@article{THESIS,
      recid = {13256},
      author = {Zhou, Ziyi},
      title = {Unraveling the Tricks: An Exploration of the Prevalence  and Impact of Dark Patterns Across E-Fashion Website  Designs},
      publisher = {University of Chicago},
      school = {M.A.},
      address = {2024-08},
      number = {THESIS},
      abstract = {In the vast landscape of online shopping, we are exposed  to an extensive amount of information and stimuli. How much  of our decisions to buy is truly rational? Researchers have  found that businesses incorporate “dark patterns”—tactics  of user interface design that leads users to inadvertent  actions such as purchasing and subscribing membership—to  manipulate our decision makings (Brignull, 2018; Mathur et  al., 2018). This study delves into the realm of online  fashion websites, scrutinizing the prevalence and impact of  these deceptive design strategies. Through a combination of  quantitative analysis and in-depth interviews, this paper  aims to address four key research questions: (1) How do the  prevalence and characteristics of dark patterns vary across  online fashion websites? (2) What is the prevalence of dark  patterns on online fashion platforms compared to general  shopping websites? (3) How do users perceive, experience,  and react to dark patterns on fashion websites? (4) Does  users’ recognition of dark patterns influence their  attitudes and trust toward fashion brands? Shedding light  on both prevalent phenomena and user perspectives, this  study found that dark patterns are present on 78.4% of  fashion websites, with Nagging and Limited-time Messages  being the most common. The prevalence of dark patterns on  e-fashion stands out from general e-commerce by adopting  more visual-related dark patterns. Additionally, the study  revealed a positive correlation between the number of dark  patterns and website popularity. Participants' varied and  inconclusive perspectives on dark patterns highlighted dark  patterns’ context-based impact, but their responses  suggested that prior trust in brands may mitigate the  negative effects of dark patterns.},
      url = {http://knowledge.uchicago.edu/record/13256},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.6082/uchicago.13256},
}