Knowledge Base Repository
In addition to research papers, the Design Society is developing several valuable resources for those interested in the study of design. These include a repository of PhD theses, a library of case studies and transcripts of design activities, and an archive of our newsletters. Please note that these resources are accessible exclusively to Design Society members.
EXPLORING THE EMOTIONAL IMPACT OF WEB LOADING PAGE COLOURS, BRIGHTNESS VALUES, AND ICON SHAPES WITH PUPILLOMETRY
Hunt, Rachel E.; Edwards, Alex M.; Howell, Bryan F.
Type:
Year:
2025
Editor:
Bohemia, Erik; Buck, Lyndon; Grierson, Hilary
Author:
Series:
E&PDE
Institution:
Brigham Young University, United States of America
Page(s):
703 - 708
DOI number:
ISBN:
3005-4753
ISSN:
978-1-912254-22-4
Abstract:
Contemporary websites typically follow a classic modern design philosophy: precise, highly structured, cold, and rational. This study examines how basic website design elements evoke emotions in users. Combinations of colour, brightness value, and icon shape were used to create twenty distinct iterations of web loading pages. Participants consisted of twenty undergraduate students from XYZ University. To analyse the participants’ emotional reactions to the stimulus, their pupil diameter measurements were taken using Tobii eye-tracking glasses, and they self-reported their emotional responses to each loading page verbally. The results showed that, on average, blue and green colours were associated with positive emotions, while red and yellow colours were more associated with negative emotions. The black and grey colours showed neutral emotional responses. The lighter brightness values of each colour ranked more positively on average than its darker counterpart. Icon shape differences had little impact on emotional responses. Pupil dilation changes show the blue and green pages have greater arousal than the yellow and red pages. This study provides evidence that web design elements, particularly colour and brightness value, significantly influence users’ emotional responses. As digital web design continues to evolve, studies similar to this could help educators and companies re-evaluate their traditional perceptions of web colour and icon shape decisions.
Keywords:
