Psychology Concepts
Cognitive and psychological concepts relevant to UX design
Analysis Paralysis
The state of overthinking a decision to the point that no action is taken, often due to too many options or too much information.
Chunking
The process of breaking down information into smaller, more manageable units to improve memory and comprehension.
Cognitive Bias
Systematic errors in thinking that affect the decisions and judgments people make.
Cognitive Dissonance
The mental discomfort experienced when holding two or more contradictory beliefs, values, or attitudes simultaneously.
Cognitive Load
The amount of mental effort required to process information and complete a task.
Contextual Inquiry
A research method that involves observing and interviewing users in their natural environment to understand how they work and what challenges they face.
Flow
A state of complete immersion and focus in an activity, where users lose track of time and experience a sense of effortless engagement.
Mental Model
An internal representation of how something works in the real world, formed through experience, observation, and learning.
Selective Attention
The ability to focus on specific information while filtering out irrelevant or distracting stimuli.
Short-term Memory
The temporary storage system that holds a limited amount of information for a brief period, typically 15-30 seconds.