Design as therapy

This project investigated how the process of developing and visualizing emotional associations with a set of design elements might potentially be used by art therapy patients to affect their states of mind. By combining characteristics of art as therapy and art psychotherapy, a method was developed for qualifying personal emotional associations with images and then using those associations to build a software visualization tool.

Sample visualization (user 0007, trial 2)

Sample visualization (user 0007, trial 2)

Evoked sadness, disgust, and surprise

Sample visualization (user 0007, trial 1)

Sample visualization (user 0007, trial 1)

Evoked joy, trust, and surprise

Sample visualization (user 0003, trial 3)

Sample visualization (user 0003, trial 3)

Evoked joy and trust