Independent Study
I did a small one-credit independent study observing the intersections between psychology and design.
I’ve always been interested in psychology, and enjoy learning about the mind. As a designer, I see areas where applying knowledge of psychology could potentially enhance a design, justify good vs bad design, or be used as a guide for design.
The Senses.
The senses are how we take in our surrounding environment. It is how our world communicates to us. A designer that understands this understands how to effectively communicate with their user.
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Sight
One of the most utilized and prioritized senses in design. Properties like color, shape, and texture are detected by the eyes.
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Sound
Often used to relay information sound can greatly enhance a design. It can convey the passage of time or a link between objects.
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Smell
Scent can be a strong trigger for memory and emotion. It has the ability to calm, excite, or bring you back to a place you haven’t been in a while.
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Touch
We have roughly 4 million touch receptors. Some receptors are more sensitive than others, they detect pressure, temperature, and texture.
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Taste
There are some creative ways to utilize taste. Objects that shouldn’t be digested can be flavored in a way that deters people from consuming them.
images by Jens Tarning from Noun Project
Perception.
Our perception is a huge part of how we experience our world and it is unique to all of us. No one person perceives their environment exactly like another.
Interaction
Environment
Perception
I looked into psychologist JJ Gibson’s ideas on human perception.
Through his understanding, our perception is the combined result of our senses. In other words, our perception lies in the intersection of our environment and how we interact with it.
Some objects help us interact with our environment and could even change our perception of that environment. For example, a light switch can change the state of the environment and as a result how we perceive it.
Understanding Emotion.
Why should we care about emotion in regard to design? One of our jobs as designers is to appeal to emotion. This is where the more artistic side of design comes into play. Good design is emotional therefore it’s important we have a deep understanding of it.
There is a whole spectrum of emotion ranging from positive to negative. Good designers should always aim to create positive experiences. It is important that we have the ability to choose which emotions we want to bring up.
While I was researching possible causes for positive emotions, the majority of my findings were things that were events or actions and less so isolated sensations. This makes sense because most of us don’t experience the world with only one sense but a combination of them.
Experiences are the strongest triggers for emotion. It’s not just the smell of the flowers in the field but the feeling of the grass and the sound of the birds that create the whole experience. It may be the flower that stood out to you but there are a number of other inputs that your brain is taking in to build your perception of that moment.
My Takeaways.
The best designs appeal to all the senses and facilitate an emotional response in a person.
My ultimate goal as a designer is to have the ability to decipher what details and interactions I can provide that allow the user to have a positive experience.
