Concurrents – Environmental Psychology: The End of Curation

On March 3, 2020, in The New York Times (“Everyone’s a Curator Now”), Lou Stoppard was very clear – the term “curate,” in all of its various verb forms, is now problematic: “as zeitgeisty as other oddly specific and much hashtagged words like ‘wanderlust’ or ‘journey’ or ‘empower,’ curate is spreading. The word’s overuse has left it almost devoid of meaning.”

The fact that the word “curate” is “almost devoid of meaning” is bad news for me because for years I’ve been using it regularly. I guess now I’ll need to use the word “edit” or “plan” in its place.

How have I been using the word “curate”?

First, to indicate that the set of environmental control options presented to space users needs to be carefully planned (I used to say “curated”) to align with the probable use of a space. Comfortable levels of environmental control boost mood and professional performance, for example, so it’s important not to overload users with options, hence the need for editing down to, according to the research, 4 to 6 possibilities. For example, the psychological atmosphere in a conference room will be more positive when the lights have 4 to 6 presets combining light intensity and color that have been chosen because they support how a space will probably be used (for socializing, for creative thinking, etc.) and less positive if users need to select light color and intensity individually by rotating circular dials through hundreds of options.

Second, I have used the term “curate” in the context of managing visual complexity. Our stress levels fall, for example, when we’re in a space with moderate visual complexity (residential environments designed by Frank Lloyd Wright generally have moderate visual complexity, for instance). “Curating” the number of shapes and colors in view (in patterns or objects, for example) and arranging those that are present in an orderly way achieves moderate visual complexity. A space that’s either too visually complex or stark makes us feel tense, probably because it is so different from the sorts of environments where we developed as a young species.

I need to roll out some sort of virtual “swear jar” where I deposit money whenever I use “curate” during a discussion of control options and sensory inputs. It’s too bad that “curate” as a word is so overused and now considered void of meaning, as it has a more upbeat tone than “edit” or “plan” – but The Times article has called attention to how we use this word, and how it might not be as helpful as we once thought it to be.

Sally Augustin, PhD, is the editor of Research Design Connections (www.researchdesignconnections.com). Research Design Connections reports on research conducted by social and physical scientists that designers can apply in practice. Insights derived from recent studies are integrated with classic, still relevant findings in concise, powerful articles. Topics covered range from the cognitive, emotional, and physiological implications of sensory and other physical experiences to the alignment of culture, personality, and design, among others. Information, in everyday language, is shared in a monthly subscription newsletter, an archive of thousands of published articles, and a free daily blog. 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.