Centre-Stage Effect
In a row of options, people gravitate to the one in the middle.
What it is
When choices are arranged in a line, the central position is read as the most popular, the most representative and the safest. It is also simply where the eye rests. Whatever you put in the middle gets a head start.
The research
Across product arrays, participants chose the centrally placed item significantly more often and believed it was the most popular, even when placement was random.
Valenzuela and Raghubir, 2009
How to use it
Put the target plan in the middle
On a three-plan pricing page, the plan you want people to buy sits in the centre and is visually raised.
Centre the recommended answer
In a survey or quiz, the answer you expect most people to choose belongs in the middle position.
Related
Sources that shaped this entry: growth.design.