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ADVANCED UX

UX and the Psychology of Attention

Ethically capturing focus in a world of endless distractions.

Mike Curtis
The You Design System
9 min readNov 11, 2024

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close-up of a man’s eyes looking straight at the camera
Attention comes with an opportunity cost

Attention is a prized UX resource

This article explores the psychology of attention, examining the positive techniques that help people engage meaningfully and the darker practices, or “dark patterns,” that hijack focus in ways that feel disingenuous, deceitful, harmful, or unethical.

Grabbing and holding attention can be challenging with notifications, banners, competing content, and infinite scrolls constantly vying for a person’s focus. Let alone the attention someone gives to the circumstances in the real world.

Yet attention is essential if a product wants to succeed. Without it, even the most thoughtfully designed solution fades into the background, drowned out by other products that learn how to hold onto the attention of their customers.

Understanding how attention works (and how to ethically and responsibly respect it) can mean distinguishing between a positive user experience and one that frustrates or worse, manipulates. To design with integrity, we must first understand attention’s delicate balance and approach it respectfully, so we don’t exploit the very people who use our products.

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The You Design System
The You Design System

Published in The You Design System

Helping businesses & individuals apply their UX skills to how they’re experienced by other people. Mike Curtis, Sr. UX Designer and author of The You Design System, has 21 years of experience in design, UX, marketing, e-commerce & sales.

Mike Curtis
Mike Curtis

Written by Mike Curtis

Senior UX Designer / New articles weekly on design & self-improvement / Helping you design the "UX of You" / 22+ years in design, marketing, & sales.

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