This widespread cognitive bias leads us to believe that our own opinions, behaviors and beliefs are more widespread than they actually are, while we believe that the beliefs shared by others, but not ourselves, are more likely to be based on the subjectivity of others.

Among other things, this leads us to frequently project our own preferences onto others, which in turn leads to misperceptions regarding the attitudes of others.

Origin

The false consensus effect was identified and researched by Lee Ross in 1977. His research showed that people often perceive their views as normal and common, even if objective data suggests otherwise.

  • Ross, L. (1977). The False Consensus Effect: An Egocentric Bias in Social Perception

Application in UX and UI design

In UX and UI design, the False Consensus Effect can cause designers to unconsciously assume that users share their own preferences or expertise. This assumption can distort the understanding of the users' actual needs and lead to products that neglect important functions or explanations.

To counteract this effect, well-founded user research is essential: interviews, usability tests and data evaluations ensure that the design is not based solely on subjective assumptions.

Personas and scenarios are also helpful for systematically mapping different user perspectives. By consciously taking into account different levels of knowledge, cultural backgrounds and motives for use, designers can develop products that are tailored to a broad user base.

Impact on the User Experience

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Further information