In my first blog post, I talked about what emotional design is and why emotions play such an important role when we interact with products or interfaces. While writing it, I realized that emotions don’t just influence how something feels in the moment, but also how we make decisions and remember experiences afterwards.
In this post, I want to look a bit deeper into why emotions often have more influence on our behaviour than logic. To better understand this, it helps to take a short look at how our mind actually works and how decisions are made in everyday situations.
Modern psychology shows that emotions guide attention, decision-making, and memory. Kahneman (vgl. 2011, S. 21-51) explains this through a dual-system model: System 1 operates intuitively and emotionally, while System 2 processes information more consciously. Because most everyday interactions happen at the fast, intuitive System-1 level, emotional cues heavily shape the behaviour of the user.
Emotional responses are quicker and more influential than cognitive evaluations (vgl. Norman 2004, S. 13). This means that a product that feels for example trustworthy and friendly is more likely to be perceived as easier to use, even when functionality is identical to a product that does not evoke those feelings (vgl. ebda., S. 17-18).
However, emotions influence not only the moment of interaction but also future behaviour (vgl. ebda., S. 38, 65).
When a customer reflects on the product in order to decide what next to purchase or to advise friends, a pleasant reflective memory can overcome any prior negative experiences.
(Norman 2004, S. 88)
So customers or users consider how well a product fulfils their emotional needs, and those emotional needs are often shaped by prior experiences (vgl. Norman 2004, S. 70).
This would mean, that in our consumption-driven society, emotional resonance can also provide a competitive advantage e. g. for the following reasons:
- Memorability: “memories can trigger (…) powerful, long-lasting emotions” (Norman 2004, S. 65)
- Loyalty: Positive emotional associations strengthen attachment, for example to brands or interfaces (vgl. Norman 2004, S. 46, 88)
- Motivation: Enjoyable interactions encourage repeated use (vgl. ebda., S. 136)
- Connection: Emotional resonance differentiates brands in crowded markets (vgl. ebda., S. 38)
In conclusion of my first two blog posts, emotional design reminds us that products are not neutral. Every interaction and every product leaves a feeling, whether this is intended or not. Understanding how these emotions shape the perception, memory, and behaviour of customers or users allows designers to create experiences that truly resonate with people.
For me personally, emotional design is ultimately about empathy. It is about understanding people’s wants and needs and finding meaningful ways to respond to them. This is also why I chose this topic for my blog entries: to explore how I can achieve this while becoming a designer myself.
Literature
Desmet, P. (2002). Designing Emotions. Delft: University of Technology.
Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow. UK: Penguin Books.
Norman, D. A. (2004). Emotional Design. Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things. New York: Basic Books.
