Apply cognitive bias knowledge to product design and decision-making. Use when designing user experiences, analyzing user behavior, improving conversions, or ensuring ethical design practices.
Applies cognitive bias principles to product design and user experience decisions. Use when designing onboarding flows, improving conversions, analyzing user behavior, or reviewing for ethical dark patterns.
/plugin marketplace add flpbalada/thinking-toolkit/plugin install cognitive-biases@thinking-toolkitThis skill inherits all available tools. When active, it can use any tool Claude has access to.
Understanding psychological patterns that influence human decision-making, first systematically studied by Kahneman and Tversky. Essential for creating user experiences that work with human psychology.
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ HUMAN DECISION-MAKING │
├────────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────────┤
│ SYSTEM 1 (95%) │ SYSTEM 2 (5%) │
├────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Fast │ Slow │
│ Automatic │ Deliberate │
│ Intuitive │ Analytical │
│ Unconscious │ Conscious │
│ Associative │ Logical │
│ Low effort │ High effort │
│ Emotional │ Rational │
├────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────────┤
│ "Feels right" │ "Let me think about this" │
└────────────────────────────┴────────────────────────────────────┘
Most user interactions happen through System 1.
Design for intuition, not just logic.
What it is: The brain latches onto the first piece of information as a reference point for all subsequent decisions.
Pricing Example:
❌ Without anchor:
"Pro plan: $49/month"
User thinks: "Is that expensive?"
✅ With anchor:
"Enterprise: $199/month" (shown first)
"Pro plan: $49/month"
User thinks: "That's a great deal!"
Product applications:
What it is: Humans feel losses 2x more intensely than equivalent gains.
Framing comparison:
Gain frame (weaker): "Save $100 with annual billing"
Loss frame (stronger): "You're losing $100 by paying monthly"
Progress frame:
Weaker: "Complete setup to unlock features"
Stronger: "Don't lose your progress - 80% complete"
Product applications:
What it is: We overestimate the likelihood of events we can easily recall.
Making success feel common:
"Join 50,000+ developers" → Success is common
"Featured in TechCrunch" → Credibility by association
"Sarah from NYC just signed up" → Real-time social proof
"5 people viewing this now" → Popularity signal
Product applications:
What it is: We seek information confirming existing beliefs and ignore contradictory evidence.
Personalization flow:
User selects: "I'm a developer"
↓
Show: Developer-focused features
Hide: Marketing automation features
↓
User thinks: "This product gets me"
Product applications:
What it is: We consistently underestimate how long tasks will take.
Setting realistic expectations:
❌ "Quick setup" → User expects 1 min, takes 10
✅ "10-minute setup" → User expects 10, finishes in 8
Progress that manages expectations:
┌────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Step 2 of 5 · About 4 minutes left │
│ ████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 40% │
└────────────────────────────────────┘
Product applications:
What it is: How information is presented changes decisions, even when underlying data is identical.
Same data, different perception:
Negative frame: "10% of projects fail"
Positive frame: "90% success rate"
Feature absence: "No hidden fees"
Feature presence: "Transparent pricing"
Risk frame: "You might lose data"
Safety frame: "Your data is protected"
Product applications:
What it is: We continue investing because of past investments, not future value.
Leveraging investment:
"You've been with us for 2 years"
"Don't lose your 500 saved items"
"Your profile is 80% complete"
"3,000 connections would miss you"
Product applications:
What it is: We look to others' behavior to determine correct actions.
Types of social proof:
Expert: "Recommended by security researchers"
Celebrity: "Used by Elon Musk"
User: "500,000+ teams trust us"
Wisdom: "Most popular plan"
Peers: "Teams like yours use Premium"
Product applications:
What it is: We value things more when they're rare or diminishing.
Scarcity signals:
Time: "Sale ends in 2:34:12"
Quantity: "Only 3 seats left"
Access: "Invite-only beta"
Exclusivity: "Limited to 100 companies"
⚠️ Only use with REAL scarcity
Product applications:
Map where users make decisions:
User Journey Decision Points:
Landing Page
├── Stay or bounce? [Availability, Social Proof]
├── Which CTA to click? [Framing, Anchoring]
│
Signup
├── Email or social login? [Convenience, Trust]
├── Share optional data? [Reciprocity]
│
Pricing
├── Which plan? [Anchoring, Decoy]
├── Monthly or annual? [Loss Aversion]
│
Onboarding
├── Complete or skip? [Commitment, Sunk Cost]
├── Invite teammates? [Social Proof]
│
Retention
├── Continue or churn? [Sunk Cost, Loss Aversion]
└── Upgrade or stay? [Anchoring, Social Proof]
Audit existing design:
| Screen | Decision | Bias Used | Ethical? | Effective? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Plan selection | Anchoring | ✅ | ✅ |
| Checkout | Add extras | Scarcity | ⚠️ Fake | ❌ |
| Trial end | Convert | Loss aversion | ✅ | ✅ |
For each decision point:
Decision: Plan selection
Current state:
- Plans listed low to high
- No default highlighted
- Equal visual weight
Improved design:
- Anchor with Enterprise first (Anchoring)
- "Most popular" badge on target plan (Social Proof)
- "Recommended for you" personalization (Confirmation)
- Annual savings calculated (Loss Aversion)
After completing analysis, document as:
## Cognitive Bias Analysis
**Product/Feature:** [Name]
**Analysis Date:** [Date]
### Decision Point Audit
| Decision Point | Current Biases | Ethical Assessment | Recommendations |
| -------------- | -------------- | ------------------ | --------------- |
| [Point 1] | [Biases used] | [✅/⚠️/❌] | [Changes] |
| [Point 2] | [Biases used] | [✅/⚠️/❌] | [Changes] |
### Recommended Improvements
#### High Priority
- [Improvement 1]: Apply [bias] at [location] to [effect]
- [Improvement 2]: Remove [dark pattern] from [location]
#### Medium Priority
- [Improvement 3]
- [Improvement 4]
### Ethical Checklist
- [ ] All scarcity claims are factual
- [ ] Users can easily reverse decisions
- [ ] No exploitation of vulnerable states
- [ ] Transparent about pricing and terms
- [ ] Personalization is controllable
### Success Metrics
| Metric | Current | Target | Measurement |
| ----------------- | ------- | ------ | ------------- |
| Conversion rate | X% | Y% | Analytics |
| User satisfaction | X | Y | Survey |
| Regret rate | X% | <Y% | Cancellations |
Ethical bias application:
Reducing cognitive load:
├── Smart defaults (don't make users think)
├── Progressive disclosure (show what's relevant)
└── Clear visual hierarchy (guide attention)
Building trust:
├── Real testimonials with names/photos
├── Honest scarcity (actual inventory)
└── Transparent pricing (no surprises)
Helping decisions:
├── Comparison tables (reduce effort)
├── Recommendations (based on real fit)
└── Clear CTAs (obvious next steps)
Dark patterns to avoid:
Fake urgency:
├── "Only 2 left!" (when unlimited)
├── "Sale ends soon!" (perpetual sale)
└── Countdown timers that reset
Hidden information:
├── Fees revealed at checkout
├── Auto-renewal buried in terms
└── Difficult cancellation flows
Manipulation:
├── Guilt-tripping copy
├── Confirm-shaming ("No, I don't want to save money")
└── Trick questions in opt-outs
Before applying a bias, ask:
1. Is this helping the user?
YES → Continue
NO → Stop
2. Would I be comfortable if this was exposed?
YES → Continue
NO → Stop
3. Does this create long-term value?
YES → Continue
NO → Stop
4. Would this work on an informed user?
YES → Continue (persuasion)
NO → Stop (manipulation)
Product page:
List Price: $79.99 ──→ Anchor (if real MSRP)
Price: $49.99
You Save: $30.00 (38%)
✅ Ethical if list price is genuine
❌ Unethical if inflated for appearance
Subscription conversion:
"Get 3 months free"
vs
"Pay for 9 months, get 12"
Same value, different perception.
Ethical because both options are clearly available.
Streak system:
"🔥 15 day streak!"
"Don't break your streak - practice now"
✅ Ethical: Creates positive habit
⚠️ Watch for: Anxiety-inducing pressure
| Method | Combined Use |
|---|---|
| Five Whys | Why do users behave unexpectedly? |
| Graph Thinking | Map bias influences across user journey |
| Business Canvas | Bias impact on value proposition |
| Jobs-to-be-Done | Align bias use with user goals |
| A/B Testing | Validate bias effectiveness ethically |
BIAS CHEAT SHEET
Acquisition:
├── Social Proof → "Join 50,000+ users"
├── Anchoring → Show premium first
└── Scarcity → "Limited beta access"
Activation:
├── Commitment → Small first steps
├── Planning Fallacy → Realistic time estimates
└── Loss Aversion → Show progress at risk
Retention:
├── Sunk Cost → "Your history, connections"
├── Confirmation → Personalized experience
└── Social Proof → "Your team uses this"
Revenue:
├── Anchoring → Price comparison
├── Framing → Annual savings highlighted
└── Loss Aversion → "You're losing $X/month"
Referral:
├── Social Proof → "X friends joined"
├── Reciprocity → Give before asking
└── Scarcity → "Exclusive invite codes"