Reading list of recommended UX books on psychology. The books are relevant for everyone interested in human behavior, neuroscience, cognitive psychology, design psychology, and social psychology.
Cover of Don't Make Me Think, Revisited by Steve Krug.
New Riders, 2013
210 pages
Written by usability guru Steve Krug. Since its first publication, hundreds of thousands of Web designers and developers have relied on this guide to help them understand the principles of intuitive navigation and information design.
Cover of Evil by Design by Chris Nodder.
Wiley, 2013
320 pages
Written by user researcher, UX fiend, and interaction design specialist Chris Nodder. He organized the book by the seven deadly sins and describes how to leverage human fallibility to create powerful persuasive interfaces that people will love to use.
Cover of Thinking Fast & Slow by Daniel Kahneman.
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2011
512 pages
Written by Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences laureate Daniel Kahneman. The book was the winner of the National Academies Communication Award for best creative work that promotes public understanding of behavioral science, engineering and medicine.
Cover of Nudge by Richard H. Thaler, Cass Robert Sunstein.
Penguin Books, 2008
312 pages
Written by professor of Behavioral Science and Economics, Richard H. Thaler, who is also a winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics. In this book he explains how people make choices and how they can make better ones.
Cover of Emotional Design by Donald A. Norman.
Basic Books, 2007
272 pages
Written by cognitive scientist and usability engineer Don Norman, the book shows how principles of human psychology apply to the invention and design of new technologies and products. It is about making affective tools that mesh well with emotions.
Cover of Predictably Irrational by Dr. Dan Ariely .
Harper, 2009
400 pages
Written by best-selling author Dan Ariely, the book refutes the common assumption that people behave in fundamentally rational ways. The misguided behaviors are neither random nor senseless. They are systematic and predictable.
Cover of Well-Designed by Jon Kolko.
Harvard Business Review Press, 2014
224 pages
Written by Jon Kolko, the refreshingly jargon-free and practical book takes readers from Design Thinking to Design Doing. Kolko explains how to deeply understand customer needs and feelings and how to reflect them in a product.
Cover of Hooked by Nir Eyal.
Portfolio, 2014
256 pages
Written by author, lecturer and investor Nir Eyal, the book explains, with the help of the Hook Model — a four-step process embedded into products to encourage customer behavior, how companies create products people can not put down.
Cover of 100 Things by Susan Weinschenk.
New Riders, 2011
256 pages
Written by behavioral psychologist Susan M. Weinschenk, the book explains how to design to elicit responses from people. It combines real science and research with practical examples to deliver a guide every designer needs.
Cover of The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg.
Random House, 2012
400 pages
Written by Pulitzer-prize winner journalist and author Charles Duhigg, the book explains why habits exist and how they can be changed. This helps to understand users and their needs and aspirations. An essential manual for business and living.
Cover of Switch by Chip Heath, Dan Heath.
Crown Business, 2010
305 pages
Written by Professor of Organizational Behavior Chip Heath, the book brings together decades of counterintuitive research in psychology, sociology, and other fields to shed new light on how we can effect transformative change.
Cover of Influence by Robert Beno Cialdini.
Harper Business, 2006
336 pages
Written by Professor of Psychology and Marketing Robert Beno Cialdini, the book explains the psychology of why people say yes and how to apply these principles ethically in business and everyday situations. A manual to become a skilled persuader.
Cover of Yes! by Noah J. Goldstein, Steve J. Martin, Robert Beno Cialdini.
Free Press, 2008
258 pages
Written by Professor of Management and Organizations Noah J. Goldstein, the book explains 50 scientifically proven techniques, based on more than 60 years of research into the psychology of persuasion, for increasing persuasive powers in business and life.
Cover of The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz.
Ecco, 2016
304 pages
Written by psychologist and Professor of Social Theory and Social Action, Barry Schwartz. The book explains how people make decisions and discusses their obsession with choice, and how it contributes to anxiety, dissatisfaction and regret.
Cover of Designing for Behavior Change by Stephen Wendel.
O'Reilly Media, 2013
394 pages
Written by behavioral social scientist Stephen Wendel. The book explains how to apply behavioral economics and psychology to the practical problems of product design and the development of effective interface designs that are enjoyable to use.
Cover of Neuro Web Design by Susan Weinschenk.
New Riders, 2009
162 pages
Written by behavioral psychologist Susan M. Weinschenk, the book applies the research on motivation, decision making, and neuroscience to web design. Learn how to apply the principles of persuasion to design Web sites that encourage users to click.
Cover of Habit by Neale Martin.
FT Press, 2008
208 pages
Written by expert in consumer behavior and customer satisfaction Dr. Neale Martin, the book explains why 80% of new products fail, why so many advertising budgets are wasted every year, and why even satisfied customers aren’t loyal.
Cover of Persuasive Technology by Brian Jeffrey Fogg.
Morgan Kaufmann, 2002
312 pages
Written by social scientist Brian Jeffrey Fogg, who is a research associate at Stanford University, the book reveals how Web sites, software applications, and mobile devices can be used to change people's attitudes and behavior.
Welcome to our meticulously curated selection of recommended books on Psychology, thoughtfully tailored for those intrigued by the intricacies of User Experience (UX) on the Web. These scholarly works delve into the realms of cognitive psychology, user behavior, and human-centered design principles. Immerse yourself in these authoritative texts to gain profound insights into the psychological underpinnings that shape and enhance digital interactions.
“Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible, serving us without drawing attention to itself.”
