MENTAL MODEL · M0740

F-Pattern

BehaviorHigh supportPsychology

Included

Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

Eye-tracking research shows that when users browse web pages, their gaze typically follows an "F" shape: first reading horizontally across the top, then horizontally across the middle, and finally scanning vertically down the left edge.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

Optimize information presentation. When writing articles or designing pages, place the most important information (headlines, keywords) along the F-shaped path, because most content is not read but merely scanned.

anchor

Anchor fast decisions

Eye-tracking reveals an F-shaped gaze pattern when browsing web pages: first reading horizontally across the top, then a shorter horizontal pass across the middle, and finally a vertical scan down the left side. The mechanism is to **align with scanning habits**—place the most important information (headlines, keywords) along the F-shaped path, as users mostly scan rather than read in depth.

MINIMUM ACTION

In progress 0/5

Practice this model in one real situation:

(As a page layout principle)
Place core information in the top banner/headline
Put navigation and key entry points in the left sidebar
Give the most important conclusions in the first two paragraphs
Use heading hierarchy and whitespace to reinforce the F-shaped path.

Check to track your progress (stored locally)

Learning progress0%

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Source support: Explicit

link
nngroup.comhttps://www.nngroup.com/articles/f-shaped-pattern-reading-web-content/ZH · Explicit
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