Emotions In Curves and Angularity: A Pattern Study
Victoria Beyrard
In the intersection of design and psychology, this thesis explores how curves and angularity in shapes influence emotional responses. Delving into the complex relationship between design elements like geometries and patterns, and the emotions they evoke, this study underlines the importance of understanding these dynamics as designers.
Drawing on a diverse range of design theories, insights from designers and scientists, I decided to adopt both inductive and practical research methods. More specifically, I developed nine patterns using basic shapes and lines to serve as visual stimuli for my experiment. In this setup, five participants were equipped with the Emotiv Insight headset, a brain-computer interface (BCI) designed to capture and analyse emotional responses, while they viewed the patterns. This method allowed for a quantitative evaluation of how certain design elements impact emotional reactions within a focused group.
The findings of this research are encapsulated in a crafted book, which is bound using traditional Japanese techniques with pink thread, allowing for distinctive pattern in the binding itself. Within the book includes a flap that holds the individual pattern cards. The pattern cards display the emotional responses gathered from the five participants, and each features a QR code that directs to an interactive visualisation of the data gathered.
This comprehensive approach not only advances the theoretical knowledge in the field but also provides new findings that designers may consider when creating their future projects.