Design-Mediated Positive Emotion Regulation: The Development of an Interactive Device that Supports Daily Practice of Positive Mental Time Traveling

ABSTRACT

This paper investigates how positive emotions can be effectively regulated through the design of interactions and how design-mediated positive emotions could contribute to well-being. With a proposition that the pathway to effective positive emotion regulation is a deliberate engagement in the activities that contribute to positive experiences, this paper explores how design can inspire and enable emotion-regulating activities. To illustrate how interactions can be systematically designed to support positive emotion regulation, the paper introduces the development of Purpal, a self-administered interactive device that stimulates Positive Mental Time Traveling (PMTT) in the context of consumption. PMTT is an emotion regulation strategy in which a user vividly remembers or anticipates positive events. The paper reports an in-lab experimental study that assessed the effectiveness and usefulness of Purpal in (1) engaging users in PMTT, (2) facilitating positive emotional experiences, (3) motivating them to use it in their daily lives, and (4) increasing their well-being. The results showed that Purpal enables users to immerse themselves in PMTT by serving as a source of self-reflection on their purchase intentions and future experiential values. Interacting with Purpal proved effective in fostering positive emotional experiences and well-being. Moreover, its potential for long-term use was well accepted.

Acknowledgments

The research was supported by Cornell Center for Social Sciences. We extend our gratitude to the anonymous peer reviewers for their helpful comments on an earlier version of the paper.

Author contributions

Conceptualization, J.Y., S.L., and Y.H.; methodology, J.Y., S.L., and Y.H.; formal analysis, J.Y., S.L., and Y.H.; writing—original draft preparation, J.Y., S.L., and Y.H.; writing—review and editing, J.Y., S.L., and Y.H.; visualization, J.Y., S.L., and Y.H. supervision, J.Y.

Disclosure of potential conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

JungKyoon Yoon

JungKyoon Yoon is Assistant Professor of the Department of Design + Environmental Analysis at Cornell University. His research focuses on experience design with an emphasis on affective experiences, subjective well-being, and design-mediated behavior change.

Shuran Li

Shuran Li is a PhD candidate of College of Design and Innovation at Tongji University. She holds a master’s degree in Information Science from Cornell University. Her research focuses on Human-Computer Interaction and computer-supported cooperative work.

Yu Hao

Yu Hao is a postdoctoral researcher of Center for Neuroscience & Society at the University of Pennsylvania. She obtained Ph.D. degree from the Department of Design + Environmental Analysis at Cornell University. Her research focuses on psychology and neuroscience of emotion and socioeconomic status.