Detail View: Graduate Thesis Collection: Transformational Design: How awe changes experience and facilitates prosocial behavior

Transformational Design: How awe changes experience and facilitates prosocial behavior

Peterson, Lindsey Michelle

Thesis (M.F.A.) -- Graphic Design and Visual Experience

Savannah College of Art and Design -- Department of Graphic Design

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"This thesis will introduce the power of awe to the discipline of design to facilitate prosocial behavior. Awe is a universal emotion with a rich history originating from religious practices. The emotion of awe is experienced when one encounters physical or conceptual immensity. Recent psychological studies have shown awe’s ability to cultivate humility, empathy, and an outward shift in perspective. For years, the design industry has proposed the need for empathy and human understanding. However, these discussions have not yet addressed how designers might attain this empathetic mindset. In order to create empathetic and genuine experiences for users, one may argue that designers must first exhibit these qualities themselves. Despite these empathetic practices being discussed, there remains to be a major deficiency of prosocial behavior in design. By affirming awe’s ability to generate understanding and collective interest, this thesis looks at utilizing awe as a resource in design practices to facilitate prosocial behavior."

Keywords: awe, design, empathy, prosocial behavior, collective interest, design thinking, small self, need for accommodation, transcendence, schema

Savannah, Georgia : Savannah College of Art and Design

2019-05

PDF : 87 pages, color illustrations