Designing for Emotion Chapter 2 Reflection

This week’s reading from Designing for Emotion was entitled, “Designing for humans.” The chapter focused on a number of universal psychological principles that unite the human race and, when effectively implemented into a design strategy, serve as a principle means of engagement with audiences.

The first concept that the chapter addresses is the idea that evolutionary psychology suggests that much of how we view the world is pre-disposed at birth. For example, humans are have evolved to find the proportions of a baby’s face to be perceived as cute, which is known as the baby-face bias. In fact, scientists believe we developed this perception in order to avoid killing babies and further the human race. However, I digress. The takeaway is that designers can leverage these predispositions to certain design elements and develop emotional and human connections through design.

The second concept to be considered is contrast. According to the book, our brains constantly scan for patterns. When we notice a break in the pattern, it is considered contrast. To further define the term, contrast can be perceived in two ways:

• Visual contrast – difference in shape color and form
• Cognitive contrast – difference in experiences or memories

In regard to visual contrast, minimalist designs with a sharp contrast in color can be used to influence user behavior by highlighting specific segments of a design sample and calling the user to act. In regard to cognitive contrast, contrast allows an individual to differentiate an entire entity such as a brand from others by creating a unique design environment. Although contrast is a powerful means of engaging and influencing audiences, excessive use of contrast can cause confusion induce a struggle to process the options.

The third and final concept that the chapter covers is aesthetics. According to the reading, “ beautiful design creates a positive emotional response in the brain, which actually improves our cognitive abilities.” This principle effectively summarizes the aesthetics-usability effect – that attractive things actually work better

Following the conclusion of the chapter, I strongly agree with the idea that beautiful design inspires greater creativity and usability. On a personal level, beautiful things inspire positive emotions within me, hence the saying aesthetically pleasing. When the book noted Apple as one of the leading embracers of the aesthetics-usability principle, it struck a chord within me, because I have personally felt that I have become much more creatively liberated following my replacement of Microsoft products with Apple products.

Overall, I found this chapter thoroughly interesting and cannot disagree with any of the aforementioned ideas. However, I am interested in knowing how the addition of personality will add complexity to the application of these design concepts. Upon revision of the chapter, I have a newfound appreciation for the significance of these design elements and look forward to thoughtfully implementing these concepts in upcoming projects.