What it is
People become less sensitive to a constant stimulus over time.
How it shows up in CX
Customers pay less attention to familiar experiences, requiring novelty to maintain engagement.
CX pillars it strengthens
ExpectationsEmotionsEffort
How to design with it
1
Introduce novelty.
2
Periodically refresh experiences to sustain engagement.
3
Use variable rewards.
4
Keep interactions dynamic to maintain interest.
5
Avoid overstimulation.
6
Balance familiarity with change.
Supporting biases
Habituation EffectNovelty Effect
Opposing biases
Sensory AlertnessFreshness Perception
Related biases
Behavioral Biases
Design with behavior, not against it.
Explore more biases, or work with us to apply behavioral science to your customer experience.