Emotional Evidence: Influences on Happiness from the Frequent Positive Visual Exposure.
ISBN 978-3-319-94600-9
DIO 10.1007/978-3-319-94601-6_24
PUBLISHER. Springer
AUTHOR/S/. Young Ae Kim
CATEGORIES. Human-Centered & Sustainable Design, Design Strategies, Emotional Design
KEYWORDS. Happiness, Emotional Intelligence, Semiotic, Assessment, Flow, Peak-end rule, Kawaii (Cuteness) Design, Impression Formation, Attention
ABSTRACT.
Happiness depends on many factors, from the obvious to the counterintuitive. Over several years an individual’s happiness becomes important in every aspect of their life. It used to be determined by luck, fate, and genes that are beyond our control. In the last few years, the idea of happiness has changed into something that we can control and teach. Understanding the user’s perception at the visceral level is like entering the brief moment of interaction that determines the first impression of a product. Human emotion is a momentary feeling and can be stimulated at the visceral level. As human beings, we want to be happy and we seek things to make us smile every day.
This study documented the psychological/emotional influence of a special set of positive visual stimuli (Kawaii cuteness cartoon drawings) on individuals. The Oxford Happiness Inventory (OHI; Argyle, Martin, & Lu, 1995; Hills & Argyle, 1998) was used to measure changes in individual happiness levels between two occasions one week apart. The happiness levels significantly improved for all participants after they were heavily exposed to these positive visual stimuli for that one week.
Murakami Takashi
Methods.
PARTICIPANTS.
Participants were U.S. citizens 18 years of age or older. A total 52 participants volunteered inn the two groups – 22 professional participants (11 men, 11 women, mean age: 32 years old) and 30 student participants (15 men, 15 women, mean age: 21 years old). The 22 professional participants (11 men, 11 women) was recruited from Lawrence & Schiller (a media company) at Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The 30 student participants (15 men, 15 women) were recruited from the College of Fine Arts classes at the University of South Dakota, both undergraduates and graduate students. These were volunteer participants and no credit was given for participating this study.
EXPERIMENTAL STIMULI.
Two characters were created to represent each gender for the purpose of space that are gender specific. The curtness factor has been applied on the illustrations. Characters are placed various the background, pose, face expression, and gesture to express the function and system of spaces. Colors were carefully chosen for the gender neutrality purpose. Two colors (Pantone 115U – yellow, Pantone 3242U – blue) were used.
USED INVENTORY.
Oxford Happiness Inventory (OHI; Aryle, Martin, & Lu, 1995; Hills & Argyle, 1998)
DATA ANALYSIS.
All participants were asked to take the happiness test – The Oxford Happiness Inventory (OHI; Argyle, Martin, & Lu, 1995; Hills & Argyle, 1998) at the different locations due to the different occupational groups (professionals and students). Professional participants took tests at their corporation conference room individually. Student participants took test in the Graphic Design lab individually. Participants recorded their names, age, and gender, but were assured of confidentiality, and participation was voluntary. There was no credit given for completing the questionnaires on either occasion for the student group. Participants were not informed any information of the purpose of this test in order to prevent their cognitive reflections and influences on the expected event. This step allows the researcher to evaluate participants’ positive emotion level changes before and after the visual stimuli is exposed.
Character Visual Stimuli
What we found.
occupation.
This study found that the happiness score for both a professional group and a student group were improved. However, the salient result in this table is the occupation-related differences between pre-test and post-test, in which the student group (M = 135, 4.6 Happiness Score: Pretty Happy) had significantly higher mean scores changes than the professional group on the post-test. The main effect for Occupation on Time (happiness score change) yielded an F ratio of F(1 , 50) = 128.79, MSE = 35.82, p < .001, indicating a significant difference between pre-test (M = 122.5, SD = 21.26) and post-test (M = 136.8, SD = 18.84). The interaction of these two factors (occupation and time) was significant, F(1 , 50) = 19.56, p < .001.
The happiness scores were improved for both group from 3.9 (unhappy) to 4.6 (rather happy) for the student group and from 4.5 to 4.8 (rather happy) for the professional group.
the professional groups were happier than student group regardless of the visual stimuli. The increase was positive for both groups. The student group showed greater increase of happiness level than the professional group.
GENDER.
The result indicated that the visual stimuli influenced happiness level positively for both male and female. However, the happiness score increases are not significantly different between female and male. It suggested that positive emotion, such as happiness, can be implanted by positive visual stimuli regardless of gender.
GENDER, OCCUPATION, & TIME.
The main effect for Gender, occupation, and time yielded an F ratio of F(1, 48) = 3.69, MSE = 122.69, p = .06, indicating significance. The result indicated that the visual stimuli helped to increase the happiness level and actively motivate participants’ positive emotion regardless of occupation and gender differences and it is statistically noticeable differences. This increase was a positive result and the effect was high.
Good design touches you, great design touches your soul.
- M. Cobanli
Things to think about.
01.
This study provides satisfactory evidence of an increase in Happiness Level due to the presence of emotional intelligent cuteness graphics both across gender (male and female) and across occupation (professional and student group) over a week-long period among a sample of University of South Dakota students as well as Lawrence & Schiller (media company) professionals at Sioux Falls.
02.
The Oxford Happiness Questionnaire is considered to be highly reliable and fully validated by many researchers (Cruise et al., 2006). Additionally, it has proven to have validity among a group of Iranian students (Liaghatdar et al., 2008), which indicates at least some cross cultural validity as well.
03.
This result supports all three components of Argyle and Crossland (1987) research. The frequency and degree of our positive visual stimulus exposure, improved the level of satisfaction over a period of time for these participants and helped to cancel or give immunity to negative feelings.
04.
The research found that objectives in the environment with emotional and motivational relevance draw attention and may be detected by appearing larger. The finding suggests that affective information (emotionally evocative stimuli) allows to have immediate and automatic effects without deliberation on the meaning of one’s emotional change and potential action to participants.
Make it emotional.
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