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The journal Behaviour and Information Technology published a study that found website readers usually form their opinion of a website within the first 50 milliseconds of visiting. That decision made in the time it takes to view the equivalent of one frame of standard television footage, then, can have lasting impact on the user's opinion of the content of that site via the 'halo effect.'
The study was performed by researchers in Canada that had test subjects rate a flash of a site that was previously scored as particularly jarring or easy to view. The flash-ratings lined up well with the results from a longer period of evaluation.
To take advantage of this psychological phenomenon, the researchers suggested keeping graphics to a minimum, using a 'puritan' approach to get information across in the quickest and simplest way possible, and ensuring the site's pages load quickly.
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RSS Feeds/XML Data
I find most of my new content now from links through RSS feeds. I wonder if the proliferation of RSS feeds will alter the way people make a judgement. My feed-reader displays posts without formatting - that is, it uses a different style-sheet - so I often don't see the site as it was designed.
Are we going to be heading down a path where content truly is king? When we get content pushed (or pulled!) to us because a smart agent thinks we might like this feed, we'll be making a decision based on content rather than design.
Unless RSS is replaced by something that includes CSS data as well. Actually, now I think of it, perhaps that is the route that feed-readers will take next.
RSS
More detailed information by Brandon :: NR9 :: Show
More detailed information about this testing can be found in this article, including screenshots of the websites used to represent the highest and lowest visual appeal, further reading, and comments.