How do design decisions influence thoughts, emotions, and actions?

Take a walk around the consumer landscapes of our larger cities and you can’t fail to experience, consciously or otherwise, all manner of design interventions whose every detail seeks to influence people’s thoughts, emotions, and actions. Back in 1957, American journalist Vance Packard coined the term “hidden persuaders” to describe the sales-promoting psychological techniques used in advertising and consumer research. More than half a century later, neuroscientific imaging, ubiquitous computer-aided technology and big data have long since caught up with Packard’s ideas. Design decisions always have an impact on the user – intentionally or not.