
  People experience greater satisfaction and commitment when products and services align with their unique characteristics, values, and work styles. Personalized fit outperforms standardized solutions.
  Beziehung aufbauen
• Social-Identity-Theorie
  Social Identity Theory
  People define themselves through group membership. Those who identify with a brand show higher loyalty, purchase more, and actively defend the brand.
  Beziehung aufbauen
• Mere-Exposure
  Show more often
  Familiarity breeds liking. The more often we see something, the more we like it.
  Beziehung aufbauen
• Cognitive-Dissonance
  Confirm decisions
  Decisions want to be validated. After a purchase, people seek justification.
  Verhalten verstärken
• Sunk-Cost-Effekt
  Build and leverage investment
  Investments — invested time, data, effort or money — create psychological commitment. Ongoing contributions build ownership and switching barriers (IKEA effect), while past investments make people irrationally stick with what they have built (sunk-cost effect).
  Verhalten verstärken
• Mesolimbic-Reward-System
  Mesolimbic reward system
  Rewards activate the dopaminergic reward system in the brain and create automatic behavioral loops. Unpredictable rewards are more effective than predictable ones.
  Verhalten verstärken
• Moral-Licensing
  Don't let up after good results
  Good behavior permits bad. After a good deed, people feel entitled to exceptions.
  Verhalten verstärken
• Diderot-Effekt
  Making suitable offers
  A purchase leads to others. New possessions awaken the desire for matching additions.
  Verhalten verstärken
• Social-Recognition
  Social Recognition
  Public recognition motivates more strongly than private rewards. People change their behavior when status and social appreciation become visible.
  Verhalten verstärken
• Fine-Is-A-Price
  Avoiding punishment
  Punishments can permit. A punishment can frame undesirable behavior as a purchasable option.
  Verhalten verstärken
• Variable-Ratio-Reinforcement
  Variable Ratio
  Unpredictable rewards at variable intervals generate stronger and more persistent motivation than fixed reward patterns. The uncertainty itself becomes the driving force.
  Verhalten verstärken
• Action-Bias
  Invite to action
  Taking action feels better. People prefer action, even when waiting would be wiser.
  Verhalten verstärken
• Dunning-Kruger-Effekt
  Accompanying beginners
  Beginners overestimate themselves. Limited knowledge leads to inflated self-assessment.
  Lernen & Gewohnheit fördern
• Google-Effekt
  Utilize digital memory
  Information that is readily available is remembered less. When information is easily accessible, memory retention decreases.
  Lernen & Gewohnheit fördern
• Status-Quo-Bias
  Maintain familiar practices
  The current state has advantages. People prefer the familiar over change.
  Lernen & Gewohnheit fördern
• Internal-Trigger
  Internal Triggers
  Products that become linked with emotional states create automatic usage habits. Boredom opens Instagram, uncertainty launches Google.
  Lernen & Gewohnheit fördern
• Generation-Effekt
  Allow them to work it out themselves
  Self-generated sticks better. Active elaboration leads to better retention than reading.
  Lernen & Gewohnheit fördern