Design is more than how something looks—it’s how it feels, functions, and most importantly, connects. As designers, understanding human behavior allows us to craft experiences that are not just usable, but emotionally engaging.
What is Design Psychology?
Design psychology is the study of how design influences human behavior. It draws from cognitive psychology, neuroscience, behavioral science, and emotional design to help us make better choices when designing products, interfaces, or experiences.
It answers questions like:
Why do users click one button over another?
What makes someone feel confident filling a form?
How can color, spacing, and layout influence decision-making?
Core Principles of Design Psychology
Here are some foundational principles every designer should understand:
Hick’s Law – The more choices a person has, the longer they take to decide. Keep interfaces simple and reduce clutter.
Fitts’s Law – The closer and larger a clickable item is, the easier it is to interact with. Think about button sizes, mobile tap areas, etc.
Gestalt Principles – Our brains naturally group similar items. Use proximity, similarity, and continuity to organize your UI better.
Color Psychology – Colors evoke emotion. Use blue for trust, red for urgency, green for growth, etc., depending on the context.
Cognitive Load – Users can only process so much at once. Prioritize clarity over cleverness. Simplify forms, flows, and language.
Visual Hierarchy – Guide users with size, contrast, and positioning. What’s most important should stand out.
The Von Restorff Effect – Also called the "isolation effect"—things that stand out are remembered. Great for CTAs or onboarding steps.
Why it Matters
A beautiful interface that ignores psychology might confuse or frustrate users. But a psychology-informed design creates flow, trust, and engagement. It helps you move users from confusion to clarity—fast.
Tools That Help
Want to start applying this knowledge? Here are a few tools and resources:
Laws of UX – A curated collection of key psychology laws
Growth.Design – Case studies that explain behavioral design
Figma Plugins – Use accessibility and contrast checkers to make better decisions
Books:
Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug
100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People by Susan Weinschenk
Final Thoughts
Understanding your tools is great. But understanding your users—how they think, decide, feel, and act—is what separates good design from great design.
Start small: test your layouts, watch your users, and don’t design in isolation. Build with empathy. Test with intent.
Until next time,
Seth Eneh
www.sethdesignstudio.com