<!-- SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT -->
<!-- SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2025-2026 Marcus Quinn -->

# The Psychology of Scroll-Stopping Creative

## How People Scroll

**Eye-tracking:** Average content time: 1.7s. Engagement decision: 0.5–1s. 80%+ scroll without sound. Thumb ~90% of scrolling. F/Z-pattern eye movement.

| Second | User question | Brain activity |
|--------|---------------|----------------|
| 0–1 | "What is this?" | Visual registers; categorises (ad/content/friend) |
| 1–2 | "Is this for me?" | Message absorption; relevance assessment |
| 2–3 | "Should I stop?" | Hook payoff; curiosity created or not |

**Mobile-first (90%+ of Meta impressions):** Vertical (9:16, 4:5). Large text. First 1–2 inches = prime real estate. Thumb zone (bottom-right) = CTA placement.

**Sound-off (80% of feed video):** Captions mandatory. Visual storytelling must work silently. Text overlays carry the message.

## Attention Science

**Pre-attentive processing** (before conscious attention): colour (red/yellow/contrast), motion, faces (eyes/emotions), large shapes, unexpected elements.

**Cognitive load — lower = higher engagement:**

| High load (bad) | Low load (good) |
|-----------------|-----------------|
| Dense text, multiple focal points | Simple message, single focal point |
| Complex visuals, industry jargon | Clean visuals, plain language |
| Many choices | One clear CTA |

**Mere exposure effect:** Consistent brand visuals build familiarity; retargeting works partly through exposure.

**Novelty vs familiarity:** Too familiar = ignored. Too novel = confusing. Sweet spot = familiar enough to understand, novel enough to notice.

## Pattern Interrupts

| Type | Examples |
|------|---------|
| Visual contrast | Bright colours vs muted feed; black/white in colourful feed |
| Motion | Sudden movement at video start; hand wave; object flying in |
| Text | Large bold overlay; question; controversial statement |
| Format | Portrait in landscape-dominant feed; minimalist in busy feed |
| Emotional | Strong facial expression; surprising image |

- `[HAND SLAPS TABLE] "Stop scrolling. This is important."` — motion + direct address
- `[CLOSE-UP SHOCKED FACE] "I can't believe this worked"` — emotion + curiosity
- `[BOLD TEXT ON BLACK] "EVERYTHING YOU KNOW ABOUT [TOPIC] IS WRONG"` — contrast + controversy
- `[PRODUCT FLYING IN] "This little thing changed my life"` — motion + intrigue

Pattern interrupt ≠ clickbait. Interrupt gets attention; content must deliver. Bait-and-switch = user feels tricked.

## Visual Hierarchy

Priority order: largest/boldest → supporting visual → body text → CTA.

**Tools:** Size (bigger = more important), colour (contrast draws eyes), position (top-left reads first in LTR), space (isolation creates importance).

- Top third: hook text or key visual (must stop scroll)
- Middle third: supporting info, social proof
- Bottom third: CTA, price/offer

| Mistake | Fix |
|---------|-----|
| Everything same size | Create clear size difference |
| Too many focal points | One primary focus |
| CTA buried | Make CTA prominent |
| Text too small | Minimum 24px for key text |

## Persuasion Psychology

**Cialdini's principles:**

| Principle | Application |
|-----------|-------------|
| Reciprocity | Give value first ("Free guide: 10 ways to…") |
| Commitment | Get small yeses ("Comment YES if you want…") |
| Social proof | "Join 10,000+ marketers…" / "4.9★ from 2,000+ reviews" |
| Authority | "Dr. [Name] recommends…" / "Featured in Forbes" |
| Liking | Relatable founder story; UGC from someone "like me" |
| Scarcity | "Only 47 spots left" / "Offer ends midnight" |

**Loss aversion** (losses feel 2× stronger than equivalent gains):

| Gain frame (weaker) | Loss frame (stronger) |
|---------------------|----------------------|
| "Save $100" | "Stop losing $100/month" |
| "Get more leads" | "Stop missing leads" |
| "Improve your health" | "Don't let your health decline" |

**Endowment effect:** People value things more once they "own" them — free trials, "Your free [thing] is waiting", personalisation ("Your custom plan").

## Emotional Triggers

| Strength | Emotions |
|----------|---------|
| Strongest | Fear (loss/FOMO/danger), Desire (aspiration/status/belonging), Curiosity (mystery/incomplete info) |
| Medium | Anger (injustice/frustration), Surprise (novelty), Joy (humour) |
| Weaker | Trust (reliability/safety), Anticipation (future reward) |

- **Fear:** "Are you making this expensive mistake?" / "You're leaving $X on the table every month"
- **Desire:** "What would you do with 10 extra hours per week?" / "Imagine waking up to [outcome]"
- **Curiosity:** "I discovered this by accident…" / "The one thing [experts] won't tell you"
- **Anger:** "Tired of [frustration]?" / "We built this because we were fed up with [status quo]"
- **Humour:** "POV: You just discovered [product]" / "The face you make when [relatable situation]"

| Stage | Best emotions |
|-------|--------------|
| Awareness | Curiosity, Surprise, Fear |
| Consideration | Desire, Trust, Social proof |
| Decision | Scarcity, Loss aversion, Urgency |

## Scroll-Stopping Formula

```text
1. PATTERN INTERRUPT (0–1s)  — motion, contrast, face, or text breaks the scroll
2. HOOK (1–3s)               — curiosity/fear/desire trigger; "Is this for me?" = YES
3. VALUE DELIVERY (3–10s)    — fulfil the hook promise; build understanding
4. PROOF (10–20s)            — social proof, results, testimonials; "Can I trust this?"
5. CTA (final)               — single clear action; minimise perceived friction
```

**Pre-launch checklist:**

- [ ] What pattern does this interrupt?
- [ ] What emotion does this trigger?
- [ ] Is the visual hierarchy clear?
- [ ] Does this work without sound?
- [ ] Is cognitive load minimised?
- [ ] What persuasion principle is at work?
- [ ] Would I stop scrolling for this?

*Next: [Creative Formats](formats.md)*
