Dark Patterns

A dark pattern is a psychological trick which takes advantage of human cognitive biases to achieve a goal. These patterns are often embedded in marketing, games or user interfaces and are carefully crafted to convince users into doing things, such as buying overpriced insurance with their purchase or signing up for recurring bills. The list of ptterns is extensive however the most common that are seen in everyday marketing incude:

• The Decoy Effect: By offering three options instead of one, the anchoring effect can be used to get the user to buy a higher priced item.

Confirmshaming

Using guilt or shame to manipulate users into taking a certain action, often by making the alternative seem morally wrong.

1. • Cognitive Bias: Social pressure and guilt aversion.
2. Misdirection:
   • Description: Drawing attention away from the true consequences of an action or hiding information to deceive users.
   • Cognitive Bias: Distraction and inattentional blindness.
3. Sneak into Basket:
   • Description: Adding extra items to a user's shopping cart without clear and explicit consent.
   • Cognitive Bias: Loss aversion and scarcity.
4. Roach Motel:
   • Description: Making it easy for users to get into a situation (like a subscription) but difficult for them to get out of it.
   • Cognitive Bias: Status quo bias and inertia.
5. Hidden Costs:
   • Description: Displaying a lower initial cost and revealing additional charges later in the process.
   • Cognitive Bias: Anchoring and framing.
6. Bait and Switch:
   • Description: Offering a product or deal and then substituting it with a less favorable one.
   • Cognitive Bias: Anchoring and disappointment aversion.
7. Privacy Zuckering:
   • Description: Tricking users into publicly sharing more information than they intended to.
   • Cognitive Bias: Overoptimism and information asymmetry.
8. Trick Questions:
   • Description: Framing a question or choice in a way that misleads the user.
   • Cognitive Bias: Framing effect and ambiguity aversion.
9. Social Proof Notifications:
   • Description: Displaying notifications implying that others have taken a certain action, even if they haven't.
   • Cognitive Bias: Social proof and conformity.
10. Default Settings Manipulation:

• Description: Setting certain options as default to guide users into choices that benefit the company.
• Cognitive Bias: Inertia and default bias.

1. Fear of Missing Out (FOMO):

• Description: Creating a sense of urgency or scarcity to pressure users into making quick decisions.
• Cognitive Bias: Scarcity and loss aversion.

1. Misleading Visuals:

• Description: Using design elements to mislead users about the functionality or nature of a certain element.
• Cognitive Bias: Visual salience and misattribution.