Why I Love my sweater

Abstract:

This paper reports a study that aimed to define

and understand the meaning of "desirable". The

study started with explain that the personal

emotion of my favorites sweater. Then analysis

the relation between the object and the emotion

from different aspect, which include < Three

levels of emotional design> by Don Norman and

<Hierarchy of Needs >by Abraham Maslow. Indeed,

my reaction of the sweater which include the

feelings, attitudes and the experience will be

described in the case study. The results

indicated that emotions change the way of human

thinking and desire. Desirable in my view is that

looks beautiful, works well, have own value and

satisfy myself.

Introduction:

Why I love my sweater?

I have a most beautiful sweater in the world, I

can not describe how I love it. This is a very

special sweater for me, because it was a gift by

my grandfather. He is a fashion designer and he

design this sweater special for me. This sweater

full of meaning which is that the he hopes me as

beautiful as the flowers and the colorful flower

means the positive attitude of life. Also because

of the material, wool is as warm as his arm, keep

me far away from the cold. What is more, every

time I wear it attract many people's eye and

their appreciate. I am so proud of his

masterpiece.

Analysis from the emotion system aspect:

Figure 1

Human being is the most emotional animal in the

world. Human's emotion system is very complicate.

It is classified in three levels: visceral,

behavioral and reflective(Norman 2003). Visceral

is the basic level, which is the first impression

of a product. It is about layout, shape, color,

smell and so on. Behavioral is about the

experience on using a product, wheeather is good

or not. The highest level is the reflective which

is about self-identity, contemplative part of

brain (Norman 2003). More specifically, visceral

is human instinct. This sweater on visceral, it

looks amazing because of the exquisite

workmanship, each flowers is hand- made. The

pattern and the color gives people very fresh

feeling. Science the flower is 3D effect which

make people want to touch it. According to Don

Norman, attractive things works better

(reference). Thus, this sweater is so attractive

that I love it very much. Behavioral level is

about function, performance and usability.

Function always comes first and more important

than others factors. This sweater on behavioral,

it is functional which can keep me warm. As we

know, winter cloth always very thick and looks

corpulent. However this sweater not only avoid

it, but also add decoration to my winter clothes.

Therefore, another reason I love this sweater is

that makes me warm and looks well in winter. The

reflective is the highest level of emotional

design. It is all about self-image, personal

satisfaction and memories. People's overall

impression of a product is from reflective level

(Norman 2004). The power of the reflective level

might to be seen the valued of the product and

how does it make me pleasure. The memory of the

product could influence people's reflective

level. This sweater on reflectivereflection, it

is makes me feel good when I wear it. It is so

attractive that every of my friend appreciate it.

Also whenever I wear it, it recall some good

memory with my grandfather. The warm feeling make

me remember his arm, under his protect, I grow up

happily. The special meaning of the sweater

always remind me to be a positive person. This

sweater is not simply a cloth, which is the

communication between he and I. Thus, This

sweater satisfying me on both these three level,

I have no reason don not love it.

Analysis from the Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

aspect:

figurer 2

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs present human's

different level of need. I believe that my

sweater is on the fourth level, self-esteem. The

self-esteem is the need for appreciation and

respect(Griffin2014). In addition, self-esteem is

the need for feelings of accomplishment and

prestige. It is about personal worth achievement.

People always feel that they are valued by others

appreciate. I am a fashion girl who likes wear

beautiful clothes and hopes achieve others

appreciation. The sweater always make me feel

confident when I wear it.

Because in other people's view, I always dress

myself very well, and they like my teats. Friends

around me ask me how to wear, and where to buy

that beautiful stuff. Under their appreciating, I

feel like that I am a fashion guider. This kind

of feeling makes feel satisfying. This is a part

of "desirable" in my world. On the other hands, I

hope I could making a contribution to the world.

As a designer, design should have the power to

change people's think and life attitude. A

desirable product could make people feel that

they are in the need of self esteem.

Conclusion:

Emotion play a significant role in the reaction

of human-product. The three level of emotion

system control explain the way people thinking

and make decision. My view of desirable is that

something could make me happy and full fill my

social value. In addition, on visceral attract

me, on behavior use friendly and I can control it

very well, on reflective evoke good memory and

satisfy myself. The reason why I love my sweater

so much is that it bring me a good memory about

my grandfather and me, beside, not only looks

gorgers and easy to match, but also keep me far

way from cold. The relationship between me and

the sweater is that the sweater like a soul mate.

It makes me always can feel family's love, no

longer alone. The special meaning of the sweater

was given by my grandfather is let me have a

positive life attitude, be happy and always face

to the sunshine. The pleasure experiences of wear

it make me feel confidence. The Hierarchy of

Needs in the level of self-esteem drives me feel

be respected and have confidents to make a

contribution on my field. Therefore it could

result that a desirable design should full fill

the emotional demand of human being.

Reference:

Demir E, Desmet PMA and Hekkert P. (2009)

Appraisal Patterns of Emotions. International

journal of design 3. accessed 14 August 2014

URL:

http://www.ijdesign.org/ojs/index.php/IJDesign/ar

ticle/viewFile/587/248

Norman DA. (2004) Three levels of Design:

Visceral, behavioral and reflective. Emotional

design : why we love (or hate) everyday things.

New York: Basic Books, x, 257 p. accessed 14

August 2014.

URL: http://www.jnd.org/dn.mss/CH01.pdf

Norman, D.A., 2004, Chapter Two (pp. 35-60); AND

Chapter Three (pp. 63-98), in “Emotionaldesign:

why we love (or hate) everyday things”, Basic

Books, NY

Em Griffin,2014,chapter Ten(pp124-130); Hierarchy

of Needs of Abraham Maslow.