Design for emotion and flow

Low-level emotions are experienced unconsciously. So designers can influence emotions without users realising.

Research on rats showed mild stress increased cognitive performance but high stress decreased it

Flow (great enjoyment + peak performance) happens in situations characterized by
- few interruptions
- attention focused by challenge of a situation we know we can handle
- task has clear goals
- there is immediate feedback

Novice users tend to use the web for passive entertainment. This allows simple navigation - the design can be stimulating/loud to provide interest.

Experienced users tend to be goal-directed, requiring more challenging interfaces. Challenging interfaces should be less visually rich, to minimize stress.