Today on The Design Psychologist, we're diving deep into the intersection of psychology and design with none other than Susan Weinschenk, PhD—the person you’ll literally find next to the term “design psychologist” in the dictionary. Susan is a pioneer in applying behavioral science to UX and product design, and the author of essential books like How to Get People to Do Stuff and 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People.

In this conversation, we explore Susan's journey from psychology to design, how human factors evolved into today’s UX, and why understanding the three parts of the brain is crucial for anyone building products.

You’ll also hear us unpack:

Why emotional and unconscious processing drives most user behavior
Why dopamine isn't about pleasure—but about anticipation
What most designers get wrong about memory and readability
The neuroscience of storytelling and why it matters for websites, apps, and products
The psychology behind gamification—and what truly motivates users
Why stories are essential in product and communication design
Why every UX decision should start with a “micro-moment”

Resources Mentioned:

100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People and 100 MORE Things Every Designer Needs To Know About People by Susan Weinschenk
Neuro Web Design: What Makes Them Click? (2nd Edition) by Susan Weinschenk
Redirect by Timothy D. Wilson
Robert Sapolsky’s research on dopamine

Connect with Susan Weinschenk:

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The woman who got America talking about sex