Design for Thought and Emotion

Question 1

What metaphor does Alan use to describe conscious thinking?

Answer 1

The tip of the iceberg. There is a lot going on inside the human brain. While conscious thought is the most obvious part of the activity, there are various systems and processes at much lower levels of consciousness. We have little direct awareness or control over these. “Icing on the cake” is an English idiom that means to make something good even better, which doesn’t apply. “A bird in the hand” (“…is worth two in the bush”) is irrelevant!

Question 2

What is the perspective on how people approach problem-solving in real-world versus abstract situations?

Answer 2

The perspective is that individuals are naturally adept at solving real-world problems but can find abstract situations challenging to navigate due to their complexity or the absence of concrete context.

Question 3

How do the interplay of conscious and unconscious thought influence design, particularly in creating user interfaces?

Answer 3

The interaction between conscious and unconscious thought is vital for designers because both modes of thinking significantly affect user behavior. Understanding these thought patterns allows designers to craft interfaces that not only logically guide users but also engage with their unconscious motivations, leading to more intuitive and effective designs.

Question 4

How much is conscious of your thinking?

Question 5

How does the linear nature of thought streams affect the process of thinking when interrupted?

Answer 5

The linear progression of thoughts, where ideas flow sequentially one after another, means that any interruption can significantly disrupt this stream of thinking. This disruption makes it challenging to remember the previous point of focus and return to the original line of thought, affecting the continuity and effectiveness of the thinking process.

Question 6

What is the impact of rapidly switching between activities on multitasking?

Answer 6

Rapidly switching between activities, which people often mistake for multitasking, incurs a cognitive cost due to the constant need to reorient oneself. This process involves quickly alternating attention between different tasks rather than performing them simultaneously. The effort to refocus each time effectively diminishes the efficiency of what is perceived as multitasking, revealing that individuals don’t truly multitask but rather switch tasks swiftly.

Question 7

Linear thinking, interruptions = disruptions, and multitasking is _______ thinking.

Answer 7

Conscious Thinking

Question 8

Non-leaner thinking, Fuzzy, Intuitive, Associative is ________ thinking.

Answer 8

Unconscious Thinking

Question 9

What part of our thinking do we share with a lot of animals?

Answer 9

Intuitive thinking. Unconscious drive and senses of the world

Question 10

The __________ thoughts are what often prime the __________ ones. Fill in the blank with conscious and unconscious.

Answer 10

Unconscious and Conscious

Question 11

As a designer, what two patterns of thought do you need to be aware of?

Answer 11

Conscious and Unconscious

Question 12

What is the dual focus of user interface design in guiding user actions and thoughts?

Answer 12

In user interface design, there’s a dual focus: explicitly guiding users through logical, step-by-step actions and subtly influencing them to unconsciously think of the right things at the right moments. This approach not only facilitates the logical progression of tasks but also engages with users’ unconscious thought processes to enhance usability and intuitive interaction with the interface.

Question 13

In the clip Alan talks about designing to support unconscious thought. What is a significant difference, if any, between conscious and unconscious thought?

Answer 13

Conscious thought is linear. Unconscious thought is not under our direct control and so tends to be somewhat sporadic. “Aha” moments can come without warning, but for some people are more common when they are performing mundane tasks (like taking a shower or vacuuming the carpets).

Question 14

How does the interaction between the perceptual system and actions function?

Answer 14

The relationship between the perceptual system and actions is cyclical and interactive. The perceptual system not only serves to guide actions but also actively prompts actions. These actions, in turn, feed back into the perceptual system, influencing subsequent perceptions and actions. This continuous feedback loop highlights the dynamic interaction between perception and action in shaping behavior and cognitive processes.

Question 15

What are peripheral senses?

Answer 15

Peripheral senses refer to the sensory processes that occur outside of the central senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. These senses include the perception of balance (vestibular sense), body and limb position (proprioception), temperature, and pain, among others. They are crucial for providing contextual information about our environment and our body’s position within it, contributing to our overall sensory experience and helping us navigate and interact with the world around us. These senses operate in the background or “periphery” of our conscious awareness, subtly influencing our actions and perceptions.

Question 16

What is Epistemic Action?

Answer 16

Actions that are there to gather information. Actions we take in order to learn about the world. It gives you a good sense of “feel” about how to move.

Question 17

What is Don Norman’s Gulf of Execution?

Answer 17

You have some sort of initial goal (User Goal), something that you’re trying to achieve, through three stages: You work out what to do and you do it (Action). This is the Execution Stage. Then the system reacts in some way based on its computational rules(System Task and System Feedback), and then you evaluate the output(Perception) that comes off that and the feedback(Evaluation). You perceive it and you make sense of whether it’s what you expect.

Question 18

What is hand-eye coordination and how does it exemplify the perceptual-motor loop?

Answer 18

Hand-eye coordination exemplifies the perceptual-motor loop by integrating visual perception and motor response. It involves the process of receiving visual input through the eyes, which is then processed by the brain to coordinate the hands to act accordingly. This dynamic cycle allows for continuous adjustments based on new visual information, enabling precise control over actions. Hand-eye coordination plays a critical role in various activities, ranging from simple tasks like writing to complex movements required in sports and gaming.

Question 19

How does the concept of anchoring in unconscious thought influence user interactions, especially in the context of presenting product or service prices?

Answer 19

Anchoring, a principle in unconscious thought, involves the introduction of an initial piece of information (such as a number) that significantly influences the outcome of an interaction. In the context of user interactions, particularly regarding the presentation of prices for products or services, anchoring can be strategically employed by showing potential users the most expensive option first. This approach sets a high initial reference point, which can positively affect the user’s perception of subsequent prices or values, potentially leading to more favorable outcomes for the desired action or decision.

Question 20

The video describes actions taken in order to get more information. What was the term used?

Answer 20

Epistemic. The term epistemic is related to knowledge. An epidural is a type of anesthetic and the epicarpal is to do with the skin of a fruit in biology.

Bear in mind that goals can be epistemic: people need to plan and perform actions to gather the information they need