Psychology
Why people
actually buy.
The ideas from consumer psychology that change what I put in ads and on pages, each with the research behind it and an honest rating of how strong that research is. Some are rock solid. Some are famous for one study that later work didn't back up. You should know which is which before you build a campaign on one.
Written by Dan Picken, a marketer applying published research. Last checked 27 October 2026.- SpEvidence: StrongSocial proofWe copy people like us, especially when we're unsure.What the research says
- LaEvidence: MixedLoss aversionLosing something hurts more than gaining the same thing feels good.What the research says
- AnEvidence: StrongAnchoringThe first number people see sets what feels like a fair price.What the research says
- CoEvidence: DependsChoice overloadToo many options and many people choose nothing at all.What the research says
- RrEvidence: StrongRisk reversalPeople avoid a bad outcome more than they chase a good one.What the research says
- MmEvidence: StrongMessage matchWhen the page doesn't match what the ad promised, people feel lost and leave.What the research says
- AuEvidence: MixedAuthorityWe lean on people who seem to know, especially when the decision is unfamiliar.What the research says
- ScEvidence: DependsScarcity and urgencyWe want things more when they're running out, especially when other people want them too.What the research says
- ReEvidence: DependsReciprocityWhen someone gives us something useful, we feel we should give something back.What the research says
- FrEvidence: DependsFramingThe same fact, put a different way, lands differently.What the research says
- EpEvidence: StrongEthical persuasionPersuasion helps people decide. Manipulation decides for them.What the research says
How to read
the ratings.
- Strong
- Found again and again, by different researchers. Safe to build on.
- Mixed
- Famous and sometimes true, but challenged. Test it before you rely on it.
- Depends
- Real in some situations and absent in others. The page explains which.
When each one matters
Three moments,
three questions.
Every buyer asks the same three questions on the way to a purchase, whether they're buying a mattress, booking a plumber or picking an accountant. Each principle helps answer one of them.
- 01Clicking'Is this what I was looking for?'Message match
- 02Comparing'Which one, and is this a fair price?'AnchoringChoice overload
- 03Deciding'Will I regret this?'Social proofLoss aversionRisk reversal
Tested again
Famous isn't
the same as true.
Marketing blogs repeat the same handful of studies. Some of them didn't survive being run again. Here's what happened to four of the best known.
- The hotel towel studySigns saying most guests reused their towels did better than plain environmental signs in the original study. A later replication didn't find the same effect.
- The jam studyShoppers offered 24 jams bought less than shoppers offered 6. A meta-analysis of 50 experiments found the average effect was close to zero. It shows up only in certain conditions.
- Loss aversionThe idea that a loss hurts more than an equal gain feels good is one of the best known in the field. A 2018 review argues the evidence is weaker and narrower than the textbooks say.
- AnchoringThe first number you see pulls your estimate towards it. This one held up in a large multi-lab replication, which is why it's rated strong.
Questions
people ask.
What is consumer psychology?
The study of how people make buying decisions: what they notice, what they worry about, and the mental shortcuts they use when they can't weigh everything. In marketing it's useful for one reason. It tells you what to put in an ad or on a page, and what to test.
Are you a psychologist?
No. I'm a marketer who reads the research and applies it to ads and pages. Every page links the studies so you can read them yourself, and says how strong the evidence is.
Why do some principles say Mixed or Depends?
Because some famous findings didn't hold up when other researchers tested them again. A large 2015 project repeated 100 psychology studies and only about a third gave a significant result again. That doesn't mean the ideas are useless. It means you test them on your own buyers before you bet a campaign on them.
Is using psychology in marketing manipulative?
It can be. Fake reviews, fake countdown timers and made-up 'only 2 left' messages are manipulation, and fake reviews break Australian Consumer Law (ACCC guidance). Using psychology honestly means making a true offer easier to understand and less risky to accept.
Which principle should I use first?
Message match. It's the cheapest to fix and the evidence is strong: if the page doesn't match what the ad or search promised, nothing else on the page gets a chance.
Put the psychology
to work.
Takes a minute. Audits come back within 1 to 2 business days. For anything else, I'll get back to you as soon as possible.
What happens next
- 1I'll ask for read-only access, or just your website for a search audit.
- 2I go through it and write up the 3 biggest fixes.
- 3A 20-minute call to walk you through it. No pitch unless you ask.