Conceptual Design, Contributor, Interaction Design

Study: Sense of Touch Shapes Snap Judgments

by Vikas Gupta November 12, 2012

Keim, B. (2010). “Study: Sense of Touch Shapes Snap Judgments.” www.wire.com. Visited on October 15, 2012: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/06/touching-cognition/

The article explains the interaction between physical touch and social cognition. Through studies, experimental evidence shows that physical experience and mental understanding are related. The sense of touch is one of the earliest senses to be developed by humans in the developmental process, and is not lost as a person ages.

What’s more interesting is that the sense of touch can subconciously alter the mental state and emotion of a person. A person holding a heavier object such as a clipboard may become more serious and the task at hand becomes more important. People are more generous holding a warm drink than a cold one. Harsh surfaces make problem solving more akward than smoother surfaces.

The article notes that the visceral reaction to the sense of touch may fade when one focuses more on the task at hand, but this fact doesn’t diminish importance of the the initial tactile social-interaction that forms the first impression. By changing sensations, emotions, thoughts, and desires may be altered.

Evaluation

Conceptual Design: In design usaability is not the only consideration. Designs evoke emotion and can alter a users mental state, mood, and perception. In design, the perception of an object or interaction is vitaly important to conveying the intent of the product. tactile-social interaction should not be overlooked when developing what a product should convey.

Interaction Design: An analysis of tactile-social interaction can directly effect how a product may not only affects the perceived user experience of a product it can also effect the mental and emotional state of the user. Careful study of physical design (emobodied in materials), environmental affects, and a user’s conditioned response should all be considered when designing for a desired user response.