Short answer

Design digital experiences that intentionally cultivate specific emotional and aesthetic responses, recognizing that users actively participate in shaping these atmospheres.

Field: User-Centred Design
Source: Journal of Consumer Behaviour (2025)
Method: Critical video analysis and netnography
Evidence: Moderate effect

Influencers actively design and curate online environments that foster specific emotional and aesthetic experiences, thereby influencing broader societal perceptions of beauty. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2025 study published in Journal of Consumer Behaviour. Using Critical video analysis and netnography, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Design digital experiences that intentionally cultivate specific emotional and aesthetic responses, recognizing that users actively participate in shaping these atmospheres.

Study

User-Centred DesignNew This WeekModerate effect

Affective Aesthetic Atmospheres: Influencers Shape Beauty Norms Through Co-Created Online Experiences

Influencers actively design and curate online environments that foster specific emotional and aesthetic experiences, thereby influencing broader societal perceptions of beauty.

Journal of Consumer Behaviour · 2025

Key Findings

01Influencers co-create 'affective aesthetic atmospheres' with their audiences.
02These atmospheres are designed to offer aesthetic meanings that shape subjective experiences and emotional responses.
03The content often aims to resist and challenge existing, normative beauty standards.

Application

Design takeaway

Design digital experiences that intentionally cultivate specific emotional and aesthetic responses, recognizing that users actively participate in shaping these atmospheres.

How to apply

When designing social media campaigns or digital platforms, consider how visual elements, narrative, and community interaction can combine to create a distinct emotional and aesthetic atmosphere that aligns with brand values and user aspirations.

Project actions

01Consider the emotional impact of your design choices.
02Think about how users will interact with and contribute to the experience you create.

Method & Evidence

AimHow do social media influencers leverage content creation to establish affective aesthetic atmospheres that challenge and reshape normative beauty standards?

MethodCritical video analysis and netnography

ProcedureResearchers analyzed TikTok videos from influencers associated with the body positivity movement and gathered data through online observation (netnography) to understand the co-creation of these atmospheres by influencers and their audiences.

ContextSocial media platforms (TikTok) and the beauty industry discourse.

Variables

IV["Content creation strategies of influencers","Elements contributing to aesthetic atmosphere"]

DV["User emotional responses","Shaping of beauty standards"]

CV["Platform (TikTok)","Movement (body positivity)"]

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Utilizes qualitative methods to explore nuanced user experiences.
+Addresses a contemporary and relevant topic in digital culture and marketing.

Limitations

The subjective nature of 'affective aesthetic atmospheres' can be challenging to measure objectively.

Reliability & validity

The study's reliance on qualitative interpretation may affect inter-rater reliability. Validity is strengthened by the use of multiple research methods (video analysis and netnography).

Think critically

To what extent can designers intentionally 'engineer' an affective aesthetic atmosphere, and what are the ethical considerations involved?

Design Principles

"Design for affective engagement by creating environments that resonate emotionally and aesthetically with the target audience, fostering a sense of shared experience."

Understanding how influencers construct these 'affective aesthetic atmospheres' is crucial for designers and marketers aiming to create resonant and impactful digital experiences. It highlights the importance of considering the emotional and subjective dimensions of user engagement in online spaces.

What This Means for Your Design

Influencers make content that makes people feel a certain way about beauty, and this can change what people think is beautiful.

How to use in your project

1.Reference this study when discussing how user emotions and aesthetics influence the success of a design.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This research highlights the concept of 'affective aesthetic atmospheres,' where influencers co-create online environments that evoke specific emotional and aesthetic experiences, influencing user perceptions of beauty standards. This underscores the importance of considering the emotional resonance and subjective user experience in digital design.

Source

Journal of Consumer Behaviour

From Body Positivity and Beyond: Investigating Affective Aesthetic Atmospheres of Influencers

journal · 2025

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about affective aesthetic atmospheres: influencers shape beauty norms through co-created online experiences?: Design digital experiences that intentionally cultivate specific emotional and aesthetic responses, recognizing that users actively participate in shaping these atmospheres. Evidence: Journal of Consumer Behaviour (2025).
Why does "Affective Aesthetic Atmospheres: Influencers Shape Beauty Norms Through Co-Created Online Experiences" matter for design?: Understanding how influencers construct these 'affective aesthetic atmospheres' is crucial for designers and marketers aiming to create resonant and impactful digital experiences. It highlights the importance of considering the emotional and subjective dimensions of user engagement in online spaces.
How can designers apply this research?: Design digital experiences that intentionally cultivate specific emotional and aesthetic responses, recognizing that users actively participate in shaping these atmospheres.
What were the main findings?: Influencers co-create 'affective aesthetic atmospheres' with their audiences.. These atmospheres are designed to offer aesthetic meanings that shape subjective experiences and emotional responses.. The content often aims to resist and challenge existing, normative beauty standards.
What research method was used?: Critical video analysis and netnography.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2025 journal from Journal of Consumer Behaviour.
What should I do differently in my next project?: When designing social media campaigns or digital platforms, consider how visual elements, narrative, and community interaction can combine to create a distinct emotional and aesthetic atmosphere that aligns with brand values and user aspirations.
What are the limitations?: The study focuses on a specific platform (TikTok) and movement (body positivity), which may limit generalizability to other contexts.