Designing Choices: How Behavioral Economics Impacts What We See and Do
Every day, we tap buttons, swipe through menus, and click through screens without realizing the design is guiding us. Often, quietly through small decisions that influence our behavior and thoughts. This is the intersection of visual design and behavioral economics. It is where psychology becomes a tool for design storytelling.
Before the Click
Every person knows this moment: we pause, hover, and (maybe without thinking) click. It seems automatic, a simple reaction to color or placement. But that moment was determined by an entire world of psychology, perception, and persuasion.
As Ellen Lupton explains in Design Is Storytelling, “small details and minor decisions can unconsciously influence choices.” Designers don’t just arrange visuals; they use behavioral economics to understand why people click, buy, or ignore.
The Bigger Picture
Before a user can make a decision, they must first perceive the interface in front of them. Gestalt psychology describes how humans see visual information as wholes, not parts.
As Laura Busche notes in “Simplicity, symmetry and more,” Gestalt theory emerged from 1920s Berlin to explain why our minds automatically form patterns.
Some Gestalt principles designers rely on are:
Proximity helps users understand what belongs together—think of grouped navigation links or news website sections.
Similarity pushes us to connect things of the same color or shape.
Figure-ground helps users distinguish buttons from backgrounds.
Closure and continuation allow us to “complete” shapes or follow lines, making icons instantly recognizable.
Medium relies on proximity to organize a large amount of content into readable clusters.
These principles are not just for aesthetics, as they set the stage for how users will make decisions. When an interface is visually overwhelming or violates these principles, cognitive friction increases, possibly deterring a user from a decision.
Behavioral Economics at Work
Once users understand what they’re looking at, another layer of influence starts. Small psychological tendencies shape how we decide, and behavioral economics helps explain why certain design choices make more sense than others. As Bridgeable notes in “The Top 5 Behavioural Economics Principles for Designers,” these principles act as universal patterns of human behavior that designers can use to guide decisions at key moments.
Anchoring is the tendency to rely on the first piece of information we see. The initial price or fact becomes the “anchor,” shaping later decisions. Bridgeable explains that even knowing anchoring exists doesn’t free users from its influence.
The online store crosses out the “original price” (anchor) next to the sale price to make it feel more significant.
Defaulting shows that people tend to take the “easier path” by sticking to whatever option is preselected. Changing defaults is a powerful way to influence behavior. In design, defaults guide people to the recommended setting or the path most beneficial to the website.
Friction Costs are the small inconveniences that slow people down or stop them from completing a task. Even tiny challenges, such as unclear steps or too many clicks, can cause users to quit. Amazon’s 1-click checkout is the perfect example of removing friction to encourage quick decisions. Designers can also intentionally add friction to discourage behavior like deleting an account.
The Ostrich Effect describes people’s tendency to avoid information when they fear it might be negative. In design, too many warnings or error messages can overwhelm users and cause them to ignore problems.
Social Proof is something many have experienced, which is following what others seem to be doing. If people are uncertain, they look to the crowd for guidance. Designers utilize this with reviews, “most popular” filter, and other indicators to show users what others have already chosen.
Designing Responsibly
Designers hold significant influence with all these insights at hand—from how people perceive, decide, and behave. As Ellen Lupton warns, nudges should be used ethically, not as “dark patterns” that mislead or trap users. Good design reduces friction, clarifies choices, and supports users rather than manipulating them.
Behavioral economics and Gestalt psychology remind us that various factors influence decisions. They reveal just how deeply design shapes the choices we make. So, the next time you filter to the “most popular” label, breeze through a 1-click purchase, or accept the default option, remember a designer deliberately placed that cue there.
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