Design and semantics of form and movement (DeSForM 2006)

Design and Semantics of Form and Movement (DeSForM) grew from applied research exploring emerging design methods and practices to support new generation product and interface design. The products and interfaces are concerned with: the context of ubiquitous computing and ambient technologies and the need for greater empathy in the pre-programmed behaviour of the ‘machines’ that populate our lives. Such explorative research in the CfDR has been led by Young, supported by Kyffin, Visiting Professor from Philips Design and sponsored by Philips Design over a period of four years (research funding £87k). DeSForM1 was the first of a series of three conferences that enable the presentation and debate of international work within this field: • 1st European conference on Design and Semantics of Form and Movement (DeSForM1), Baltic, Gateshead, 2005, Feijs L., Kyffin S. & Young R.A. eds. • 2nd European conference on Design and Semantics of Form and Movement (DeSForM2), Evoluon, Eindhoven, 2006, Feijs L., Kyffin S. & Young R.A. eds. • 3rd European conference on Design and Semantics of Form and Movement (DeSForM3), New Design School Building, Newcastle, 2007, Feijs L., Kyffin S. & Young R.A. eds. Philips sponsorship of practice-based enquiry led to research by three teams of research students over three years and on-going sponsorship of research through the Northumbria University Design and Innovation Laboratory (nuDIL). Young has been invited on the steering panel of the UK Thinking Digital Conference concerning the latest developments in digital and media technologies. Informed by this research is the work of PhD student Yukie Nakano who examines new technologies in relation to eco-design textiles

Art as a diagnostic and therapeutic medium for the learning disabled

Discusses how art (visual media) can help learning disabled young adults and youths with every-day skills and adaption as well as to improve self-perception

The psychological bases of visual preference for curvature

[cat] El contorn visual afecta les interaccions entre l’ésser humà i el medi ambient. Confiem en les carac- terístiques del contorn per categoritzar, manipular i avaluar objectes. Preferim objectes amb contorns corbats i associem la curvatura amb sensacions més positives que els contorns angulars. Aquesta prefer- ència es coneix com l’efecte de curvatura i ha estat demostrada en diferents edats, cultures i, fins i tot, espècies. Tot i això, la literatura també mostra que l’efecte es modulat per diversos factors contextuals i de diferències individuals. Aquesta dissertació sintetitza la literatura científica sobre la preferència per la curvatura visual i presenta nova evidència empírica que aborda els possibles factors moduladors de l’efecte. A How universal is preference for visual curvature? A systematic review and meta-analysis, mostrem que la preferència per la curvatura consisteix en un efecte fiable i moderat a la literatura. Tot i això, també mostrem que aquesta preferència coexisteix amb una substancial variabilitat i heterogeneïtat entre estudis. Aquesta variabilitat és consistent amb els efectes moderadors de factors com ara la tasca, el tipus d’estímul, el temps de presentació i l’experiència dels participants. En conjunt, aquestes troballes donen suport a la idea que la preferència per la curvatura està influenciada per factors més enllà de la informació perceptiva. A Circles are detected faster than downward-pointing triangles in a speeded response task, proposem que els contorns corbats capten l’ atenció i es processen més ràpid que els contorns angulosos. Aquesta troballa proporciona un escenari plausible per a l’enllaç entre la sensibilitat perceptiva i la preferència associada a la curvatura. A When symmetric and curved visual contour meet instructions instructions: Hedonic value and preference, mostrem que mentre els contorns corbats i simètrics són característiques de valència positiva, els contorns angulosos i asimètrics són característiques de valència negativa. Aquestes troballes destaquen la naturalesa multidimensional dels estímuls i que la interacció entre les característiques de l’estímul modula les preferències generals de les persones. A Shape familiarity modulates preference for curvature in drawings de common-use objects, mostrem que la familiaritat és un fort predictor de la preferència visual per la curvatura. Tot i això, els nostres resultats també revelen que la familiaritat no és l’únic factor que explica aquesta preferència, atès que l’efecte també és present quan els objectes corbats i angulosos es perceben com igualment familiars. En conjunt, concloem que la familiaritat amb la forma dels objectes modula la preferència per la curvatura. A Humans prefer to see and imagine drawing curved objects, trobem una relació positiva entre el gust i la preferència de producció de dibuixos corbats. Les nostres troballes també donen suport a la idea d’una influència inconsistent de les diferències individuals en la preferència per la curvatura. En resum, aquest treball aporta nova evidència empírica de la preferència per la curvatura visual i proporciona una síntesi quantitativa de la literatura sobre aquest efecte. Destaquem que l’efecte de curvatura és fiable i moderat, i discutim alguns factors que expliquen la variabilitat i heterogeneïtat que coexisteix amb l’efecte. També discutim que les bases neurofisiològiques de la sensibilitat a la curvatura poden emmarcar les bases neurals de la preferència per la curvatura. Per últim, proposem reptes rellevants i adreces futures a la llum de l’augment de l’interès de les humanitats, les ciències ambientals i la neurociència en la preferència per la curvatura visual.[spa] El contorno visual afecta las interacciones entre el ser humano y el medio ambiente. Confiamos en las características del contorno para categorizar, manipular y evaluar objetos. Preferimos objetos con contornos curvos y asociamos la curvatura con sensaciones más positivas que los contornos de ángulos agudos. Esta preferencia se conoce como el efecto de curvatura y ha sido demostrada con diferentes edades, culturas e incluso especies. Sin embargo, la literatura también ha mostrado que el efecto podría ser modulado por varios factores contextuales y de diferencias individuales. Esta disertación sintetiza la literatura científica sobre la preferencia por la curvatura visual y arroja nueva evidencia empírica que aborda los posibles factores moduladores del efecto. En How universal is preference for visual curvature? A systematic review and meta-analysis, mostramos que la preferencia por la curvatura consiste en un efecto fiable y moderado en la literatura. Sin embargo, también mostramos que esta preferencia coexiste con una sustancial variación y hetero- geneidad entre estudios. Esta variación es consistente con los efectos moderadores de factores como la tarea, el tipo de estímulo, el tiempo de presentación y la experiencia. En conjunto, estos hallazgos respaldan la idea de que la preferencia por la curvatura está influenciada por factores más allá de la información perceptiva. En Circles are detected faster than downward-pointing triangles in a speeded response task, proponemos que los contornos curvos captan la atención y se procesan más rápido que los contornos angulosos. Este hallazgo proporciona un escenario plausible para el vínculo entre la sensibilidad perceptiva y la preferencia asociada con la curvatura. En When symmetric and curved visual contour meet intentional instructions: Hedonic value and preference, mostramos que mientras los contornos curvos y simétricos son características de valencia positiva, los contornos angulosos y asimétricos son características de valencia negativa. Estos hallazgos destacan la naturaleza multidimensional de los estímulos y que la interacción entre las características del estímulo modula las preferencias generales de las personas. En Shape familiarity modulates preference for curvature in drawings of common-use objects, mostramos que la familiaridad es un fuerte predictor de la preferencia visual por la curvatura. Sin embargo, nuestros resultados también revelan que la familiaridad no es el único factor que explica esta preferencia, porque el efecto también está presente cuando los objetos curvos y angulosos se perciben como igualmente familiares. En conjunto, concluimos que la familiaridad con la forma de los objetos modula la preferencia por la curvatura. En Humans prefer to see and imagine drawing curved objects, encontramos una relación positiva entre el gusto y la preferencia de producción de dibujos curvos. Nuestros hallazgos también respaldan la idea de una influencia inconsistente de las diferencias individuales en la preferencia por la curvatura. En resumen, este trabajo aporta nueva evidencia empírica de la preferencia por la curvatura visual y proporciona una síntesis cuantitativa de la literatura sobre este efecto. Destacamos que el efecto de curvatura es confiable y moderado, y discutimos algunos factores que explican la varianza y heterogeneidad que coexiste con el efecto. También, discutimos que las bases neurofisiológicas de la sensibilidad a la curvatura pueden enmarcar las bases neurales de la preferencia por la curvatura. Por último, proponemos desafíos relevantes y direcciones futuras a la luz del aumento del interés de las humanidades, las ciencias ambientales y la neurociencia en la preferencia por la curvatura visual.[eng] Visual contour affects human-environment interactions. We rely on contour features to categorize, manipulate, and evaluate objects. We prefer objects with curved contours and associate curvature with more positive feelings than sharp-angled contours. This preference is known as the curvature effect, and has been demonstrated between different ages, cultures, and even species. However, the literature has also shown that the effect could be modulated by various contextual and individual difference factors. This dissertation synthesizes the scientific literature on preference for visual curvature and yields new empirical evidence addressing the possible modulator factors of the effect. In How universal is preference for visual curvature? A systematic review and meta-analysis, we show that preference for curvature consists of a reliable and moderate effect in the literature. However, we also show that this preference coexists with substantial heterogeneity variance between studies. This variance is consistent with the moderating effects of factors such as task, stimulus type, presentation time, and expertise. Together, these findings support the idea that the preference for curvature is influenced by factors other than perceptual information. In Circles are detected faster than downward-pointing triangles in a speeded response task, we propose that curved contours capture attention and are processed faster than angular contours. This finding provides a plausible scenario for the link between perceptual sensitivity and preference associated with curvature. In When symmetric and curved visual contour meet intentional instructions: Hedonic value and preference, we show that while curved and symmetric contours are positive-valenced features, angular and asymmetric contours are negative-valenced features. These findings highlight the multidimensional nature of stimuli, and how the interaction between stimulus features could modulate people’s general preferences. In Shape familiarity modulates preference for curvature in drawings of common-use objects, we show that familiarity is a strong predictor of visual preference for curvature. However, our results also reveal that familiarity is not the only factor explaining this preference, because the effect is also present when curved and angular objects are perceived as equally familiar. Together, we conclude that familiarity with the shape of objects modulates preference for curvature. In Humans prefer to see and imagine drawing curved objects, we find a positive relationship between liking and drawing production preference using curved drawings. Our findings also support the idea of an inconsistent influence of individual differences in preference for curvature. To summarize, this work yields new empirical evidence of preference for visual curvature and provides a quantitative synthesis of the literature on this effect. We highlight the existence of a reliable and moderate effect of preference for curvature, and some factors that could explain the substantial heterogeneity variance that coexists with the effect. We discuss that the neurophysiological bases of curvature sensitivity may frame the neural bases of preference for curvature. Last, we propose relevant challenges and future directions in light of the upsurge of interest from the humanities, environmental science, and neuroscience in preference for visual curvature

An aesthetics of touch: investigating the language of design relating to form

How well can designers communicate qualities of touch? This paper presents evidence that they have some capability to do so, much of which appears to have been learned, but at present make limited use of such language. Interviews with graduate designer-makers suggest that they are aware of and value the importance of touch and materiality in their work, but lack a vocabulary to fully relate to their detailed explanations of other aspects such as their intent or selection of materials. We believe that more attention should be paid to the verbal dialogue that happens in the design process, particularly as other researchers show that even making-based learning also has a strong verbal element to it. However, verbal language alone does not appear to be adequate for a comprehensive language of touch. Graduate designers-makers’ descriptive practices combined non-verbal manipulation within verbal accounts. We thus argue that haptic vocabularies do not simply describe material qualities, but rather are situated competences that physically demonstrate the presence of haptic qualities. Such competencies are more important than groups of verbal vocabularies in isolation. Design support for developing and extending haptic competences must take this wide range of considerations into account to comprehensively improve designers’ capabilities

Utility of Drawings as a Screen for Emotional and Behavioral Concerns in Adolescents: An Exploration of Formal Elements in Drawings and the BASC-2.

The research related to the use of art in assessment of emotional and behavioral concerns in adolescent populations has met with inconsistent results. Much of the previous research in this area has focused on analyzing the content (i.e., what is drawn) of participants' drawings. This study explores the use of formal elements (i.e., how it is drawn) as a screening tool with a general sample of high school students (n=193). The aim of the project is two fold, a) explore the psychometrics and underlying factor structure of the FEATS an existing measure of formal elements, and b) assess the ability of the FEATS to accurately screen for emotional and behavioral concerns in high school students. The resulting data was analyzed for inter-rater reliability, distribution of item responses, and underlying factors. This resulted in the creation of 3, internally consistent, composite scales formed from 9 dichotomous items which had achieved acceptable levels of inter-rater reliability. A series of MANCOVAs between these composites and participant's scores on the BASC-2 suggest that the FEATS composites are not an acceptable screening tool for emotional and behavioral concerns. Results do indicate the FEATS composite may provide a means of assessing interpersonal relationships; however future research related to measurement design, factor structure, and ability to detect between group differences is needed before applied use

Change blindness: eradication of gestalt strategies

Arrays of eight, texture-defined rectangles were used as stimuli in a one-shot change blindness (CB) task where there was a 50% chance that one rectangle would change orientation between two successive presentations separated by an interval. CB was eliminated by cueing the target rectangle in the first stimulus, reduced by cueing in the interval and unaffected by cueing in the second presentation. This supports the idea that a representation was formed that persisted through the interval before being 'overwritten' by the second presentation (Landman et al, 2003 Vision Research 43149–164]. Another possibility is that participants used some kind of grouping or Gestalt strategy. To test this we changed the spatial position of the rectangles in the second presentation by shifting them along imaginary spokes (by ±1 degree) emanating from the central fixation point. There was no significant difference seen in performance between this and the standard task [F(1,4)=2.565, p=0.185]. This may suggest two things: (i) Gestalt grouping is not used as a strategy in these tasks, and (ii) it gives further weight to the argument that objects may be stored and retrieved from a pre-attentional store during this task

Memory for fearful faces across development: specialization of amygdala nuclei and medial temporal lobe structures

International audienceEnhanced memory for emotional faces is a significant component of adaptive social interactions, but little is known on its neural developmental correlates. We explored the role of amygdaloid complex (AC) and medial temporal lobe (MTL) in emotional memory recognition across development, by comparing fMRI activations of successful memory encoding of fearful and neutral faces in children (n = 12; 8–12 years) and adolescents (n = 12; 13–17 years). Memory for fearful faces was enhanced compared with neutral ones in adolescents, as opposed to children. In adolescents, activations associated with successful encoding of fearful faces were centered on baso-lateral AC nuclei, hippocampus, enthorhinal and parahippocampal cortices. In children, successful encoding of fearful faces relied on activations of centro-mesial AC nuclei, which was not accompanied by functional activation of MTL memory structures. Successful encoding of neutral faces depended on activations in anterior MTL region (hippocampal head and body) in adolescents, but more posterior ones (hippocampal tail and parahippocampal cortex) in children. In conclusion, two distinct functional specializations emerge from childhood to adolescence and result in the enhancement of memory for these particular stimuli: the specialization of baso-lateral AC nuclei, which is associated with the expertise in processing emotional facial expression, and which is intimately related to the specialization of MTL memory network. How the interplay between specialization of AC nuclei and of MTL memory structures is fundamental for the edification of social interactions remains to be elucidated