Emma had always been known for her rich, brown hair. It was a characteristic feature that suited her well, yet recently, she felt like experimenting. But she wanted the change to be subtle. So, she went to the salon and asked for a dark brown shade, a mere shade darker than her natural color.

At first, the change seemed almost unnoticeable — just a small tweak in tone. But as Emma went about her day, she found herself receiving more compliments than usual. Her colleagues, friends, and even strangers remarked on her appearance, saying she looked a bit different but couldn’t quite put their finger on it.

Somebody at work pointed out that it’s the Weber’s Law at play. Her hair had already been a prominent feature, so even a subtle change in color was enough to make a noticeable difference. The dark brown highlighted her features more vividly, creating a fresh look that stood out. Had her hair been lighter to begin with, this small change wouldn’t have had the same noticeable effect.

The difference was small, but because her natural hair color was already so prominent, it made a more significant impact.

Weber’s Law teaches us that a small change can make a big difference in contexts where the baseline is already prominent. Whether in design, color, or features, understanding how to use the initial stimulus allows us to enhance the impact of our changes.