The Serial Position Effect consists of two individual effects and describes the tendency for people to remember the first (Primacy Effect) and last (Recency Effect) elements of a list or sequence, while elements in the middle are often given less attention and are less likely to be remembered.

Origin

This rule goes back to the German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus, who first described it in his 1885 studies "On Memory"; other researchers such as Bennet Murdock (1962) later expanded on it.

  • Ebbinghaus, H. (1885). On Memory.
  • Murdock, B. B. (1962). The serial position effect of free recall.

 

The Serial Position Effect was demonstrated in experimental studies in which probands had to memorize and reproduce word lists.

The Serial Position Effect was demonstrated in experimental studies. Probands were asked to memorize word lists and then reproduce them as accurately as possible. The longer the interval between memorization and reproduction, the weaker the Recency Effect became, leading to the assumption that the Recency Effect primarily affects working memory. Incidentally, the Recency Effect was much more prominent in auditory word lists than in visual word lists. *1

 

Application in UX and UI design

When designing digital interfaces, important information should preferably be placed at the beginning or end of lists, menus or pages in order to increase their visibility and improve memorability. For example, the most important goals of a website can be placed at the first and last position in a navigation bar so that users are more likely to notice and remember them.

At the same time, it is advisable not to overload the middle area of a list – see also Hick's law and The Magical Number Seven. Clever segmentation (Chunking) of long lists of information can help to avoid this effect and enable users to process a consistently high amount of information. Sometimes it can also be useful to consciously deviate from the rule – for example, if chronological order must be adhered to.

A practical example would be the structural design of a product details page, where the most important advantages of the product should be shown right at the beginning and end of the page so that they are firmly anchored in the user's memory.

Impact on the User Experience

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Further information