Why do we always push doors that say pull?

Question

Accepted Answer

The Psychology of Design Errors

The phenomenon of pushing a door labeled 'pull' is a classic case of Norman Doors, a term coined by design expert Don Norman. These doors lack appropriate affordances, which are visual cues that tell a user how to interact with an object.

Why the Brain Misinterprets Cues

The Habit Loop: Most doors we encounter are push-to-open, creating a strong behavioral bias.
   Cognitive Load: When we approach a door, our brains often bypass reading text, relying instead on the handle's shape. If the door has a flat plate, it signals 'push' to the brain, contradicting the 'pull' sign.
   Failure of Design: A well-designed door should inherently communicate its function without any written instructions.

When the physical form of a door conflicts with its signage, the subconscious drive to push usually overrides the conscious effort to read, proving that human error is often a consequence of poor environmental engineering rather than individual incompetence.