Neuroscience Behind Visual Searches
This morning, I went to the fabric market looking for some orange fleece. As I wandered among colours and textures, I realized I had no idea what was happening in my brain during this search.
So, the first thing I did back home was to Google/Chat GPT it.
Here’s a glimpse into what happens in our brains during a simple visual search — such as hunting for that perfect turquoise t-shirt buried in the endless catalogue of Shein. As designers, we can learn and apply these insights in our designs.
Phase 1: Retrieval
Hippocampus
Before even looking at the screen, your brain is already at work. The hippocampus is retrieving the memory of the perfect shade of turquoise you’ve been dreaming of, among all similar memories of t-shirts you’ve seen in your life.
These memories aren’t just snapshots — they’re linked to emotional associations and spatial contexts. You don’t just store a cute t-shirt with a satanic cat printed on it. You recall the feeling of amusement, the desire to purchase it, and the urge to show it to your friend during that nice trip to Dublin.
As designers, we can leverage this retrieval mechanism by incorporating familiar elements. Personalised recommendations based on past purchases or browsing history are particularly effective. These could be in a stand-alone section or as badges on product cards.
Phase 2: Neural Activation
Occipital lobe
As your eyes scan the UI searching for the t-shirt, the visual stimuli are processed by neurons in the occipital lobe — the brain’s visual processing centre. The incoming information is dissected into its basic components such as color and shape.
Enhancing colour contrast and ensuring high-quality images can help users navigate more efficiently towards relevant products, reducing the noise.
Phase 3: Processing
Pre-Frontal Cortex
The bits of information collected by the occipital lobe are then sent to the prefrontal cortex (PFC) to start juxtaposing the perceived visual stimuli against the stored memory representation of the perfect turquoise t-shirt retrieved in Phase 1.
Maintaining consistency of layouts and design elements during the search phase minimizes distractions and reinforces the mental models that will allow the UI to feel transparent to users.
Type well used is invisible as type, just as the perfect talking voice is the unnoticed vehicle for the transmission of words, ideas.
— Extract from The Crystal Goblet, or Printing Should Be Invisible (full read here) by Beatrice Warde (1900-1969)
Phase 4: Comparison
Still in the prefrontal Cortex
Within the prefrontal cortex, neurons start comparing the retrieved memory representations and the perceived options on the screen. Detecting subtle similarities or differences, and guiding your decision-making process towards the desired t-shirt.
A product comparison feature and a grid view surely facilitate the comparison process. Filters are also essential to narrow down options and reduce user fatigue.
Phase 5: Feedback Loop
PFC + Hippocampus + Basal Ganglia
Based on the information processed by the brain, it generates responses in the form of cognitive evaluations, emotional reactions, and motor commands. A promising t-shirt thumbnail might trigger you to open the product in a new window.
This, in turn, will reinforce the decision-making towards similar choices, forming the memory of that potential perfect t-shirt in your hippocampus, and refining your search strategy.
The basal ganglia — responsible for motor responses — translate signals from both the hippocampus and PFC into actions, ultimately making you click.
Conclusion
Next time you feel drained after an online t-shirt hunt, remember: there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes than meets the eye. And as designers, it’s our duty to make that journey as smooth and effortless as possible for our users.
Disclaimer:
This article provides general insights into the neuroscience behind visual searches and does not constitute professional advice. The author is not a neuroscientist.
