Wang, Zhu and Handy report that textures we touch influence how empathetic we are. Their work has implications for the design of a range of spaces, such as human resources suites and the offices of charitable organizations. The researchers found “in a series of behavioral and field studies…that individuals who have experienced haptic [touch-related] roughness (vs. smoothness)…were more likely to donate to charities [than those who hadn’t touched a rough surface]…one neuroscience study [conducted by Wang, Zhu and Handy as part of this project] uses direct measures of brain activity (i.e., attention) and finds that exposure to haptic roughness enhances individuals’ attention to others’ misfortune.”
The researchers conclude that “fundraisers could incorporate a little roughness into their outreach materials, such as wrapping a clipboard with sandpaper or including certain roughly-textured materials in a direct-mail brochure.”
“Experiencing Haptic Roughness Promotes Empathy.” 2016. Press release, Journal of Consumer Psychology, http://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-consumer-psychology/forthcoming-articles/experiencing-haptic-roughness-promotes-empathy/
Sally Augustin, PhD, a cognitive scientist, is the editor of Research Design Connections (www.researchdesignconnections.com), a monthly subscription newsletter and free daily blog, where recent and classic research in the social, design, and physical sciences that can inform designers’ work are presented in straightforward language. Readers learn about the latest research findings immediately, before they’re available elsewhere. Sally, who is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, is also the author of Place Advantage: Applied Psychology for Interior Architecture (Wiley, 2009) and, with Cindy Coleman, The Designer’s Guide to Doing Research: Applying Knowledge to Inform Design (Wiley, 2012). She is a principal at Design With Science (www.designwithscience.com) and can be reached at sallyaugustin@designwithscience.com.