How cognitive science is transforming regulatory systems for a safer, more efficient world
Walk into any pharmacy, and you take for granted that the medicines on the shelf are both safe and effective. This assurance doesn't happen by accident; it's the result of complex regulatory systems—networks of laws, agencies, and experts that assess products and policies to protect public health, safety, and the environment. In a world connected by global supply chains and threatened by shared challenges like pandemics and climate change, the strength of these systems is more critical than ever.
of countries lack adequate regulatory capacity for medical products according to WHO estimates 1
longer approval times for new medicines in countries with limited regulatory capacity 2
Yet a significant gap exists between nations in their regulatory capacity (the resources, staff, and infrastructure) and regulatory capability (the skills, knowledge, and competence to use those resources effectively) 1 . Building this capacity and capability, especially in developing regions, represents one of the most pressing global challenges of our time. How can we create systems that are not only robust and efficient but also adaptable to rapid technological change? Recent research suggests that the answers might come from understanding something even more fundamental: how the human brain perceives and processes information.
Key Insight: Effective regulatory systems must account for human cognitive limitations and leverage perceptual psychology to improve compliance and efficiency.
The "HSA" in our title doesn't refer to a financial account. In the context of cutting-edge regulatory science, it represents a pioneering framework—the Holistic, Salience-based Approach. This model proposes that effective regulations shouldn't just be a list of rules. Instead, they should be designed to be intuitively understandable, to highlight the most critical information, and to guide behavior naturally, much like how a well-designed user interface makes a smartphone easy to use.
Our attention is automatically drawn to certain visual and cognitive cues. Systems can be designed to use these cues to direct focus to high-priority areas 5 .
| Feature | Traditional Model | HSA-Inspired Model |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Focus | Compliance & Enforcement | Facilitation & Guidance |
| Information Presentation | Text-heavy, complex documents | Visual, hierarchical, clear |
| Theoretical Basis | Legal theory & economics | Cognitive science & psychology |
| User Engagement | Passive recipients of rules | Active participants in a system |
| Adaptability | Slow, through formal amendments | Rapid, based on performance data |
To test one core principle of the HSA model—that the aesthetic appeal and perceptual salience of information can dramatically influence how efficiently it is processed—a team of researchers designed a clever experiment using a classic visual search task 5 . This experiment provides a microcosm of how individuals might locate and process critical information within a complex regulatory environment.
The researchers recruited 112 participants for a series of controlled experiments 5 .
Researchers used a set of icons that had been previously rated for their aesthetic appeal (from "unappealing" to "appealing") and visual complexity (from "simple" to "complex"). This allowed them to precisely control the properties of the images.
In each trial, participants were shown a computer screen containing a random arrangement of icons—either 2, 4, 8, or 11 in total. They were instructed to find one specific target icon as quickly and accurately as possible.
In some trials, the target icon was aesthetically appealing while the distractors were neutral. In other trials, the target was unappealing with neutral distractors. In further experiments, the appeal of the distractors was also manipulated.
The researchers measured two key outcomes: (1) the response time (how long it took to find the target), and (2) the search slope (how much slower the search became with each additional distractor icon, a measure of search efficiency).
The results were clear and striking. While the aesthetic appeal of the target did not create a "pop-out" effect (it did not make search slopes perfectly flat), it had a significant and consistent impact on performance.
| Set Size | Appealing Target | Unappealing Target | Performance Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Icons | 1,150 ms | 1,290 ms | +12.0% |
| 8 Icons | 1,480 ms | 1,685 ms | +13.9% |
| 11 Icons | 1,710 ms | 1,990 ms | +16.4% |
Across all three experiments, searching for an appealing target was consistently faster than searching for an unappealing one, and this advantage became even more pronounced as the visual field became more crowded 5 . This suggests that appealing stimuli are processed more rapidly by the brain, even if they don't guide attention in an entirely pre-conscious way.
Research Insight: These findings are a powerful metaphor for regulatory design. A critical piece of safety information embedded in a cluttered, poorly designed label (an "unappealing target") will be harder to find. Conversely, a form filled with attractive but irrelevant graphics ("appealing distractors") can distract from the most important data fields, slowing down compliance and increasing the risk of error.
To conduct rigorous experiments like the visual search study, scientists rely on a suite of specialized tools and concepts. The following details some of the essential "research reagents" in the field of perceptual and regulatory science 5 9 .
Pre-rated databases of images (e.g., icons) allow researchers to manipulate appeal as an independent variable without relying on subjective judgments during the experiment.
A classic experimental task that measures attention and perception by tracking how quickly participants can find a target among distractors. It directly models information-seeking behavior.
A neuroimaging technology that measures brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow. It helps identify which brain regions are involved in processing appealing vs. unappealing information.
Technology that monitors where a person is looking. It provides precise data on what information captures visual attention first and for how long in a complex display.
The implications of this research extend far beyond a computer screen. The visual search experiment provides a scientific foundation for the HSA model's principles, suggesting that how regulatory information is presented is not a minor detail—it is a fundamental determinant of effectiveness.
International standards and regulatory documents, often criticized for their impenetrable complexity, could be redesigned. Using visual hierarchies, clear icons, and intuitive formatting would make them more accessible across different languages and educational backgrounds 8 .
New digital regulatory platforms can be designed using these principles. For instance, an online portal for clinical trial submissions could use salient cues and an appealing interface to guide researchers through the process, reducing errors and speeding up review times.
"By applying these lessons, a regulatory agency in a resource-limited setting could achieve more with its existing capacity. A well-designed, intuitive system reduces the cognitive burden on its staff, minimizes training time, and decreases the likelihood of costly oversights, thereby stretching every dollar and every hour of effort further."
The journey to close the global gap in regulatory capacity and capability is a marathon, not a sprint. It requires more than just transferring funds or documents; it demands a deep understanding of the human element in these complex systems.
The lessons extrapolated from the HSA framework and the visual perception experiments that support it point toward a future where regulations are not feared as cumbersome "red tape" but are embraced as intuitive guides that support safety, innovation, and public welfare.
When critical information is designed to be both salient and appealing, we find it faster
Well-designed regulatory systems reduce cognitive load and improve understanding
Intuitive systems increase compliance and cooperation across global contexts
As the research shows, when critical information is designed to be both salient and appealing, we find it faster, understand it better, and are more likely to use it correctly. By building our global regulatory systems with these principles at their core, we take a vital step toward a world that is not only safer and healthier but also more intelligently designed for the people who live in it. The challenge is no longer just about building capacity—it's about building with insight.