We like to think we make rational decisions. Many of us also think we can’t be unknowingly influenced. We appreciate good design, but surely it doesn’t override our logic.
Or does it? More often than we realize, our choices aren’t a result of thoughtful calculation but simply the way things look. From the toothpaste we grab regardless of price to websites that keep us engaged and clicking, good design doesn’t just please the eye—it quietly guides our choices.
And the magic of it is we don’t even know it’s happening.
The Powerful Persuasion of Aesthetics
Picture this: There are two cafes side by side and you’re craving a cappuccino. One has a modern, rustic-Zen design with neutral colors and big windows displaying comfy couches and a stainless-steel espresso machine. The other has peeling paint on the outside in a color you hate. The sign looks old and so do the chairs viewed through the small window. Most of us will head inside the first one. In the blink of an eye, based somewhat unconsciously on appearance, we assume the more attractive cafe has better coffee and better service.
They say first impressions are everything, and our eyes can make complex judgments faster than mental reasoning processes do.
This “aesthetic-usability effect” refers to a tendency to think products that look better are better overall. Even when the item in question is not high quality or has flaws in its functionality, we’ll tend to overlook user issues thanks to its pleasing appearance.
This phenomenon applies to clothing—displayed on a mannequin, accessorized, and spotlighted in a well-designed store—and to a signature tech device we covet, regardless of known bugs and flaws.
Packaging choices, logo colors, even the layout of grocery stores are all deliberate design decisions made by marketers who know what grabs our gaze. With infinite options before us, visual cues have become the shortcut our minds use to navigate it all efficiently.
Why Do Our Brains Like Pretty Things?
Evolutionary psychology has something to say about this. It turns out we’re instinctively wired to seek out harmonious patterns and balance around us. In human form, the evidence of health and good breeding potential can be signaled by certain physical features. Ripe fruit is more colorful than unripe or spoiled food, and likewise, lush landscapes signify the ability to support life—our lives.
Clean lines and layouts can trigger a sense of peace even if we don’t consciously evaluate them—we align ourselves with them naturally. Designers know which patterns and colors spark moods and tap into these psychological quirks to steer us toward their products.
Researchers at the Berlin School of Mind and Brain determined that aesthetic considerations impact how we conceptualize ourselves. The aesthetic self-effect suggests our identity is intertwined with our perception, our tastes, and our style. For example, when asked to describe themselves, people will default to listing off what they like. Since we were children, a vital “getting-to-know-you” question was “what’s your favorite color?”
But we’re constantly adapting to enjoying different things, so those changes in aesthetic preference can also alter our idea of who we are.
Designing the Digital World for Dominance
As the digital realm advances, design is center stage. When we didn’t know any better, websites were dry, practical pages of text and the odd thumbnail image. Businesses added colors, borders, and simple graphics to decorate. Now, websites, apps, and games form a kind of artistic backdrop for our lives, so beauty and function are critical components.
A well-designed app doesn’t just look good; it feels good to use. It builds trust, delights our senses, and seems personal. Think about platforms and websites you return to often. Perhaps your social media profiles feel as comfortable and familiar to you as your own home. You enjoy being in these spaces. There are others you’ll click away from after a glance. The difference isn’t usually the subject matter—it’s the design.
Users tend to make judgments about website credibility within 50 milliseconds based on color, font, and spacing. In gaming and digital entertainment, players are intuitively drawn to polished visuals, smooth animations, and satisfying sensory feedback—think responsive buttons, captivating images, and seamless transitions. Design details don’t improve the odds on a casino site, for example, but they create a sense of atmosphere and ease that keeps users happy.
Likewise, popular real money slots feature user-friendly layouts, dazzling animations, and sound effects that make spinning or hitting “play now” feel instantly rewarding. Through our eyes first, the multisensory experience triggers excitement and taps into our brain’s reward systems.
These games are attractive to us for the same reason that Vegas Strip casinos are alluring—they’re created to be a fun, visual spectacle.
Design Translates to Trust
Good design speaks volumes in an instant. You see relatable images, shapes, and color you like, crisp details, and an interface that’s easy on the eyes. What that translates to is high quality, ease of use, and trustworthiness.
This is why the luxury companies we all know invest in the design of their sleek, minimalist branding. It’s why tech companies have teams of people perfecting rounded corners and pixel-precision of simple fonts. What seem like minor details are powerful indicators of perfection on a grand scale.
A Stanford study found nearly 75% of users will judge a company’s credibility just based on website design.
Design is like a sales ninja, silently entering our unconscious perception to influence our instincts before we even register that we saw it. When design looks good to us, it feels effortless.
Looking Good, by Design
Every day, we’re guided to make decisions based on the look of things. Design doesn’t just make products more usable—it helps shape what we value, what we trust, and how we view ourselves.
Knowing what appeals to your tastes—and what doesn’t—isn’t superficial. Psychology says that we respond to ideal form and function as a matter of instinct and even survival.
We can be aware and reflective about knee-jerk reactions to appearance. We can ask ourselves if design-led emotions cloud our logical judgment. But when a product, site, or game looks just right, we can appreciate how insightfully it matched our tastes.
If you’re wondering whether something just looks ideal or really is, the chances are it’s a bit of both—which is by design.
