Confirmshaming
1
Purpose
The purpose of confirmshaming is to guilt people into staying with a product longer than they would normally.
2
Psychological principles
This tactic plays on the psychological principle of guilt aversion.
3
Prevention
Awareness and the use of external tools can help consumers overcome this barrier.
Guilt. Guilt. Guilt.
Guilt is a powerful tool. If users feel guilty, they might hesitate to decide what’s in their best interest. This is especially powerful on buttons as they are how the user converses with the interface.
Positive connotations for certain choices and negative connotations for contrasting choices is a clear sign that confirm shaming is at play.
Behind the pattern
Guilt aversion. Guilt is a negative emotion that arises when we don’t meet the expectations of ourselves or others. We naturally avoid guilt. Interfaces may prime a choice with guilt to increase the likelihood that we will avoid making that choice.
How to protect yourself
Emotionally charged language. Be aware of language or UI elements that are highly emotionally charged and evoke strong emotions.