Positive mimicry
Design Pattern
Alternate titles: Mirroring.
Problem summary
We learn by comparing our behavior with the actions of others
Usage
- Use to help users learn a new behavior
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- Use your customer’s own words. Learn what language works best and how to better engage interested prospects.
- Lead the way. Demonstrate and encourage positive interactions and behaviors that users can observe and mimic.
- Highlight good behavior. In social contexts, find and reward people who model good behavior to let the crowd know what normal (or intended) behavior is.
Rationale
We often subconsciously and automatically imitate other people’s behavior. You smile when I smile. Mimic your customer’s terminologies, reuse search queries in your online dialogues, and showcase actual consumers buying or consuming your product.
Discussion
Positive mimicry plays a major role in psychotherapy as a tool to positively influence relationship to the client as well as a way to communicate empathy, to enhance similarity between interaction partners and increase their liking.
Positive mimicry plays a major role in psychotherapy as a tool to positively influence relationship to the client as well as a way to communicate empathy, to enhance similarity between interaction partners and increase their liking.
1 Hess, U., Philippot, P., & Blairy, S. (1999). Mimicry: Facts and fiction. In P. Philippot, R. S. Feldman, & E. J. Coats (Eds.), The social context of nonverbal behavior (pp. 213–241). Cambridge University Press
2 Agneta H. Fischer, Daniela Becker and Lotte Veenstra (2012), Emotional mimicry in social context: the case of disgust and pride, Department of Social Psychology, University of Amsterdam
User Interface Design Patterns
- Forms
- Explaining the process
- Community driven
- Tabs
- Jumping in hierarchy
- Menus
- Content
- Gestures
- Tables
- Formatting data
- Images
- Search
- Reputation
- Social interactions
- Shopping
- Increasing frequency
- Guidance
- Registration
Persuasive Design Patterns
- Loss Aversion
- Other cognitive biases
- Scarcity
- Gameplay design
- Fundamentals of rewards
- Gameplay rewards