Users Remember the First & Last Items Best | Serial Position Effect — UX Psychology

What Is the Serial Position Effect? The Serial Position Effect, coined by psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus, explains how people tend to best recall items at the beginning (primacy effect) and end (recency effect) of a list, while often forgetting or confusing items in the middle due to limited short-term memory capacity.

How Does it Influence User Behavior? Users are more likely to remember the first and last items in a list, menu, or form, impacting their navigation, retention, and overall user experience. This phenomenon can be strategically used by UX designers to improve user engagement and memory retention.

Strategic Implementation in UX Design UX designers can leverage the Serial Position Effect by placing important information at the beginning and end of lists, menus, or forms to enhance user recall. By prioritizing key content in these positions, designers can guide users' attention and improve overall usability.