UX Design

Annotated List of UX Cognitive Biases and Principles

Cognitive Bias or Principle	Short Definition
Hick’s Law	Decision time increases with the number and complexity of choices.
Confirmation Bias	Tendency to favor information that confirms preexisting beliefs.
Priming	Exposure to one stimulus influences response to a subsequent stimulus.
Cognitive Load	The total amount of mental effort being used in working memory.
Anchoring Bias	Relying heavily on the first piece of information seen.
Nudge	Subtle design changes that influence user behavior.
Progressive Disclosure	Showing information progressively to reduce overwhelm.
Fitts’s Law	Time to target depends on distance and size of the target.
Banner Blindness	Users ignore content resembling ads.
Decoy Effect	Preferences change when a third, less attractive option is added.
Framing	Decisions influenced by how choices are presented.
Attentional Bias	Tendency to pay attention to some things while ignoring others.
Empathy Gap	Underestimating the influence of emotions on behavior.
Visual Anchors	Using images or layout to guide attention and decisions.
Von Restorff Effect	Items that stand out are more likely to be remembered.
Visual Hierarchy	Arranging elements to show order of importance.
Selective Attention	Focusing on one thing while ignoring others.
Survivorship Bias	Focusing on successes and ignoring failures.
Juxtaposition	Comparison of two elements to make them more striking.
Signifiers	Visual cues that suggest how something should be used.
Contrast	Differences in color, size, etc., to highlight elements.
External Trigger	An outside cue that prompts user action.
Centre‑Stage Effect	People tend to choose the middle option.
Law of Proximity	Objects near each other are perceived as a group.
Tesler’s Law	Every application has an inherent complexity.
Spark Effect	Design that unexpectedly delights users.
Feedback Loop	Providing continuous feedback to guide behavior.
Expectations Bias	Interpretation is influenced by prior expectations.
Aesthetic‑Usability Effect	Users perceive attractive designs as more usable.