Behavioral science for user experience, Serial Position Effect
Have you ever been surprised by how people behave? It turns out that understanding human behavior is crucial in user experience design. By thinking critically and objectively, designers can create products that meet users' needs and expectations.
So if we want to create great user experiences, we need to start by understanding the fascinating and sometimes quirky ways that people behave!
Serial Position Effect
The Serial Position Effect was first studied by Hermann Ebbinghaus in the late 19th century. In his study, Ebbinghaus created a list of random words and had participants try to recall them from memory. He found that the position of the word in the list affected how likely participants were to remember it.
As customers entered the mall, they were greeted by a beautiful fountain and the mall's most prestigious stores. These stores had large and prominent displays that immediately caught customers' attention. They created a strong first impression that was hard to forget.
As customers made their way through the mall, they would pass by many stores in the middle of the wing. However, the mall made sure to include a few stores with eye-catching displays that were also more affordable. This was to ensure that customers had a positive experience throughout their shopping journey, not just at the beginning and end.
Finally, as customers approached the end of the wing, they would see the mall's other high-end stores. These stores were also well-lit and had visually appealing displays to ensure that customers left with a lasting impression.
Thanks to this strategic placement, the mall was able to use the serial position effect to its advantage, creating a positive experience for customers and ultimately driving more sales.
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Interested in learning more?
📘 In "The Art of Thinking Clearly" by Rolf Dobelli, the author shares a study conducted by psychologists where participants were given a list of 20 words to remember. The words were read aloud at a rate of one word per second, and participants were asked to recall as many words as they could in any order. The researchers found that participants were more likely to remember the first few words on the list and the last few on the list, with the words in the middle being forgotten more easily.
How does this help the user experience?
💡 When it comes to speed reading, skimming is one of the techniques that also uses catching the first and last letters and skimming the middle ones to achieve optimal speed.
Have you ever used the Serial Position Effect in your work? Let me know! I'd love to hear from you.
Check out other Behavioral science effects.
