104 Cognitive Biases & Principles
...that drive your customers
Every time a customer interacts with your business, they:
- Filter the information
- Seek the meaning of it
- Act within a given time
- Store bits of it in their memory
So to grow your business, you need to understand the biases & heuristics affecting those four decision-cycle steps.
Below is a list of cognitive biases and design principles (with examples and tips) for each category. Let's dive right in.
PS: Want these applied to your business for you? Get a personalized audit
Information
Users filter out a lot of the information that they receive, even when it could be important.
Hick's Law
More options leads to harder decisions.
Confirmation Bias
People look for evidence that confirms what they think.
Priming
Previous stimuli influence users' decisions.
Cognitive Load
Total mental effort required to complete a task.
Anchoring Bias
Users rely heavily on the first piece of information.
Von Restorff Effect
People notice the item that stands out most.
Banner Blindness
Users learn to ignore banner-like information.
Attentional Bias
Our recurring thoughts filter what we notice.
Empathy Gap
People underestimate how much emotions drive behavior.
Frequency Illusion
After noticing something, you start seeing it everywhere.
Selective Attention
We filter out things based on perceived relevance.
Survivorship Bias
We focus on what made it and ignore what didn't.
Curse of Knowledge
Experts forget what it's like to be a beginner.
Dunning-Kruger Effect
Low ability overestimates skill; experts underrate it.
Aesthetic-Usability Effect
Users perceive beautiful design as more usable.
Signifiers
Visual cues tell users how to use something.
Visual Anchors
Elements that guide where users look.
Centre-Stage Effect
We tend to choose the option in the middle.
Cashless Effect
We spend more freely when not using physical cash.
Cocktail Party Effect
We tune into relevant info amid noise.
Mental Model
Users have preconceptions of how things should work.
Novelty Effect
Performance spikes when something new is introduced.
Negativity Bias
Negative events weigh more than positive ones.
Spacing Effect
Information spaced over time is better retained.
Juxtaposition
Items compared side by side shift perception.
Miller's Law
People hold about seven items in working memory.
Meaning
Users connect the dots and fill in the gaps based on their existing knowledge and beliefs.
Halo Effect
One good trait colors the whole impression.
Social Proof
People copy the actions of others.
Authority Bias
We trust authority figures more.
Framing
The way info is presented changes the decision.
Storytelling Effect
Stories are more memorable than facts.
Picture Superiority Effect
Images are remembered better than words.
Expectations Bias
Our expectations shape our perceptions.
Anthropomorphism
We attribute human traits to objects.
Spotlight Effect
We overestimate how much others notice us.
Self-Reference Effect
We relate information back to ourselves.
Backfire Effect
Contradicting evidence can strengthen a belief.
Barnum-Forer Effect
Vague statements feel personally accurate.
Fresh Start Effect
New beginnings motivate fresh action.
Pygmalion Effect
Higher expectations improve performance.
Group Attractiveness Effect
Items in a group seem more attractive together.
Pareto Principle
80% of effects come from 20% of causes.
IKEA Effect
We value things more when we help build them.
Goal Gradient Effect
Motivation increases as we near a goal.
Hawthorne Effect
People change behavior when they're observed.
Law of Similarity
Similar elements are perceived as related.
Law of Proximity
Close elements are perceived as a group.
Law of Prägnanz
We perceive things in their simplest form.
Law of Common Region
Items in a shared boundary feel grouped.
Feedback Loop
Actions that produce visible responses.
Streisand Effect
Hiding information makes it spread more.
Affect Heuristic
Emotions drive fast judgments.
Noble Edge Effect
Socially responsible brands are preferred.
Provided Value
Giving value upfront builds reciprocity.
Decoy Effect
A third option nudges the choice you want.
Sensory Appeal
Multi-sensory cues deepen engagement.
Time
Users act fast to avoid mistakes and irreversible decisions, often relying on shortcuts.
Loss Aversion
Losses feel worse than equivalent gains.
Default Bias
We tend to stick with the default option.
Reactance
We resist when our freedom feels threatened.
Commitment & Consistency
We act consistently with past commitments.
Reciprocity
We feel obligated to return favors.
Scarcity
Limited availability increases desire.
Sunk Cost Fallacy
We continue because of past investment.
Endowment Effect
We value things more once we own them.
Tesler's Law
Complexity can be moved, not removed.
Fitts's Law
Time to a target depends on size and distance.
Zeigarnik Effect
We remember incomplete tasks better.
Labor Illusion
We value things that visibly take effort.
Hyperbolic Discounting
We prefer smaller, immediate rewards.
Nudge
Subtle prompts steer behavior.
Parkinson's Law
Work expands to fill the time available.
Pseudo-Set Framing
Grouping tasks motivates completion.
Weber's Law
Change is noticed in proportion to the original.
Occam's Razor
The simplest solution is usually best.
Analysis Paralysis
Too much analysis stalls the decision.
Self-Initiated Triggers
Self-set reminders work better than external ones.
Investment Loops
The more we invest, the more we engage.
Status Quo Bias
We prefer things to stay the same.
Curiosity Gap
We seek to close gaps in our knowledge.
Decoy Effect
A nearby option makes another look better.
Friction
Every extra step loses some users.
Default to Action
Momentum makes the next step easier.
Memory
Users store only fragments of an experience, and what they keep shapes future decisions.
Peak-End Rule
We judge experiences by their peak and end.
Serial Position Effect
We recall the first and last items best.
Availability Heuristic
We judge by what comes to mind easily.
Recognition Over Recall
Recognizing is easier than recalling.
Method of Loci
We remember via spatial association.
Chunking
Grouping information aids memory.
Tip of the Tongue
Partial recall that won't quite surface.
Google Effect
We forget info we know we can look up.
Next-in-Line Effect
We forget info right before our turn.
Context-Dependent Memory
Recall is better in the same context.
Levels of Processing
Deeper processing improves memory.
Testing Effect
Recalling info strengthens memory.
Zero Risk Bias
We prefer eliminating risk entirely.
Discoverability
Easy to find means easy to use.
Flow State
Full immersion in an activity.
Familiarity Bias
We prefer what we already know.
Internal Trigger
Emotions prompt habitual actions.
Variable Reward
Unpredictable rewards are the most engaging.
Storytelling Effect
Narratives stick far longer than facts.
Picture Superiority
Visuals outlast words in memory.
Spacing Effect
Spaced repetition cements memory.
Von Restorff Effect
Distinctive items are remembered best.