Short answer
Consider the user's psychological state and underlying social needs when designing for aesthetic appeal; offer familiar comfort or stimulating novelty accordingly.
- Field
- Classic Design
- Source
- Frontiers in Psychology (2019)
- Method
- Theoretical framework and hypothesis generation, drawing on existing research from multiple disciplines.
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Preferences for kitsch or avant-garde art are not arbitrary but are dynamically linked to fundamental human needs for safety, intimacy, arousal, and autonomy. This classic design research insight is drawn from a 2019 study published in Frontiers in Psychology. Using Theoretical framework and hypothesis generation, drawing on existing research from multiple disciplines., researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Consider the user's psychological state and underlying social needs when designing for aesthetic appeal; offer familiar comfort or stimulating novelty accordingly.
Kitsch vs. Art: A Dual Aesthetic Preference Driven by Social Needs
Preferences for kitsch or avant-garde art are not arbitrary but are dynamically linked to fundamental human needs for safety, intimacy, arousal, and autonomy.
Frontiers in Psychology · 2019
Key Findings
- 01Kitsch and avant-garde art represent two complementary aesthetic experiences: kitsch offers immediate emotional gratification (fluent processing), while art requires cognitive elaboration (disfluent processing).
- 02Preferences for kitsch are linked to feelings of vulnerability and a need for safety and relatedness, attracting users to familiar and emotionally resonant stimuli.
- 03Preferences for art are linked to feelings of safety and self-sufficiency, fostering an appetite for arousal, curiosity, and novel, cognitively challenging stimuli.
Application
Design takeaway
Consider the user's psychological state and underlying social needs when designing for aesthetic appeal; offer familiar comfort or stimulating novelty accordingly.
How to apply
When designing a product, consider whether the target user is likely seeking comfort and familiarity or novelty and intellectual engagement, and adjust the aesthetic accordingly.
Project actions
- 01Consider the emotional state of your target user when deciding on the aesthetic style of your design.
- 02Think about whether your design should evoke feelings of comfort and familiarity or excitement and curiosity.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Integrates multiple fields of study (psychology, art history, sociology) for a comprehensive perspective.
- +Provides a theoretical framework for understanding seemingly disparate aesthetic preferences.
Limitations
It can be difficult to accurately gauge a user's internal state of safety or desire for novelty without direct questioning, which might influence their responses.
Reliability & validity
The validity of this theoretical model relies on its ability to explain and predict empirical findings across diverse aesthetic domains. Reliability would be assessed through consistent application of the proposed links in empirical studies.
Think critically
How might the cultural context of a user influence their perception of 'kitsch' versus 'art' and their associated social motivations?
Design Principles
"Aesthetic appeal is modulated by the user's fundamental social-emotional needs, influencing preference for familiarity and comfort (kitsch) or novelty and challenge (art)."
Understanding the psychological drivers behind aesthetic preferences allows designers to create products that resonate more deeply with users' current emotional and social states. This insight can inform design strategies for products intended for comfort and familiarity versus those aiming for novelty and intellectual engagement.
What This Means for Your Design
People like different things (like kitsch or fancy art) depending on whether they feel safe and want to relax, or feel adventurous and want to learn something new.
How to use in your project
- 1.This research can inform the aesthetic choices made in a design project by linking them to user psychology and social needs.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
The aesthetic appeal of a design can be significantly influenced by the user's underlying social motivations, as explored by Ortlieb and Carbon (2019). Their work suggests that preferences for familiar, comforting designs (akin to kitsch) are associated with feelings of vulnerability and a need for safety, while preferences for novel, challenging designs (akin to art) are linked to feelings of security and a desire for arousal and autonomy. This implies that designers should consider the target user's psychological state when making aesthetic decisions, aiming for familiarity or novelty to best meet their needs.
Source
Frontiers in Psychology
A Functional Model of Kitsch and Art: Linking Aesthetic Appreciation to the Dynamics of Social Motivation
journal · 2019
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about kitsch vs. art: a dual aesthetic preference driven by social needs?
- Consider the user's psychological state and underlying social needs when designing for aesthetic appeal; offer familiar comfort or stimulating novelty accordingly. Evidence: Frontiers in Psychology (2019).
- Why does "Kitsch vs. Art: A Dual Aesthetic Preference Driven by Social Needs" matter for design?
- Understanding the psychological drivers behind aesthetic preferences allows designers to create products that resonate more deeply with users' current emotional and social states. This insight can inform design strategies for products intended for comfort and familiarity versus those aiming for novelty and intellectual engagement.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Consider the user's psychological state and underlying social needs when designing for aesthetic appeal; offer familiar comfort or stimulating novelty accordingly.
- What were the main findings?
- Kitsch and avant-garde art represent two complementary aesthetic experiences: kitsch offers immediate emotional gratification (fluent processing), while art requires cognitive elaboration (disfluent processing).. Preferences for kitsch are linked to feelings of vulnerability and a need for safety and relatedness, attracting users to familiar and emotionally resonant stimuli.. Preferences for art are linked to feelings of safety and self-sufficiency, fostering an appetite for arousal, curiosity, and novel, cognitively challenging stimuli.
- What research method was used?
- Theoretical framework and hypothesis generation, drawing on existing research from multiple disciplines..
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2019 journal from Frontiers in Psychology.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing a product, consider whether the target user is likely seeking comfort and familiarity or novelty and intellectual engagement, and adjust the aesthetic accordingly.
- What are the limitations?
- The study is theoretical and proposes a model; empirical validation of the proposed links between social motivation and specific aesthetic preferences would be necessary.