The Effects of Emotion on Judgments of Effectiveness and Good-Design

Abstract

This study investigated participants' judgements of effectiveness and good-design with regard to visual messages of risks, as well as the relationships between their judgements and emotional responses. It examined whether fearappeals influence emotional responses and judgements. The findings suggested that emotions appeared to be strong predictors of judgements of effectiveness and good-design. In general, for both the designers and users, the more emotionally salient (high arousal, high dominance and either high pleasure or high displeasure) stimuli were perceived, the more effective and the better the design they were judged. In addition, strong fear appeals were perceived as more effective and better designed.