People feel losses more strongly than similar gains. Use only for real user value and real risk.
Goal
Show what user may lose. Motivate useful action without manipulation.
Rules
- Use loss framing only for real losses.
- Be specific: items, progress, access, time, or money.
- Give clear action to prevent loss.
- Do not fake urgency or scarcity.
- Do not hide options.
- Prefer gain framing for new users and exploration.
Useful Frames
- Access: "You will lose access to [feature]."
- Progress: "Your [streak/progress] will reset."
- Work: "[count] saved items will be unavailable."
- Money: "Unused credits expire on [date]."
Flow
- Identify what user already has.
- Confirm potential loss is real.
- Confirm action benefits user.
- Write concrete loss frame.
- Add recovery or prevention action.
- Check ethics.
- Test against gain framing.
Ethical Check
Proceed only when:
- Loss is real.
- Deadline is real.
- User understands tradeoff.
- User has control.
- Message would feel fair if psychology were explained.
Resources
- Thinking, Fast and Slow - Daniel Kahneman
- Predictably Irrational - Dan Ariely
- Prospect Theory Original Paper - Kahneman & Tversky
Output
## Loss Aversion Review
Feature/message: [name]
User already has:
- [asset / progress / access]
Potential loss:
- [real loss]
Current frame:
- [copy]
Proposed frame:
- [copy]
Action offered:
- [what user can do]
Ethical check:
- Real loss: [yes/no]
- Clear control: [yes/no]
- Honest timing: [yes/no]
Test:
- Compare against [gain frame]
- Metric: [conversion / retention / satisfaction]