The principle of least resistance or effort refers to the behavior that humans will tend to choose the path that requires the least amount of effort and energy. May it be the words we use in a sentence or the way we purchase a product from an eCommerce website.
Real-life examples of the Principle of Least Effort in Effect:
Ecommerce Websites: There is a study with each step added in the purchase through the eCommerce website, the sales dropped exponentially. This is why they have a buy now option that helps a person to purchase the product as fast as possible.
Dialect and language:
People tend to choose the words that are easier to pronounce and require the least effort. Like we use “wanna” instead of “want to” and “kinda” instead of “kind of”.
Grocery Store: People tend to purchase items that are in their easy reach than going for another competitive product that is placed higher on the shelf.
UX Design It’s better to use icons to trigger a call-to-action click.
There are countless examples of what we do as our behavioral habits to reduce the effort, from the way you bathe to the way you order food online. This is embedded in our human nature, so don’t even think about relating it to being lazy.