Short answer
Designers should consider the emotional and cultural context of product use, aiming to create experiences and products that align with deeply held cultural values and aspirations.
- Field
- Innovation & Markets
- Source
- eScholarship (California Digital Library) (2011)
- Method
- Comparative ethnographic research
- Sample
- 17 domestic settings
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Cultural concepts like 'hygge' and 'coziness' significantly influence everyday consumer choices and the material arrangement of homes, impacting purchasing decisions from furniture to home decor. This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2011 study published in eScholarship (California Digital Library). Using Comparative ethnographic research with 17 domestic settings, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers should consider the emotional and cultural context of product use, aiming to create experiences and products that align with deeply held cultural values and aspirations.
Hygge and Coziness Drive Consumer Purchases in Domestic Spaces
Cultural concepts like 'hygge' and 'coziness' significantly influence everyday consumer choices and the material arrangement of homes, impacting purchasing decisions from furniture to home decor.
eScholarship (California Digital Library) · 2011
Key Findings
- 01Cultural metaconcepts like hygge shape everyday consumption patterns.
- 02These concepts influence the physical layout and material choices within homes.
- 03Hygge is linked to Danish identity and influences purchasing decisions related to the home environment.
Application
Design takeaway
Designers should consider the emotional and cultural context of product use, aiming to create experiences and products that align with deeply held cultural values and aspirations.
How to apply
When designing for home goods, consider how elements like material texture, lighting, and furniture arrangement can contribute to a feeling of warmth and comfort, aligning with concepts like hygge.
Project actions
- 01When researching user needs, explore the emotional and cultural factors influencing their choices.
- 02Consider how your design can tap into existing cultural values or aspirations.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Provides a comparative perspective on cultural concepts.
- +Connects abstract cultural ideas to concrete consumption practices.
Limitations
It can be difficult to isolate the exact impact of a cultural concept like hygge from other factors influencing purchasing decisions.
Reliability & validity
The qualitative nature of ethnography can be subject to researcher interpretation, impacting reliability. Validity is strengthened by the comparative approach and focus on real-world practices.
Think critically
To what extent can a designer intentionally design for a cultural concept like 'hygge,' or is it an emergent property of user behavior?
Design Principles
"Design for emotional resonance by understanding and integrating cultural values into product form and function."
Understanding the intangible cultural drivers behind consumer behavior is crucial for product development and marketing. Designers and marketers can leverage these emotional and cultural connections to create products and environments that resonate more deeply with target audiences.
What This Means for Your Design
People buy things for their homes and arrange them in ways that make them feel good and connected to their culture, like the Danish idea of 'hygge' (coziness).
How to use in your project
- 1.Use this research to justify investigating the cultural context of your target users and how it might influence their design preferences or needs.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This research highlights the significant role of cultural metaconcepts, such as the Danish notion of 'hygge,' in shaping consumer behavior within domestic environments. By influencing both purchasing decisions and the physical arrangement of homes, these intangible concepts demonstrate a powerful connection between cultural values and market demand, suggesting that successful product development requires an understanding of the emotional and cultural drivers behind consumer choices.
Source
eScholarship (California Digital Library)
Consuming Hygge at Home: Perception, Representation, Practice
journal · 2011
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about hygge and coziness drive consumer purchases in domestic spaces?
- Designers should consider the emotional and cultural context of product use, aiming to create experiences and products that align with deeply held cultural values and aspirations. Evidence: eScholarship (California Digital Library) (2011).
- Why does "Hygge and Coziness Drive Consumer Purchases in Domestic Spaces" matter for design?
- Understanding the intangible cultural drivers behind consumer behavior is crucial for product development and marketing. Designers and marketers can leverage these emotional and cultural connections to create products and environments that resonate more deeply with target audiences.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Designers should consider the emotional and cultural context of product use, aiming to create experiences and products that align with deeply held cultural values and aspirations.
- What were the main findings?
- Cultural metaconcepts like hygge shape everyday consumption patterns.. These concepts influence the physical layout and material choices within homes.. Hygge is linked to Danish identity and influences purchasing decisions related to the home environment.
- What research method was used?
- Comparative ethnographic research with 17 domestic settings.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2011 journal from eScholarship (California Digital Library).
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing for home goods, consider how elements like material texture, lighting, and furniture arrangement can contribute to a feeling of warmth and comfort, aligning with concepts like hygge.
- What are the limitations?
- The study focused on specific cultural contexts (Denmark and the US) and may not generalize to all cultures. The subjective nature of 'hygge' and 'coziness' can be challenging to quantify.