How Seagulls Taught Us to Design for Attention
Imagine a world where a simple yellow stick with a red stripe could captivate your attention and drive your actions. This whimsical scenario isn’t from a children’s book but is inspired by the fascinating Herring Gull Test. Conducted decades ago, this experiment revealed how baby seagull chicks responded intensely to specific visual cues – in this case, a stick that mimicked the mother seagull’s beak, but with a large red stripe instead of a small red spot like on a real beak. Interestingly, they responded to the stick better than to the real beak. Why? Because it was an exaggerated, more intense version of the beak, like the beak cubed. This exaggeration heightened the visual impact and intensified the chick’s response, because it was directly related to chick’s demands to be fed, and thus its survival.
This revelation sparked thoughts about how we, as humans, prioritize information in our own visual landscape. Luckily, we have Eric Kandel’s research, focusing among other things on the human brain and visual perception. According to him, among the myriad stimuli bombarding our senses, certain elements stand out, demanding our immediate focus and engagement. These stimuli are the following:
- Faces: The human brain is wired to prioritize facial features, such as eyes, mouth, and expressions, as they convey vital social and emotional cues.
- Motion: Moving objects or changes in the visual field naturally draw attention, serving as a survival mechanism to detect threats or opportunities.
- Contrast and Color: High contrast, bright colors, or sudden color changes create visual impact, guiding attention to specific elements.
- Novelty: Unusual or unexpected stimuli pique curiosity and attention, signaling something new or important.
- Relevance: Information relevant to goals or immediate needs garners more attention and engagement.
- Emotional Content: Stimuli with emotional resonance, be it fear, joy, or surprise, receive priority processing due to their potential significance.
- Size and Proximity: Larger or closer objects are perceived as more important, influencing attention allocation.
- Contextual Cues: Symbols, icons, or familiar objects in a relevant context aid in understanding and attract attention.
Now, going back to the seagulls, let’s remind ourselves that the stick is an exaggerated stimulus and think about how we can apply it to design.
Here’s our Captivating Web Design Checklist:
- Facial Elements: Hyperbolize facial features to create emotive connections instantly.
- Dynamic Elements: Amplify motion and interactions for heightened engagement.
- Color Contrasts: Exaggerate color contrasts to guide user focus effectively.
- Unique Features: Introduce exaggerated and surprising elements for curiosity and retention.
- Relevant Content: Hyperbolize relevance by aligning content with user desires and goals.
- Emotional Impact: Maximize emotional impact through design elements that resonate deeply.
- Size and Proximity: Exaggerate the importance of key elements through size and proximity adjustments.
- Contextual Clarity: Amplify contextual cues for swift comprehension and user navigation.
By embracing the concept of exaggeration and applying it strategically in web design, we can create experiences that not only capture attention but also leave a lasting impression on users, enhancing engagement and interaction. If you’re looking to harness the captivating power of web design for your brand, we can help! Contact Declick Agency today to turn your online presence into a visual feast that captures attention and drives engagement.