Ever been walking and seen a worn-out trail in the grass between two paths? That's a Desire Path. Humans will see a shorter route between two destinations and take it, regardless of the pre-built paths. This causes erosion from foot traffic, eventually making the Desire Path more visible, and mor...

Part of human nature is figuring out how to make things efficient. When a human sees a more efficient way to get from their point of origin to their destination, they take it more often than not. If a pre-built/paved path turns a 90-degree corner, it's likely a human will cut the corner, tramplin...

Architects and landscapers try to plan paths that they anticipate that people will follow. However, these don't take into account the psychology of travel. They plan mostly for aesthetics - humans are significantly more likely to take a route they deem faster or more enjoyable. This could be cutt...

Desire Paths and the psychology behind them can reveal many other examples: using software not as intended, making choices not previously predicted by a designer, or driving on a route different than what the GPS recommended. Desire Paths are just one example of how humans will use space and reso...