Laws & Patterns
Cognitive Bias

Sensory Adaptation

People's perception adjusts to constant, unchanging stimuli over time.

Definition

Sensory Adaptation refers to the decrease in sensitivity to a constant stimulus over time. It's the phenomenon where people become less aware of sensory information that remains constant, allowing them to focus on changes in their environment.

Do

  • Emphasize changes or updates in your design to catch attention
  • Use variation in design elements to prevent sensory adaptation
  • Incorporate motion or change at regular intervals
  • Keep critical information dynamic or changing

Avoid

  • Don't present important information in a constant, unchanging manner
  • Avoid overuse of repetitive, static design elements
  • Don't rely on static elements to attract user attention
  • Avoid placing critical calls-to-action in areas of constant stimulus

When to apply

  • Designing repetitive elements
  • Presenting constant visual stimuli
  • Creating background elements
  • Working with long-term user interfaces

Related topics

perceptionattentionusabilitycognitive-bias

Similar principles

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The moment users comprehend and appreciate the core value of a product.

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Users often perceive generic information as uniquely applicable to them.

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