How emotions influence people's decisions

By Jesica Trejo

Most of the decisions we make daily aren't as rational as we think, and if you have any doubt, just remember the decisions prompted by the last hours of the Prime Day sale. I assure you that some of them were irrational, and yet they made us immensely happy.

To understand how emotions are the main driver of our choices, there are various studies in behavioral economics that help us comprehend how does the experience impact What do we have with digital products, to understand how they affect or benefit their use and thus the complete experience.

Why do emotions have so much influence on decisions?

The human brain processes emotional information faster than rational information (and if you still doubt it, think about the premiere of the Jurassic Park sequel). Imagine you're in a maze and looking for the exit; your emotions act as “shortcuts” (called heuristics) that facilitate decision-making when there's a lot of information or little time. I'll also share with you what these “shortcuts” might look like when using a product, considering two scenarios, one positive and one negative:

• You're about to get the headphones you wanted, so you add them to your cart with one click, and voilà, the app already knows your address and your usual payment method. So, making this purchase makes you happy and satisfied.
• You receive a notification of a purchase you didn't make, so you proceed to look for the option in the app to report it and start a refund process, but you can't find the section to contact a person to find out what to do. Then you search the internet on how to make this report and find an article that gives you step-by-step instructions, but you can't locate the help button. This causes you confusion and anger. 

Emotions and product design

To design functional products that connect with human emotions and behavior, it is necessary to consider the following points:

1. Map emotions and/or behaviors throughout the journey systematically. Identify positive and negative emotions at all touchpoints, as well as different scenarios, to design interactions that encourage positive emotional experiences.
2. Design for empathy. The way client and service staff or software interactions happen during direct communication, the brand's tone in emails or notifications, and even the interface design should convey trust and satisfaction.
3. Incorporate emotional micro-moments. Convert moments that evoke positive emotions, such as a personalized confirmation email, an upgrade option for a trial, an unexpected discount coupon, celebrating milestones with motivational messages, personalized recommendations based on previous searches, among others.

In summary... 

In product design, emotions are not an add-on; they are the foundation of people's decisions. Incorporating emotional understanding into the design process allows for the creation of more meaningful and authentic experiences that transcend functionality and increase user loyalty.

Are you about to launch a digital product and don't know if your interface works as it should? Write to us. We can help you test with real users, understand what they truly need, and design with them, not just for them.