The Design Psychologist | Psychology for UX, Product, Service, Instructional, Interior, and Game Designers

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What does the color of your brand really say about your business? Is there truth behind the popular color psychology charts? In this episode, we cut through the noise and explore the actual science behind color psychology—what it tells us, what it doesn't, and what that means for your branding decisions.

We’ll explore:

• Why some color associations (like “blue = trust”) persist—and whether they hold up under scrutiny
• The surprising cultural roots behind color meanings (hint: pink wasn’t always for girls)
• The science of how color affects our emotions—and where it doesn’t
• What neuroscience reveals about how we really make buying decisions
• Why brand success is about more than just picking the “right” color

You’ll leave this episode with a clear, evidence-based understanding of how to think about color in your brand. 

By the end, you’ll know how to move beyond generic color charts and toward smarter, science-backed design choices.

If today’s conversation helped you think more deeply about your work, I’d love it if you left a quick rating or review on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast listening app. It helps more thoughtful designers discover the show—and keeps these meaningful insights coming your way. Just a star rating or a sentence or two makes a big difference. Thanks for listening! 

Go to thedesignpsychologist.substack.com to get episode summaries right in your inbox so you can easily reference, save, and apply what you learn.  

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Today on The Design Psychologist, we're diving deep into the intersection of psychology and design with none other than Susan Weinschenk, PhD—the person you’ll literally find next to the term “design psychologist” in the dictionary.  Susan is a pioneer in applying behavioral science to UX and product design, and the author of essential books like How to Get People to Do Stuff and 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People. 

In this conversation, we explore Susan's journey from psychology to design, how human factors evolved into today’s UX, and why understanding the three parts of the brain is crucial for anyone building products. 

You’ll also hear us unpack:

• Why emotional and unconscious processing drives most user behavior
•  Why dopamine isn't about pleasure—but about anticipation
• What most designers get wrong about memory and readability
• The neuroscience of storytelling and why it matters for websites, apps, and products
• The psychology behind gamification—and what truly motivates users
• Why stories are essential in product and communication design
•  Why every UX decision should start with a “micro-moment” 

Resources Mentioned:

• 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People and 100 MORE Things Every Designer Needs To Know About People  by Susan Weinschenk
• Neuro Web Design: What Makes Them Click?  (2nd Edition) by Susan Weinschenk
• Redirect by Timothy D. Wilson
• Robert Sapolsky’s research on dopamine

Connect with Susan Weinschenk:

• Website
• LinkedIn

If today’s conversation helped you think more deeply about your work, I’d love it if you left a quick rating or review on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast listening app. It helps more thoughtful designers discover the show—and keeps these meaningful insights coming your way. Just a star rating or a sentence or two makes a big difference. Thanks for listening! 

Go to thedesignpsychologist.substack.com to get episode summaries right in your inbox so you can easily reference, save, and apply what you learn.  

Send us Fan Mail

Imagine dragging a jammed suitcase through a crowded airport—frustrating, right? Now imagine that same experience happening in your app, your website, or your product design. That’s performance load: the hidden mental and physical effort users endure when your design isn’t working for them.

In this episode, we take our first step into the world of design psychology by exploring the concept of performance load. You’ll learn how cluttered interfaces, too many clicks, and confusing layouts quietly pile up work on your users. And more importantly, you’ll discover how small design shifts can reduce friction and create smoother, more delightful experiences.

You’ll learn:

• What “performance load” really means—and why it matters
• The four types of load: visual, intellectual, memory, and motor
• How to spot friction in your designs before it frustrates your users
• How real organizations like NASA and Dropbox design for ease
• When simplifying a task helps—and when it hurts (especially in education)

By the end of this episode, you’ll see your design not just as a tool, but as a bridge between humans and their goals—and you’ll know how to make that bridge a whole lot easier to cross.

Go to thedesignpsychologist.substack.com to get episode summaries right in your inbox so you can easily reference, save, and apply what you learn.  

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In this teaser episode, host Thomas Watkins introduces The Design Psychologist—a podcast where human behavior meets design. Thomas shares what inspired him to bridge the gap between psychology and design, outlines what listeners can expect in future episodes, and invites you to explore how design shapes our thoughts, emotions, and actions. Whether you're a designer, psychologist, or curious thinker, this show is your gateway into the minds behind meaningful design.