Defining tactile aesthetics: evaluating need for touch preferences and aesthetic emotions
Date
2021
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Tactile aesthetics is a concept that has been vastly unexplored. With new advancements and research regarding aesthetics, the connection between touch, aesthetics, and emotions are left underrepresented. The sense of touch allows for the human brain to make many different emotional and psychological connections between textures and skin. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships that may exist between aesthetic emotions and the sense of touch. A sample population of 115 participants were used to complete an online survey questionnaire regarding the Need For Touch Scale (NFT) and the Aesthetic Emotions Scale (AESTHEMOS). The participants answered questions regarding personal experiences with both aesthetic emotions and textures, fabrics, and textiles. Qualitative data analysis was used to report the results of this study. Several positive correlations were found between the NFT scale and the AESTHEMOS scale. Similarly, various positive correlations were noted between the original and the tactile-focused scales. Differences between gendered responses were also tested between the two scales. High reliability of the two scales showed significant consistency in their measurement capacity.
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Keywords
Aesthetics, Emotions, Tactile, Textiles, Touch