EMOTIONAL DESIGN IN TRANSFORMING EXCESSIVE SOCIAL MEDIA USE: A CASE STUDY ON YOUNG ADULTS' OVERUSE OF SHORT-FORM VIDEO PRODUCTS
Year: 2024
Editor: Grierson, Hilary; Bohemia, Erik; Buck, Lyndon
Author: Li, Hongyao; Zhang, Wendy; Shahri, Bahareh; Chen, Zhen
Series: E&PDE
Institution: University of Canterbury, New Zealand
Page(s): 360 - 365
DOI number: 10.35199/EPDE.2024.61
ISBN: 978-1-912254-200
ISSN: 3005-4753
Abstract
Growing concerns have been raised about excessive social media usage among young adults and its adverse effects on mental health. Challenges persist in designing effective strategies to help young adults manage the overuse of social media, especially in the context of short-form video (SFV) products, where the issue is more pronounced. This study explores and discusses design strategies grounded in emotional design principles to assist young adults in managing the excessive use of SFV products, aiming to transform their relationship with social media into a more sustainable one. The study focuses on two main questions: 1) What factors influence young adults’ excessive usage of SFV applications? 2) What emotional design-based strategies can effectively regulate this usage? An online ethnography was conducted to understand user motivations, behaviours, and the effectiveness of existing methods for managing overuse. The findings indicate that boredom is a significant factor driving the excessive use of SFV products, with users exhibiting varying levels of awareness and ability to control their usage. Integrating emotional and behavioural design principles, the study presents ‘Sustainable Design for User Emotion’ recommendations, highlighting key factors for developing effective design strategies to manage users’ excessive use of digital products and promote healthier usage patterns. A broad survey was conducted with young adults aged between 18 and 35, further investigating the real-world usage patterns of SFV products and assessing the effectiveness of the proposed design strategies. The results offer insights and actionable recommendations for research and practice in sustainable and responsible digital product design.
Keywords: Emotional Design, User Behaviours, Design Strategies, Social Media, Short-form Video Use