Product Stigmaticity KristofVaes

PRODUCT
STIGMATICITY
UNDERSTANDING, MEASURING AND MANAGING PRODUCT-RELATED STIGMA
KRISTOF VAES
Product Stigmaticity
Understanding, Measuring and Managing Product-Related Stigma
Proefschrift
ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor

aan de Technische Universiteit Delft,
op gezag van de Rector Magnificus prof. ir. K.C.A.M. Luyben,
voorzitter van het College voor Promoties,
in het openbaar te verdedigen
op maandag 28 april 2014 om 15 uur
door
Kristof Romain Viktor VAES
Master in de Productontwikkeling
geboren te Leuven, België
Dit proefschrift is goedgekeurd door de promotoren:
Prof. dr. P. J. Stappers
Prof. dr. K. Desager
Copromotor:
Dr. A. Standaert
Samenstelling promotiecommissie:
Rector Magnificus, voorzitter
Prof. dr. P. J. Stappers, Technische Universiteit Delft, promotor
Prof. dr. K. Desager, Universiteit Antwerpen, België, promotor
Dr. A. Standaert, Universiteit Antwerpen, België, copromotor
Prof. dr. J. Myerson, Royal College of Art - Helen Hamlyn centre of Design, UK
Prof. dr. ir. P. Desmet, Technische Universiteit Delft
Prof. dr. ir. D. J. van Eijk, Technische Universiteit Delft
F. Lanzavecchia, Lanzavecchia + Wai Design Studio, Italy
Prof. dr. H. de Ridder, Technische universiteit Delft, reservelid
ISBN: 97890-6562-3515
Vaes K. (2014). Product Stigmaticity - Understanding, Measuring and Managing Product-

Related Stigma. Delft University of Technology - Antwerp University
[email protected]
[email protected]
www.kristofvaes.be
Let’s keep this topic alive on:

www.productstigmaticity.com
Keywords:
Product Semantics, Human-Centered Design, Design and Emotion, Inclusive Design
Artesis University College Antwerp and the University of Antwerp made important
contributions to the work described in this dissertation
Copyright © Kristof Vaes, 2014

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or
by any means, electronical or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any
other storage and retrieval system without permission from the author.
Cover picture: courtesy of 3D systems

Table of contents
Table of contents
CHAPTER 1 Introduction 1
1.1. The phenomenon: product-related stigma 2
1.1.1. What is product-related stigma? 4
1.1.2. What is product stigmaticity? 5
1.1.3. What are stigma-eliciting products? 5
1.1.4. How can the designer contribute beyond functionality? 6
1.2. The aim of this work – Questions and methods 8
1.2.1. Understanding product-related stigma (Chapters 2 & 4) 10
1.2.2. Measuring product-related stigma (Chapter 3) 11
1.2.3. Managing product-related stigma (Chapter 5) 14
1.3. How to read this book 15
CHAPTER 2 Literature Review 17
2.1. Situating ‘Product-Related Stigma’ in design literature 19
2.1.1. Inclusive Design 19
2.1.2. Product Semantics 23
2.1.3. Human-Centered Design / Design and Emotion 25
2.2. Stigma in social psychology 29
2.2.1. Conceptualizing stigma 29
2.2.2. Identity threat perspectives in social psychology 32
2.3. Stigma and ‘the stigmatized’ 37
2.3.1. Perceptual factors experienced by the stigmatized 37
2.3.2. Meaning factors experienced by the stigmatized 37
2.3.3. Behavioral reactions of the stigmatized 40
2.4. Stigma and ‘the stigmatizer’ 45
2.4.1. Perceptual factors describing the stigmatizer 45
2.4.2. Meaning factors describing the stigmatizer 47
2.4.3. Behavioral reactions of the stigmatizer 53
2.5. Designer empathy towards stigma 57
2.5.1. Empathy 57
2.5.2. Meta-position 59
2.5.3. Experience prototyping 61
2.6. Conclusions 64
CHAPTER 3 Experimental Studies 69

3.1. The Approach & Avoidance Experiment 76
3.1.1. Method 76
3.1.2. Experiment 77
3.1.3. Results 82
3.1.4. Discussion 86
3.1.5. Conclusions 86
3.2. The Immersive Mask Experience 88
3.2.1. Concept and procedures 88
3.2.2. Results 90
3.2.3. Conclusion 93
3.3. The Spy Pack Exploration 94
3.3.1. Method 95
3.3.2. Experiment 96
3.3.3. Results 101
3.3.5. Conclusion 105
3.4. The Dyadic Distance Experiment 106
3.4.1. Experimental stimuli, setup and participants 109
3.4.2. Method 112
3.4.3. Results 114
3.5. The Stain Dilemma Experiment 120
3.5.1. Results 124
3.5.3. Discussion of Dyadic Distance and Stain Dilemma Experiment 127
3.5.4. Conclusion of Dyadic Distance and Stain Dilemma Experiment 130
3.6. Conclusion of the experimental chapter 131
CHAPTER 4 PAMS - The Product Appraisal Model for Stigma 133

4.1. Introduction 134
4.2. Context & stakeholders 138
4.3. Appraisal 144
4.4. PAMS: The ‘Product Appraisal Model for Stigma’ 147
4.4.1. The PAMS as a tangible designer tool 152
4.4.2. How can designers assess human appraisals related to product perception? 156
4.4.3. How can designers assess human appraisals related to product use? 158
4.4.4. How can designers assess human appraisals related to the consequences of product use? 160
4.5. Conclusions 167
CHAPTER 5 PIMS - The Product Intervention Model for Stigma 171
5.1. Can the designer reshape the meaning of the product? 176
5.1.1. Can the designer make the user not identify with the product? 178
5.1.2. Can the designer make the user identify with the product? 184
5.1.3. Can the designer reshape the meaning of products in use? 196
5.1.4. Can the designer reshape product meaning through advances in material and technology? 203
5.2. Can the designer empower the user against stigma? 211
5.3. Can the designer reshape the social and cultural context? 216
5.4. Conclusions 223
CHAPTER 6 Discussion & conclusion 231
6.1. Understanding PRS 232
6.2. Measuring PRS 234
6.3. Managing PRS 236
6.4. Recommendations for further research 238
6.5. Personal reflections on the research 240
References 241
Summary / Samenvatting 253
Acknowledgments / Publications / About the author 267
CHAPTER 1 Introduction
Chapter 1
The ‘Innovation by Design competition’, organized by Fast Company

in the fall of 2013, drew more than 1,200 entries from a wide variety
of designers. An analysis of contributions revealed that four big
trends are shaping the next wave of design innovation. The second
trend was called ‘Destigmatize affliction’ and it neatly frames the
relevance of our research in the current Zeitgeist:
“Many well-meaning inventions fail – not because they aren’t

helpful, but because they aren’t appealing. To improve day-to-day
hardship, designers must do what cold, clinical solutions do not:
treat those in need as regular customers, whose emotions drive
decisions.”
Imagine that you’re walking through the local shopping mall, wearing a dust
mask. How would you feel? Apart from your own discomfort, you might also
experience social unease from the people around you. As they approach,
you might observe their anxiety, laughs, or frowns. As they pass, you might
feel how they keep their distance from you. It is not hard to imagine that
the emotional experiences generated by this situation will strongly influence
your well-being and social acceptance.
Many of the products intended to relieve us from discomforting or unsafe

situations and many medical and assistive devices are experienced as
unpleasant and uncomfortable. In addition, use of these products often
results in negative, judgmental reactions from bystanders. This disertation
hopes to provide insight in and a better understanding of the factors that
shape the experiences of users and those who surround them. Furthermore,
we have developed a set of tools that enables designers to relieve users of the
social stress related to using these products. These tools strive to go beyond
the physical adaptation between user and product to inspire products that
support the user’s personal and social well-being.
In other words, this disertation hopes to assist designers in making better

products for those who are forced to use products they need, but do not like?
1.1. The phenomenon: product-related stigma
It is a foggy day in the city. On the news people are alerted to high
concentrations of fine dust. A little girl with respiratory problems rides to
school wearing her dust mask. As she passes other people she notices that
they are staring at her and that they react with reservation and discomfort.
Maybe it’s the ‘look’ of the dust mask that sends out unfavorable signs.
Ultimately it was the designer who conceived the mask who should have
foreseen these reactions. Why can’t the designer make a mask that does not
make me stand out?
2
Introduction
Wearing a dust mask in public, outside of its usual context, presents significant
challenges for its wearer. People who use or wear assistive, protective or
medical devices are often confronted with subtle, clearly visible or even
invisible reactions. Some of these recurrent and distressing experiences
include: the frustration of having to wear or use a product that damages
one’s self-esteem, the relief when a passer-by did not notice one’s assistive,
protective or medical device, and the desire to be perceived as normal.
Distressing experiences can arise during an unprepared encounter between,

on the one hand, users and their stigma-eliciting products, and, on the other,
the people around them and the society they live in. The effects and impact
of these experiences are the result of the aesthetic and functional aspects
of the product itself, the individual experiencing the stigma, the observing
bystanders and the cultural context in which the situation is set.
Designers have an operative role in this process. They determine the visual
appearance of the product and balance technological, economic and practical
constraints with social and personal values and desires. The causal chain of
events that is illustrated in figure 1.1 depicts the essence of product-related
stigma and its various stakeholders.
Child with dust mask is Caused by: discomfort Caused by: Visual Caused by: The designer
unhappy from bystanders appearance of the product who conceived the product
Figure 1.1. The causal With the insights and tools in this disertation we hope to assist the
chain of events that the
designer in conceiving a dust mask while being aware of the social process
user of a stigma-eliciting
product is confronted with. of the unhappy child in the story above. We focus on the acceptance and
desirability of the unaccepted and undesired product. Alternatively, as
Scharp (2007) states clearly, ‘The need for products to convey positive
emotions and avoid negative ones is critical to product success.’
3
Chapter 1
1.1.1. What is product-related stigma?
In social psychology there is a large body of work on stigma. Although much

has been written on how people are rejected because of traits they may
or may not have control over, our disertation focuses on those instances
in which a product is the causal factor of social rejection or stigma.
Figure 1.2 shows two youngsters with stigmatic conditions. In both cases the
social reaction of bystanders reflects the underlying stigma. In the case of
the dust mask this reaction is related to the product. Due to the process of
product-related stigma, a user that was unconstrained by any stigma may
engender stigmatic reactions because of the product he or she has to use,
regardless of whether this usage is voluntarily or forced. This is interesting
for designers because they are in a position to manipulate the product’s
appearance in such a way that these reactions can be avoided.
Figure 1.2. Social stigma
can be product-caused
or not product-caused.
Product-related stigma
occurs when the product is
the causal factor of social
rejection or stigma.
Due to their appearance, and enforced by existing stereotypes, people can link
a product’s appearance or certain visual features to an existing social stigma,
resulting in a stigma-eliciting product. Consequently, product-related stigma
is confined to a product’s meaning and significance. While a Rolex watch
might suggest meaning associations with high social status, in the same way
a wheelchair might activate preconceived and undesirable associations with
impairment and vulnerability. In return, product-related stigma can initiate
a stigmatization process in which people (bystanders in various contexts)
externalize these stigma meanings, making them perceptible to the product
user. As such, when aspects of users and their products are perceived and
evaluated as socially undesirable, stigma will reveal itself in the bystanders –
not in the user.
When a product with specific visual features has the potential to elicit stigma,
it is not the stigma which is present in the product as such, but only the
capacity to elicit stigma. The immediate situation and the culture in which
the interaction is situated greatly affect the actual eliciting of this stigma
potential and the force of its impact. For example, a gun needs to be handled
with care by all those who interact with it. The gun not only poses a physical
threat, but also evokes psychological stress in bystanders. Visibly carrying
a gun can be a symbol of authority and power. Consequently, people may
4
Introduction
for example feel protected in the vicinity of a police officer. However, this
association can instantly turn into panic as soon as the gun leaves the hand
of a responsible person.
1.1.2. What is product stigmaticity?
We introduce the term ‘product stigmaticity’, in order to encompass the

investigation of stigma elicited by products. Product stigmaticity can be
considered to be the counterpart of ‘pleasurable design’, a term used
to capture all potential benefits and pleasurable aspects that a product
can provide in interaction with its user. Situated at the opposite end of
the spectrum, product stigmaticity encompasses all aspects, effects and
consequences of a product-related stigmatization process. As such, product
stigmaticity comprises product-related stigma attribution, stigma appraisal,
reactions to stigma, outcomes of stigma and the evolution of product-related
stigma over time.
1.1.3. What are stigma-eliciting products?
Not all products have the same chances and assets when they are launched.
Due to their appearance, and enforced by existing stereotypes, protective,
assistive or medical devices can become burdened with stigma-sensitivity.
An invisible hearing aid or a prosthetic leg that is covered by clothing will not
attract people’s attention. As soon as it becomes visible to bystanders, the
interaction changes. Hence, visibility is an important factor. This disertation
will cover those products that are visibly worn or used in close proximity to
the human body, where they are perceived and evaluated by people in the
immediate vicinity.
Some stigma-sensitive products carry a long history of rejection while

others become questionable or undesirable as soon as they move out of
their intended context. We distinguish three product categories that include
many examples of stigma-eliciting products: protective, assistive and medical
devices.
• Protective devices: The first category includes all products that are
intended to free us from discomforting or unsafe situations. These are
protective devices such as dust masks, hearing protectors, etc.
• Medical and assistive devices: The second category addresses products
that assist or complement the human body and promote user independence
in daily tasks: assistive devices such as wheelchairs, crutches and prosthetics.
They are developed to fix or mend that what is damaged, or to supply that
which is missing. Related, yet overlapping are the medical devices that are
used for monitoring, treatment or revalidation. Many of these medical and
5
Chapter 1
assistive devices are burdened with a symbolic and social deficit, despite
the fact that they are a necessity to their users. Somehow society views the
users of these devices as being impaired. These medical or assistive devices
are typically expected and tolerated within the clinical context of a hospital.
Once they are taken out in public, users often feel marginalized and ashamed
of their reliance on these devices. Daily use in public can burden them with
social stress and social rejection.
People with clinical or engineering backgrounds conceive most of the
products targeted by our research. All too often the focus is placed solely
on technology, functionality, and basic usability, such as the avoidance of
physical or cognitive discomfort.
As well as the two fundamental categories that we explore in this dissertation,

we should also be aware of technological change and the impact of countless
other products that are semantically linked to the body. There are those
products that use or need the body as a part of its interface. The computerized
‘Google Glasses’, for example, are able to layer digital information over the
real world and to make first-person photographic and video recordings. In
the following decades much more technology-driven products will become
a complement to our bodies. These products will not only stretch the
boundaries of our capabilities, but they also give rise to new and unfamiliar
body-near artifacts that may or may not be socially accepted and approved
of. Many of these products will be worn voluntarily.
Our research targets those products that are obliged or indispensible for
their user, and yet fail to appeal. If we compare a hearing aid to a Bluetooth
headset, this might clarify the distinction. Both products are worn in and
around the ear. The hearing aid is clearly intended for medical use and
indispensable to its user, whereas the Bluetooth headset is worn voluntarily
and used to transmit speech or music from mobile telephones or music
players.
1.1.4. How can the designer contribute beyond functionality?
Designers are in a position to conceive products that can balance tech-

nological, economic and practical constraints with the ever-growing
importance of emotional user desires. In our research the most essential
emotional desire is the avoidance of negative sensations and emotions
during a human-product interaction. However, designers should strive to
surpass this scope and strive for products that engender positive meanings
for their users, elicit positive feedback from bystanders and complement and
support cultural values.
When designing products, many aspects have to be taken into account:

material use, fabrication, usability, practicality, and ergonomic factors, among
others. As such, product designers and design education have primarily
6
Introduction
focused on the user’s urgent and objective needs, such as functionality,

usability and safety. Although it is connected to the previous list, there is one
factor that deserves more attention from designers: the experiential factor.
The experiential factor encompasses the emotional reactions to products,
including all the potential emotional benefits they can deliver.
The users targeted by our research often face temporary or permanent

disabilities, physical impairments, or perilous and unhealthy situations
that oblige them to use these products. Although there exist examples to
the contrary, many of the current protective, assistive, and medical devices
are socially undesirable, uncomfortable and perceived by their users as
unpleasant. With a focus on functionality and physical characteristics at the
expense of emotional, social and aesthetic aspects, they do not succeed in
expressing and supporting their users’ concerns, identities and lifestyles. In
other words, although their protective, assistive and medical aspect may
increase the user’s quality of life, they do not always increase their social
well-being.
In their interaction with products, today’s consumers seek more than

functional gratification. In fact, they search for meaning, for something
that can touch their subjective or collective ‘sense’. In recent years this
social dimension has started to gain interest and designers are now aiming
to understand and fulfill the human motivations and aspirations related to
products.
The following example sets the tone for what designers could contribute
on an emotional and social level. Most walking canes do little to inspire the
self-confidence of those who use them. They are often cold, clinical and
impersonal items of utility. The company Top & Derby produces walking canes
and recognized the need for a more personal approach. Their slogan neatly
reflects the ambition of our research: “Why carry a cane, when you can wear
it.” The slogan resonates the duality of how designers can perceive a cane’s
phase of use. The verb ‘to wear’ sends out positive associations and refers
to a competent user who radiates confidence due to his fashion item. The
verb ‘to carry’ is more neutral and refers purely to the product’s functional
aspects. As such, ‘to carry’ only reaches the usability level, whereas ‘to wear’
extends to the personal level, delivering feelings of pride that will positively
influence the users social image and well-being.
Design discourse employs the term ‘user’ to refer to the person who interacts with the product in its phase of use.
The connotation can also be stretched towards ‘the wearer’, ‘the consumer’ or even ‘bystanders’. Throughout the
book we primarily adopt the terms ‘users’ and ‘wearers’ and they never refer to bystanders. Bystanders are those
who interact with the user or wearer in the immediate situation and often in a visual way.
The term ‘user’ places a strong focus on product use and functional aspects. However, as described above, we intend
to go further. By adopting the term ‘wearer’, when appropriate, we acknowledge the social and fashion dimension.
Fashion is a strong social phenomenon and expresses individual and cultural aspirations. When appropriate,
we will therefore adopt the term ‘wearer’ for products that can actually be worn: dust masks, prosthetics,
helmets, etc. When conveying generic information we will employ ‘user’, in order to conform to design literature.
7
Chapter 1
1.2. The aim of this work – Questions and methods
Our research has three fundamental aspirations or goals: to understand,

to measure, and to manage the product-related stigma process. The
phenomenon of product-related stigma will be identified and explored in
a realistic interaction context. Theory and models clarify and interpret the
unfolding of the process, and suggest strategies to alleviate the effects of
the product-related stigma process. To enable this research we developed
methods, tools and models.
Our research questions were answered through efforts in three intertwining

areas, each with its respective methods: a literature review, experimental
research, and empirical research (visually depicted in figure 1.3). For each
research question, a combination of methods from those three areas was
used and the insights and results continually cross-fertilized each other. In
figure 1.3 we represent the experimental research as our central track. On
this track we explored the phenomenon of product-related stigma, both in
the lab and in the field. Two spiral tracks continually dive into and out of the
experimental research track. On one side we position the literature review
track delivering theoretical insights, and on the other we locate the empirical
research activities carried out with students and designers.
For the reader’s sake, we chose to present our findings in a logical manner,
not a chronological one. For example, the consolidation that is attained
by the end of the literature review (Chapter 2) was not available when we
started the experiments (Chapter 3). Additionally, the answers to the goals
and questions are not exclusively conveyed in one specific chapter. Chapter 2,
for example, structures the literature review and contributes to all research
goals.
Towards the end of our research the empirical research track gained more
importance. Our focus and reflections on the richness of the actual situation
contributed to the build-up of theory and supported the continuity and
efficiency of our experiments and explorations. The empirical research track
delivered substantial input towards the refinement of the designer-tools,
presented in Chapters 4 and 5.
8
Introduction
Method
Literature Review
Experimental Research PhD

thesis
Empirical Research
Goals & questions Methods Covered in

Understanding Collecting and analyzing theory and literature Chapter 4
product-related stigma: (Chapter 2)
How does this process unfold? Designer workshops on the appraisal of
Who are the stakeholders? product-related stigma & reflection
How can we determine pitfalls and requirements early on in the process?
Measuring Collecting and analyzing theory and literature Chapter 3

Does a product elicit stigma in a specific context? Observational and behavioural research
Can we measure the ‘degree’ of stigma that is attached to a product? techniques
Database of stigma-eliciting products +
analysis
Managing Collecting and analyzing theory and literature Chapter 5

Which design strategies can be used to alleviate product-related
Generating design concepts with students
stigma and its effects?
Designer workshops on the interventions to
alleviate the effects of product-related stigma
& reflection
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Timing
PhD
Literature Review literature literature thesis
Experimental Research 1 2 3
4 Stain dilemma
Approach & Immersive
avoidance Mask Spy-Pack
experiment Experience 5 Dyadic distance
experiment experiment
Empirical Research Mask W-shops

designs PAMS
Students PIMS
Publications 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Conferences 1 2 3 4 5 6
Include 2009 D&E 2010 E&PDE 2011 E&PDE D&E 2012
London, UK Design & Emotion London, UK 2012 Design & Emotion
Chicago, US (Award Best Antwerp London
(Award for Best Presentation)
Figure 1.3. Overview Presentation)
DRS2012
Bangkok
of the PhD process:
methods, research goals &
questions, and timing.
9
Chapter 1
1.2.1. Understanding product-related stigma (Chapters 2 & 4)
The research challenge
What causes product-related stigma and how can it be explained? In answer

to the first part of the question, we explored the factors responsible for
eliciting positive and negative experiences in people’s encounters with
products. The second part of the question is answered in Chapter 4, which
aims to explain and operationalize how the product-related stigma process
unfolds and how the various stakeholders contribute.
The resulting ‘Product Appraisal Model for Stigma’ (PAMS) deconstructs

the product-related stigma process and exposes the different layers of
meaning attribution and appraisal in human-product interactions. The PAMS
is presented as a tangible designer tool. Applied to a certain product, a
completed PAMS will manifest the stigma specific sensitivities, conflicts, and
challenges that designers need to take into account during their design effort.
The PAMS can be interpreted as the ‘unveiler’ of product-related stigma,

preparing the designer for the next step, in which PRS can be measured
and stigma-reducing design interventions seek to ‘heal’ the product of its
stigmatizing content.
An empathic mindset is needed to successfully apply the PAMS. This state

and attitude of heightened sensitivity is especially required when designers
are faced with the conception of products whose use they themselves have
little experience with, as is the case for protective, assistive or medical
devices. In Chapter 2, we briefly propose how improved designer empathy
and direct contact with users and their social reality may enhance cognitive
and emotional processing at higher needs and intelligence levels.
The method
Literature review in the fields of social psychology and design research was
used to reveal relevant theories and models that could expose the causes and
effects of product-related stigma. These theories and models were adapted
and operationalized for designers and aim at gaining a deeper understanding
of the product-related stigma process. The underpinning of our research is
set out in Chapter 2 where the identity threat model of Major (2005) is used
as a stepping-stone to structure the stigmatization process.
We selected the Appraisal Theory of Desmet and Hekkert (2007) to provide

the cornerstone of our first operational model. The Appraisal Theory links user
experiences and evaluations to objects and contexts. It distinguishes three
types of appraisal and relates them to three product stimulus components.
10
Introduction
The PAMS is an extension of the Appraisal theory. The PAMS reaches beyond
the product user and his or her product and introduces two additional
stakeholders that are crucial in the assessment of product-related stigma:
the appraisals of bystanders and those of the cultural context. As such, the
PAMS invites designers to navigate through the types of product-meaning
attribution, as appraised by three context levels or stakeholders: users,
bystanders, and culture. Their appraisals are directed towards three product
stimulus components: product perception, product use, and the consequences
of product use. Matching these factors resulted in 27 questions to which the
answers are gathered in three matrices. The questions were inspired by the
Appraisal Theory (Desmet and Hekkert, 2007), adapted through literature,
and derived from empirical and experimental findings. Further selection and
refinement was accomplished in two designer workshops at the University of
Antwerp and the Technical University of Delft.
1.2.2. Measuring product-related stigma (Chapter 3)
Let us return to our initial example: imagine that you are walking through the
local shopping mall, wearing a dust mask. Apart from your own discomfort,
you might also experience social unease in the people around you. As they
approach, you might observe their anxiety, laughs, or frowns. As they pass,
you might feel how they keep their distance from you. Reactions elicited by
these unprepared encounters are at the basis of our second set of research
questions.
• Does the use of protective, assistive, or medical devices engender

unfavorable reactions in bystanders, amounting to product-related stigma?
• Can a designer determine if a product or design concept is ‘burdened’
with product-related stigma, and if so, can it be quantified?
In answer to these questions we searched for techniques that could

objectively assess the ‘degree’ of product-related stigma that is attached to
existing products as well as new concepts. Designers will not only value this
insight during their creative process, it can also help them to justify design
decisions with quantitative data. Quantitative measuring of PRS can assist in
assessing which product properties have influenced certain reactions and to
what extent subsequent improvements have been successful.
The method
The subjective appraisals of both users and bystanders are responsible for
the wide variety of emotional and behavioral responses to product-related
stigma. It was our aim to rule out this subjectivity and introduce a technique
11
Chapter 1
that would enable designers to objectively evaluate their design interventions.

Prior to our exploration in behavioral research we considered the use of
questionnaires, self-report and physiological measurement techniques.
Social psychology and design research suggest several parameters that could
be appropriate to operationalize product-related stigma. The literature
describes physiological parameters quantifying the anxiety or stress
accompanying the use of a stigma-related product, such as: cardiovascular
responses (heart rate), galvanic skin response, blood pressure, social distance,
visual attention and facial expression.
To decide which techniques are appropriate for our research, we specified

the following requirements:
• The technique has to register and quantify the reactions of bystanders

• The technique has to capture the intensity of the unprepared encounter
between a bystander and the user of a stigma-eliciting product.
• The technique is to be affordable and straightforward, allowing it to be
used by design teams.
Early on in our research it became apparent that a focus on the thoughts

and feelings of the product user might not be the most efficient strategy
to determine the ‘degree’ of product-related stigma. Our experimental
explorations target the overt reactions of bystanders, a specific form of public
or social stigma that remained the focus throughout all our experiments and
explorations.
As we progressed in our explorations and experiments we moved from

lab conditions towards controlled indoor environments and finally real life
outdoor encounters.
In our search for a straightforward technique that could be used by designers,

we eliminated setups that introduced individual subjectivity, substantial
medical know-how or complex measuring devices on participants. The
parameters of visual attention and interpersonal distance did present enough
potential, so they were explored in the five experiments that are described
in Chapter 3.
12
Introduction
Experimental explorations and experiments
• Our first exploration was executed at the social psychology department of

the University of Padua, Italy. The ‘Approach and Avoidance experiment’
explores the initial reflex reactions of bystanders that occur within the
first second. The experiment was set in a lab environment and captures
reflex reactions towards pictures of people with or without dust masks,
presented on a screen.
• The second exploration was aimed at investigating the actual

unprepared encounter between mask users and bystanders in a real-
life setting. During the ‘Immersive Mask experience’ 60 design student
were sent out into the city to walk around wearing white dust masks.
Their experiences and reports on the behavioral reactions of bystanders
delivered important initial insights and clearly demonstrated that dust-
masks are easily perceived and do engender reactions in bystanders.
• The previous exploration evidenced that the reactions of bystanders

were observed and ‘felt’ by all participants and that they distressed
them. The biggest contribution of the ‘Spy Pack exploration’ is that it
allowed us to observe and study a real-life and unprepared encounter
in a controlled indoor environment. By analyzing the images of eight
cameras we investigated the staring and walking behavior of passers-by
and evaluated parameters such as moment of visual perception,
interpersonal distance and ‘looking back’ for their relevance. A useful
result of the ‘Spy Pack exploration’ was the confirmation that at least
two parameters proved to be comprehensive, measurable and valuable
for further exploration: the moment of visual perception and the
interpersonal distance.
• The fourth experiment was called the ‘Dyadic Distance experiment’ and
it focused on deviations in the walking path of passers-by, quantified
by the parameter of interpersonal distance. The experiment was set
in real-life outdoor situations, and accurately measured the shortest
interpersonal distance between a passer-by and a mask wearer, by
means of an ultrasonic sensor.
• The final experiment was called ‘The Stain Dilemma experiment’ and
was a simplified variation of the ‘Dyadic Distance experiment’. This
experiment required a minimal setup and focused on the walking path
of the bystanders as they pass the mask wearer. By placing a physical
obstruction in their walking path, passers-by are forced to walk around
the obstruction or in between the obstruction and the mask wearer.
The researcher only had to count the instances in which these reactions
occur.
13
Chapter 1
1.2.3. Managing product-related stigma (Chapter 5)
How can we make sure that designers take on their semantic responsibility
and manage the product-related stigma process? After the PAMS has exposed
the stigma-specific design challenges, designers can be inspired with design
recommendations to alleviate the effects of product-related stigma.
The ‘Product Intervention Model for Stigma’ (PIMS) comprises a set of 17

stigma-alleviating design interventions that have grown and matured as our
research progressed.
The design interventions are grouped into three ‘intervention’ areas. The
interventions not only impact the product, but also empower the user
or reshape societal and cultural factors. A first set of 13 interventions
encourages the designer to reshape the meaning of a product away from
negative associations. A second set of interventions stretches the solution
space towards user empowerment. Two interventions inspire designers to
emancipate users from their position of passive victims to active challengers.
In a final area, we situate two interventions that enable the designer to
reshape the social and cultural contexts in which products are launched and
perceived. The two interventions are not primarily focused on the product,
but they group all efforts that produce fundamental changes in cultural
attitudes and beliefs.
The PIMS professes to be an operational and valid framework of design

interventions. It complements existing design-ideation tools and can be
applied to a broad range of stigma-sensitive products. The design inter-
ventions are presented in a compact and consistent manner, facilitating
overview and comparison. To address the requirements of the creative
process, the PIMS interventions are presented as a card set, specifically
aimed at designers.
The method
The integration of the literature review with experimental and empirical

findings provided the basis for the PIMS interventions. We limited our tool
to 17 interventions after collecting and analyzing a database of over 300
stigma-eliciting products and concepts. The database comprises existing
products, conceptual product proposals, as well as concepts conceived
during experimental and educational workshops. We started by comparing
effective and less or non-effective stigma-related design solutions. The
stigma-alleviating aspects that arose were translated into an initial set
of promising design interventions. During the course of our research this
set expanded up to the moment where all new product cases could be
classified within a specific strategy. The resulting set was compacted into 17
14
Introduction
manageable and promising interventions that we deemed relevant for our

destigmatizing design approach. The comprehensibility and manageability of
the interventions was refined in two designer workshops at the University of
Antwerp and the Technical University of Delft.
The various interventions are presented in a compact and consistent style,

facilitating overview and comparison. Additionally, they intend to inspire
designers and suggest a general design direction. We chose to exemplify the
various interventions with product examples that will stick to the visual mind
of designers
1.3. How to read this book
Although it is possible to scan through the book and gather useful insights,
each chapter builds on the concepts that we previously covered. The various
chapters will present the consolidated knowledge and findings for the three
ingredients we discussed earlier. We suggest that you read the book from
start to finish. This is a short summary of the chapters that are covered:
Chapter 1 - Introduction
In Chapter 1, we introduce our research topic and its concepts. We explain

the concept of product-related stigma and the three challenges that our PhD
research addresses.
Chapter 2 – Literature Review
Chapter 2 discusses the concept of stigma in social psychology and covers the
literature that was used for our theory building. By the end of this chapter,
the reader should understand the basic concepts of social stigma and its
parallels in design literature.
Chapter 3 – Experimental Studies
In Chapter 3 we examine how we can ‘measure’ product-related stigma.

In five experiments we explore how we can interpret and ‘quantify’ the
behavioral reactions of bystanders. To conclude, this chapter summarizes
the consolidated findings from our experimental and empirical research and
provides suggestions for further exploration.
15
Chapter 1
Chapter 4 – PAMS: context and appraisal
This chapter provides a better understanding of the importance of the

product context and the appraisals of those who interact with the product.
We introduce the ‘Product Appraisal Model for Stigma’ (PAMS), a framework
for addressing the various layers of appraisal by the people that take part
in a human-product interaction. Based on existing models, the PAMS model
delivers a set of stigma-specific design challenges that should complement
the design brief of a stigma-sensitive design challenge.
Chapter 5 – PIMS: design interventions
Chapter 5 features the ‘Product Intervention Model for Stigma’ (PIMS), a set
of 17 design interventions that can be used to alleviate the effects of product-
related stigma. This chapter will exemplify how stigma-free product design
has been successfully applied across different products and design concepts.
How to read the book as a designer:
The operational tools PAMS and PIMS are presented in Chapters 4 and 5
If you are interested in the experimental approach that designers can use,
we suggest focusing on experiments 2 (Immersive Experience), 4 (Dyadic
Distance experiment) and 5 (Stain Dilemma) in Chapter 3. These experiments
can help to rank or compare design proposals. We recommend to execute
them in this order
• Immersive Experience: Go out, experience and observe

• Stain Dilemma: A straightforward experiment to gather quantitative data
• Dyadic Distance: If more accurate data are required.
16
CHAPTER 2 Literature Review
Chapter 2
This chapter presents the literature that structured our theory building and
inspired our experimental and empirical research. Because product-related
stigma occurs in social contexts involving a stigma-eliciting product, its user
and those who surround him or her, we reviewed literature in design research
as well as social psychology. Both fields have contributed vital insights into
what influences stigma, as well as factors and models for our stigma-free
design approach.
As it is our aim to contribute to the design literature on products and stigma,

we initiated our search in design literature, more specifically in Inclusive
Design, Product Semantics and Human-Centered Design. Although mainly
anecdotal, the term ‘stigma’ does pop up in design literature. In the field of
Inclusive Design referral to the term is most common, and it complements
the field’s principle aim of developing products that can be used equally well
by people of any age or ability. The field of Human-Centered Design aspires
positive human-product experiences and mainly focuses on the pleasurable
side of design. Although our own aspiration lie beyond the relief of negative
experiences, this field did provide interesting models and insights to elevate
products above the alleviation of social discomfort.
In the second part of our literature review we explain why we choose the
term ‘stigma’ and how we have delineate it in our research. Although the
term ‘stigma’ touches on several disciplines, it is a broadly studied concept in
social psychology. The experience of stigma is common among human beings
(Crandall, 2000). Everybody has experienced some degree of stigmatization
at some point in their lives, be it a feeling of isolation, alienation, exclusion, or
embarrassment resulting from being different in some way. ‘Being different’
can be linked to various conditions, including race, age, gender, bodily
deformations, and accompanying people as well as products. Even minor
imperfections such as a messy hairdo that unwillingly attracts attention could
be the cause of social unease. In our review we searched for the areas in
which social psychology could contribute to our understanding of product-
related stigma. Next to providing insights into the process of stigma, the
social psychology literature also reports on research on the acceptance of
assistive devices.
A review of both research fields clearly revealed two actors who shape
the process of product-related stigma: one that ‘receives’ the stigma or
the stigmatized, and one who ‘attributes’ the stigma or the stigmatizer.
We structured the literature accordingly and zoom in on the perceptive,
attitudinal and behavioral elements that impact these two actors.
In paragraph 2.5 we switch our focus towards the designer. In order to

understand and manage the product-related stigma process, designers need
to be mindful of the experiences of both the stigmatizer and the stigmatized.
An empathic understanding and the right mindset will enable designers to
understand, communicate and act properly.
18
Literature Review
2.1. Situating ‘Product-Related Stigma’ in design literature
Product-related stigma considers stigma-charged interactions and conflicts

between products, users, bystanders and cultural factors. The design
literature approaches these specific interactions from several perspectives.
In the next paragraphs we present the areas in design literature that either
conceptualizes or provide grips for balancing these product-related stigma
interactions.
We start by investigating the world of Inclusive Design. This area provided us

with valuable product cases and design research. In their quest to provide
products that support the whole population in maintaining independence
and extending life quality, the area of Inclusive Design shares our ethical
point of view. Researchers in this field do touch on the subject of product-
related stigma, but with a special focus on universally usable products,
environments, and services. However, the insights of the Inclusive Design
researchers often coincided with or complemented our research.
The next area we reviewed is the area of Product Semantics, an area that we
borrowed concepts from in order to think and write about product meaning.
Attempts to structure human-product interactions into theoretical

frameworks have been made in the area of Human-Centered Design or
Design and Emotion.
When using the term ‘design research’ we do not exclusively refer to research
that aims at developing domain-specific knowledge within any professional
field of design. The concept of design research extends beyond these
boundaries and includes research activities that are embedded within the
design process itself. As such, ‘design research’ does not only involve the
research that designers conduct, but all research activities that strive to
understand and enhance design processes and practices.
2.1.1. Inclusive Design
A great deal of literature related to the topic of product-related stigma can be

found in the areas of Inclusive or Universal Design, which are often considered
to be interchangeable approaches. Product-related stigma mainly occurs to
people who are forced to use products which are neglected by designers.
Target groups that depend on assistive or medical devices, like the elderly or
disabled, for example, are often overlooked by popular design practice.
By adopting the principles of Inclusive Design, a term typically used in the

United Kingdom (Goodman, Dong, & Langdon, 2006), practitioners strive for
‘inclusiveness’ in their design solutions. Inclusive Design strives to maximize
the market potential of products by ensuring that a maximum amount of
19
Chapter 2
people can use them. Inclusive Design takes into account the changing nature
of ageing, disability and the technological skills necessary to participate fully in
modern society. Inclusive Design principles aim at developing environments,
services, information technology and products that can be used equally well
by people of any age or ability.
There are many arguments in favour of adopting inclusive design. From an

ethical point of view, providing products that support the whole population
in maintaining independence and extending quality life is clearly a moral
imperative. Socially we can argue that by adopting these principles, the
designer takes into account the changing nature of ageing, disability and
technological skills necessary to participate fully in modern society.
There is even a self-interest argument, by adopting inclusive design practices

now; we not only help the current older generation. Ultimately, we all benefit,
as the products we need when we get older will already be available. Roger
Coleman beautifully coined the concept of ‘designing for our future selves’.
(Coleman, 1993)
Successful Inclusive Design contends that the single most important

component in any system is the user. Apart from their aim to provide a
more accessible or universal design solution, they also wish to go beyond an
understanding of the users’ functional needs. As such, the field of Inclusive
Design shares a mutual goal with our research: to conceive products that
deliver the convenience of an accessibly and universally designed creation
without the perceived stigma.
Keates and Clarkson (2004) stress that Inclusive Design, like stigma-free
design, is not a bolt-on activity that can be addressed at the end of the design
process. Instead, it needs to be a core activity, as tightly integrated in the
design as quality is. To know your users, their needs and aspirations, and to
provide a design solution for them is not only vital for successful inclusive
design, but also for good design in general. However, most designers never
even get to meet a user, let alone that they get to know them. Understanding
and empathizing with the user is a vital factor and we will address this topic
in more detail at the end of this chapter.
The work of Patricia Moore has been a great inspiration for our research.
With the social project that Moore (1985) describes in her book Disguised,
she wanted to get a better understanding of what it means to be a senior
citizen. Her project became an excellent example of how bad product design
(including buildings, vehicles and transport infrastructure) can exclude people
with age-related impairments. Aged 26, Patricia Moore was working as an
industrial designer at the New York firm Raymond Loewy. From 1979 to 1982,
she dressed up as an elderly lady and experienced the day-to-day reality of
how life is for an 80-year-old woman. Her disguise went beyond superficial
make-up and included glasses that blurred her vision, a brace, wrapped
20
Literature Review
Figure 2.1. Patricia Moore bandages around her torso (to bring about a hunched over posture), plugged
as a young designer and up ears, and uneven shoes that forced her to walk with a stick. She took on
disguised as an 80-year-
old lady.
these disguises to attract social stigma, which made her the first designer to
extensively discuss stigma and social rejection.
Her relationship with bystander culture was incredibly powerful. People beat
her up, didn’t help her, insulted her or, to the contrary, were very friendly. Her
adventures were elaborate design research experiments, involving stigma
and bystander reactions. Her experiences, good and bad, were all based on
the reactions of bystanders. As such she provided proof of the power and
significance of bystanders reactions in human-product interactions. Her
work became an extra motivation for our own research focus on bystander
reactions.
Universal design emerged from the field of architecture in the late 1960s and
was coined by the architect Ronald L. Mace. Universal design started as an
approach in which the design of the built environment should be as ‘barrier-
free’ as possible, enabling the widest possible spectrum of people to access
it. The available guidance for universal architectural design far surpasses
what is available for universal product design (McAdams & Kostovic, 2011).
Later on, the concept of universal design was broadened by The Centre for
Universal Design at North Carolina State University as "the design of products
to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need
for adaptation or specialized design" (Mace, 1985). Typically, accessible
design tends to result in separate facilities for individuals with disabilities
(e.g., ramps and toilet stalls) while universal design provides a single solution
accommodating all people. Ideally, application of universal design principles
would result in aesthetically pleasing devices or solutions that are seamless
in design (Covington, 1998).
21
Chapter 2
Parallel research tracks in the field of Inclusive Design
Various design researchers and practitioners in the field of Inclusive Design

have contributed to our understanding of product-related stigma.
The book ‘Design meets disability’, written by Graham Pullin (2009), has
been an inspiration from the beginning. As a medical engineer and design
consultant, the author presents a thorough exploration of the cultural, stylistic
and fashion trends that influence the acceptance of objects that overcome
‘disability’. In the first section of the book ‘Initial Tensions’, Pullin addresses
the tensions between the medical community and the design community.
The second section ‘Meetings with Designers’ presents a series of interviews
and (imaginary and real) pairings of designers with product for impairment.
In her doctoral research, Susanne Jacobsen addresses how young adults with
physical disabilities experience the use of assistive products, and the assumed
stigma associated with these products. In one article, she explored means
for overcoming the stigma associated with assistive devices (Jacobson 2010).
She derived three categories: disguising the stigmatizing features, turning
attention from the stigmatizing features to other features, and transforming
stigmatizing features into features that convey prestige or status.
Renato Bispo and Vasco Branco (2008-2009), two Portuguese design

researchers, wrote a series of papers related to the understanding of stigma
associated with products and the repercussions of their use on the self-image
of their users. Bispo and Branco suggest the use of contradictory symbols
to manipulate the stigmatizing dimension of objects. These contradictory
symbolic elements may unsettle preconceived perceptions of disability and
generate a new social image for people with disability.
Glyn Stockton (2009) wrote a paper on stigma and how designers can address
negative associations in product design. Stockton briefly documented the
following methods of de-stigmatisation through: education, technology,
the application of mainstream characteristics, the adoption of stigmatised
characteristics, functional desire, alteration of ritual, disassociation, and
association.
22
Literature Review
2.1.2. Product Semantics
Complementary to the field of Inclusive Design, and concerned with the

development of the universally usable product, the field of Product Semantics
studies the meaning engendered by that same product. Product Semantics
poses that products are carriers of meaning and it provided us with the
necessary concepts to communicate about that meaning.
Product Semantics is the field in which designers strive to gain an under-

standing of the ways in which visible product features can communicate
additional meaning to users and their surroundings. These features can
relate to the product’s looks, certain usage rituals or even cultural product
stereotypes. The sum of these intentional and unintentional ‘meaning’
features are also referred to as the semantic qualities of a product. A product
that is endowed with semantic qualities should be understandable, intuitive
and engaging. Semantic product qualities can inform a user and those around
him about the products’:
• Identity: what is the object (i.e. a respiratory mask – visually recognizable

as such)
• Character: what kind of mask is it (i.e. a half face mask or a full-face mask)
• Affordance: what benefits does the object give (afford) me? (i.e.
protection from pollutants)
• Operation: how do I use it? (proper use can be clearly communicated
within the product shape; no need for labels of instructions for example.)
A guide cane for blind people for example is an assistive product, which has
clear benefits and operational qualities for its user. Its primary function is to
improve user mobility by enabling the detection of objects or obstacles in the
walking path (affordance). An important semantic quality of the blind cane is
to alert others of the bearer’s visual impairment. By virtue of its contrasting
white color and universally recognizable shape (identity and character), it
bears important semantic qualities that identify its user and radiate outwards
towards its social surroundings.
Wikström (1996) confirms this insight and states that products tell us
something about themselves and in certain cases also about the people
who own them. Through its design and function, a product expresses values.
Bystanders interpret and assess the importance of these values in relation
to a social context, resulting in acceptance or rejection, liking or disliking.
Through their semantic content and expression products can create positive
or negative perceptions, emotions, values and associations in individual users
or observing bystanders. These statements confirm that an understanding of
the semantic qualities of a product must go beyond its ‘styling’ and must
relate to the relationship between, on the one hand, the user and the product,
and, on the other, the importance that objects assume in their social context.
23
Chapter 2
In this overall process of meaning giving, Umberto Eco (1978) distinguishes

between the process of communication and that of signification for any given
product. The communication process relates to the meaning that is ‘inserted’
by the designer with the intention to transmit a specific message. The
signification process refers to the significance that others give to that product.
It can be interpreted as a cultural process uncontrolled by the designer. It is
crucial for designers to understand that products always communicate and
can never be contextually neutral.
Monö (1997) defines four semantic functions that products can communicate
through their ‘gestalt’ (i.e. the totality of colour, material, surface structure,
taste, sound, appearance and function as a whole). These semantic functions
provide the designer with the possibility to communicate a clear message
through the product and make it comprehensible within a certain context:
• to describe: the product gestalt can describe the product’s purpose and
function, i.e. define its task, way of use, handling, etc.;
• to express: the product gestalt can express product properties, such as
value, quality, lightness, softness, etc.;
• to signal: the product gestalt can trigger users to react in a specific way,
for example to be careful and to be precise in their work;
• to identify: the product gestalt can identify:
◦◦ product purpose, i.e. similarity, origin, nature and product area;
◦◦ connection with a system, brand, product family, product range, etc.
We can conclude that our research is rooted in the field of Product Semantics,
which provides us with the concepts that enable us to think and write about
product meaning. However, Product Semantics examines human-product
interactions from the perspective of the product. The last field of the design
literature that we explored was that of Human-Centered Design, an area
where the user and his or her experiences play a central role.
24
Literature Review
2.1.3. Human-Centered Design / Design and Emotion
It is a small step from Product Semantics to its counterpart, which is concerned

with human-product experiences and the emotional content of design. In
recent years the emotional impact of products on the positive side of the
acceptance spectrum has been widely studied and the aim of designers in
this field has been described as ‘designing pleasurable products’, ‘emotional
design’ or ‘experience design’.
Contemporary product development goes beyond finding innovative ideas

and designing well-shaped functional products. Consumption societies have
become oversaturated markets. According to the theory of product phases
(Eger, 2004) and as defined in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (Maslow, 1970),
the greater part of the population in western societies have their basic needs
fulfilled. Affective, emotional, social and other abstract product attributes
are becoming more important.
Marzano (1998) states that products can be seen as living objects with which
people have relationships. Products are objects that can make people happy
or angry, proud or ashamed, secure or anxious. Products can empower,
infuriate or delight - they have personality. People also have personalities,
accompanied by hopes, fears, dreams and aspirations. These are likely to
affect the way that people respond to and interact with products.
The focus on Human-Centered Design as a discipline within the field of

product development, anticipates on these changing user-product attitudes.
Redström (2006) aptly states: “If design used to be a matter of physical form,
its subject the material object, it now increasingly seems to be about users
and their experiences”. Different authors point to complementing ideas on
how to implement affect and emotion in product design (see figure 2.2).
Norman (2004) states that the emotional side of design might be more
critical to a product’s success than its practical elements. According to him,
a user-product interaction demonstrates three emotional processing levels:
the visceral level, the behavioral level and the reflective level. The visceral
level encompasses the first instinctive reaction to visual and other sensory
aspects of a product. It involves the sensory system and has no connection
with a reflection on the situation or interaction with the product. The second
level of cognitive processing is the behavioral level. This level is related to the
use of products and covers all interactions between the product and the user.
The reflective level can be seen as what the person ‘thinks’ of an object, and
is therefore strongly affected by conscious considerations and reflections on
past experiences. Although products should perform well on all three levels,
our research focuses on the visceral and reflective processing levels in the
human-product interaction.
25
Chapter 2
Jordan (1997), who is best known for his pleasure theory, refers to three types
of product benefits: hedonic benefits or sensory and aesthetic pleasures,
emotional benefits or effects on users’ emotions, and practical benefits that
result from the completion of tasks. His ‘four-pleasures’ model distinguishes
four ‘pleasures’ related to the use or possession of a product: physio-pleasure,
pleasures evoked by one or more of the five senses; psycho-pleasure, related
to people’s cognitive and emotional reactions; socio-pleasure, related to the
social relationships and communication that a product enables or disables;
and ideo-pleasures, related to people’s values, tastes and aspirations. The
desire to avoid stigmatization can be interpreted as a ‘social need’ pleasure
(Jordan, 2000).
Jordan (1996) also studies displeasure in product use. In one of his studies,
users were asked to select a product that was ‘displeasurable’ to them.
Users reported on the properties that made the product ‘displeasurable’
and the subsequent emotions and feelings that they aroused in them. Lack
of usability, poor performance, lack of reliability and poor aesthetics were
the main factors associated with ‘displeasurable’ products. Associated
feelings aroused were annoyance/irritation, anxiety/insecurity, contempt
and exasperation. It is important to understand that products themselves are
not ‘displeasurable’. The ‘displeasurable’ feelings and emotional responses
associated with the human-product interaction are our primary concern.
The assistive, protective and medical products addressed by our research
potentially elicit these ‘displeasurable’ emotional responses, and as such
we would like to put forward our research on ‘Product Stigmaticity’ as a
counterpart of pleasurable design.
In the same line of thought, Desmet (2002) commented on the parallels

between inter-human relationships and human-product relationships: ”Just
as there are different types of relationships between people, there are
different types of relationships between people and products. When we
use products, we experience complex social and emotional responses that
are no different from the responses we experience when we interact with
real people in the real world”. With their appraisal theory, Desmet and
Hekkert (2002) aim at understanding the process in which emotions towards
products are evoked on a cognitive level. In the appraisal process, prior to the
emotional reaction, people evaluate whether an object or event is beneficial
or harmful to one or several of their concerns. A pleasant emotion is elicited
when the stimulus is assessed as fulfilling one’s concerns, and an unpleasant
emotion when the stimulus is not beneficial or harmful. A particular emotion
towards a product is therefore always the combination of a stimulus and the
concerns and expectations of people.
Figure 2.2 illustrates similarities and differences between the various design-
models that we have considered when building our theory. At the basis of
most models we find factors that shape the human-product interaction. The
table is broken down into two sections. The top section describes aspects
26
Literature Review
related to the product stimulus components, or the levels on which the

product can impact the human-product interaction. The lower section
outlines the human goals that have to be met by the product.
Analyzing the models, it soon becomes clear that various authors regard
similar elements to be active in the human-product interaction process.
While examining the various models and their nuances, it is important to
realize that product-related stigma can impact on all levels presented in
figure 2.2. Stigma can arise from any product stimulus level and can have an
impact on any of the described human concerns.
This table provided us with the overview needed to select those theories that
were relevant for future reference. For our future framework we searched
for a model that could link the various product interaction components to
human concerns, or types of human appraisal. Because it distinguishes three
types of human appraisal that seamlessly link with three product stimulus
components, we selected the Appraisal Theory of Desmet and Hekkert
(2007) as a basis. Although other models do mention comparable aspects
and terms, our most important motif for selecting the appraisal theory is the
way in which it links human experiences to objects. In most design models,
the stimulus components or types of appraisal only relate to the experiences
of the user. In Chapter 4 we will expand the appraisal theory to include the
various contexts in which the interactions can be set. To fully apprehend
the human behavioral process, users (and influencing stakeholders) need
to be placed in their relation and interaction with products and in relation
to the ever-present context that shapes the final meaning-content of the
interaction.
27
Chapter 2
Information Value Affordance

Aspects related to product stimulus components
Product perspectives/ Aesthetics Function Interaction
Differentiations How does the product What is the product How does the user
look & feel? purpose? Product interact with the
benefits? product?
Product stimulus levels Perception Cognition Use
Behavioral sequences Sensing Meaning Acting

Krippendorff (2006)
Appraisal in relation Non instrumental Non-physical Instrumental
to product stimulus interaction interaction interaction
components (Desmet, component component component (use)
2002) (perceptions) (consequences)
Aspects related to human concerns

Types of product Hedonic benefits Emotional benefits Practical benefits
benefits Sensory and aesthetic Effects on user’s Result from the
(Jordan, 2000) pleasures emotions completion of tasks
Appraisal in relation to Sensory perception Cognitive Physical action

human concerns appraisal in view of interpretation appraisal in view of
(Desmet, 2002) human attitudes appraisal in view of goals
human standards
Design Goals Desirable Usable Useful

(Sanders, 1992) Aesthetically appealing Capacity to be Accomplishes what it
understood, learned & was designed for
utilized
Levels of Processing Visceral Reflective Behavioral

(Norman, 2004) Aesthetic and tactile Self-image, personal Effectiveness and ease
qualities satisfaction, memories of use
Figure 2.2. Similarities
between different design
models that point to
complementing ideas on
how to implement affect
and emotion in product
design.
28
Literature Review
2.2. Stigma in social psychology
Stigma is all about how people perceive one another; as such, it’s a concept
that belongs to the field of social psychology. As stated earlier, stigma is about
labeling people as ‘being different’, a condition that can be linked to race,
age, gender, bodily deformations, and accompanying people or products. We
chose the term ‘stigma’ because it refers to concepts such as stereotypes and
prejudice. People stereotype other people, just like products can stereotype
people. Likewise, the term stigma is employed to relate to symbols or marks
of shame, a quite literal link to our topic of product-related stigma.
Stigma also refers to people’s interpretation of something that usually does

not represent the truth. As such the term concurs with our research interest
in people’s subjective appreciation of product users and their stigma-eliciting
products. Social psychology provides us with a vast range of experiments
aimed at observing and measuring the essential components of stigma
processes.
The following review documents how stigma is conceptualized and defined,

examines the reasons why people are stigmatized, and concludes by
introducing identity threat perspectives as they are used in social psychology.
2.2.1. Conceptualizing stigma
In the last 10 years, interest in the concept of stigma has grown throughout the
social sciences and design research. Stigma is an important topic that bridges
many disciplines, including sociology, clinical psychology, social psychology,
and public health. In our literature review we discovered sociologists and
psychologists who have expanded on the definition of stigma and added
determining factors to the phenomenon of product-related stigma.
Numerous sources in the literature on stigma refer back to Goffman’s

definition (1963). He defined stigma as ‘an attribute or a mark that is deeply
discrediting’. He argues that, from a situation point of view, stigma is always
set in a specific socio-societal context where stigma-attributes discriminate
or discredit people and reduce their chances in life.
Goffman (1963) distinguishes three types of stigmatization, i.e. three types of

attributions or ‘marks’ that can lead to discreditation:
• ‘Tribal identities’: e.g. race, gender, religion, nationality, etc.;

• ‘Blemishes of individual character’: e.g. mental illness, addiction, history
of incarceration, etc.;
• ‘Abominations of the body’: e.g.; physical disabilities or deformities.
29
Chapter 2
Closely related to these categories of stigmatizing attributes three categories

of exclusion can be distinguished. In order to avoid the potential pitfalls that
accompany living in group, humans have developed cognitive adaptations
that cause them to exclude (stigmatize) people who possess, or are believed
to possess, certain attributes. Such attributes can give rise to one of these
three categories of exclusion:
• They can be a poor partner for social exchange (e.g., a convict);

• They might carry parasitic infection (e.g., a physical deformity);
• They are member of an out-group who can be exploited for in-group gain
(Kurzban & Leary 2001; see also Neuberg et al. 2000, Park et al. 2003).
These distinctions objectively display the three ‘faces’ of stigma. We believe

that product-related stigma can be added to this list, as it concerns situations
in which products generate negative marks in relation to their user. Goffman’s
(1963:59) phrase “stigma symbols are contrary to prestige symbols” easily
translates into “stigma-eliciting products are contrary to prestige products”.
Jones et al. (1984) define stigma as a ‘mark’ that links a person to undesirable
characteristics. If we place the term ‘mark’ in a design perspective and situate
it in a social context, it can refer to the semantic dimension of the stigma
process. The ‘mark’ can be seen as the product, the sign or symbol that is
communicated outwards, interpreted by others, and bestowed on its user. As
such the ‘mark’ becomes part of a person’s social identity.
Crocker et al. (1998) elaborate on Goffman’s theory and stress the importance
of the social context. They argue that “the single defining feature of social
stigma is that stigmatized individuals possess, or are believed to possess some
attribute, or characteristic, that conveys a social identity that is devalued in a
particular social context”. Furthermore, most stigma scholars regard stigma
as a social construction, i.e. a label attached by society and point to variability
across time and cultures in regard to which attributes, behaviors, or groups
are stigmatized (Crocker et al. 1998, Jones et al. 1984).
In all of these expansions of the stigma definition, the start of the process
seems to be sensory perception. The stigma stimulus needs to be ‘noticed’
before any attribution or appraisal can be made. Before the product is
noticed, it needs to be in the proximity of its user, in order for it to be linked to
its user. For this reason we can call them body-near stigma-eliciting products.
An invisible hearing aid will not attract people’s attention. Product-related
stigma only occurs when it is perceived by one of the senses. Visibility is an
important factor in the stigma experience and the interaction alters as soon
as an unfavorable product, linked to or in interaction with its user, becomes
visible to bystanders. Besides vision, other senses may also be triggered.
Sensory perceptions that can influence the product-related stigma process
relate to the smell, feel, sound and taste of the user and/or product e.g.
bad breathe, tactile feel of a prosthetic hand, or irritating product noises.
30
Literature Review
Product-related stigma has been addressed in social psychology, in relation

to the use and acceptance of assistive technology. Cioffi (2002) notes that
public use of assistive devices activates cognitive, social, and motivational
forces that align a person’s self-views with those of others. Apart from the
impact on its surroundings, stigmatized users can be confronted with a
heightened sense of attention and evaluation engendered by the apparent
use of their stigma-eliciting product. People who feel that they are under
greater scrutiny in social settings may feel that their behavior is more public
and that it potentially contrasts with strongly held collectivist cultural values.
This collectivism may be particularly problematic for Euro-Americans who
typically attach great value on independence and individualism (Cioffi, 2002).
This particular process of stigmatization can be exemplified with assistive

technology usage by people with acquired disabilities later in life, often
resulting in the abandonment of such devices (Brickfield, 1984; Luborsky,
1993; Zimmer & Chappell, 1999). For example, elderly people with disabilities
may choose not to use assistive technology that is not routinely used by the
general population, such as wheelchairs or walkers. Using these products
might communicate the message to others that they are vulnerable, or
create social barriers (Lebbon & Boess, 1998; Luborsky, 1993; Polgar, 2002).
By extension, people of any age can feel stigmatized by devices that signal
loss of function (Parette, 2004).
Up until now we have situated factors, attributions or marks that feed or

drive the stigma process. What happens in the next phase, when meaning is
attributed to that which is seen or sensed?
Leary and Schreindorfer (1998) present an answer to our question, stating

that “the essence of stigmatizing appears to be interpersonal disassociation”.
People are stigmatized to the extent that they possess ‘characteristics’ that
lead others to avoid, reject, or ban them. The referenced authors in this
paragraph describe the stigmatization process from the acting point of
view, as a process in which those who surround the individual project the
attributed characteristics.
We conclude by stating our working definition and frame the term ‘stigma’
as:
• …A perceivable ‘mark’, often visible

• …belonging to an individual or group of people
• …situated in a particular social context
• …that violates standards, and/or induces aversive emotions in others
• …and leads to interpersonal disassociation: rejection, avoidance, …
31
Chapter 2
Positive use of stigma
Stigma and product-related stigma is not always negatively perceived by the

stigmatized. Some subcultures use it to define themselves, either using the
stigma as a strong affirmation of cultural identity or as a reaction against
the mainstream. Subcultures that use stigma as a means of identification
and unification include any community that professes to be proud of their
stigmatized status, despite the negative connotation it may generally have,
e.g. Gay Pride, Black Empowerment Movement, etc. The stigma that is
rejected by the mainstream becomes appropriated as a badge of pride
(Stockton, 2009).
In the case of product-related stigma the wearer or user of a particular

stigma-eliciting product might purposely seek to be part of a stereotype that
is known to provoke or agitate societal standards. From the perspective of
these product users, their stigma, and the reactions they cause others to
have can actually be ‘enjoyed’. A heavily pierced person might be exemplary
of this. Certain political or religious symbols and extreme fashion can have a
comparable effect. However in this work we focus on the negative aspects
of stigma.
2.2.2. Identity threat perspectives in social psychology
Out of the numerous leads that we found in social psychology literature, we

focused on social stigma and its impact on a person’s identity. Major’s identity
threat theory (2005) provides a great starting point for building our theory.
The theory of Major defines stigma in terms of a person's 'social identity'
and the subsequent importance of specific social contexts. The model takes
a top-down perspective, from the stigmatizing bystanders and their cultural
influences, towards the stigmatized user. The model helps to explain the
tremendous variability across people, groups, and situations in responding
to stigma. Additionally, the identity threat theory of Major (2005) reveals
parallel context approaches in the social sciences that complement design
research literature. For all of these reasons, Major’s identity threat model
will be used as a stepping-stone to organize and review recent literature on
stigma.
Figure 2.3 exposes the different phases and elements of a social stigma and
its impact on an individual, describing the phenomena of stigma from an
insider's perspective. Major’s model demonstrates that the possession of a
consensually devalued social identity (a stigma) increases people’s exposure
to potentially stressful situations which can threaten the value of their
identity. As depicted in figure 2.3, the process starts from the situational
input variables that are imposed on individuals (A, B, and C), followed by how
they appraise that situation (box D), how they respond to the social stigma
(Boxes E and F); and the possible outcomes it has on them (box G).
32
Literature Review
Input Assessment Responses Consequences
A Belonging to:
Collective
representations D E G The stigmatizer - bystander / passer-by (A,B)
Identity Involuntary Outcomes
B threat
appraisals
Responses
The stigmatized - user / wearer (C,D,E,F,G)
Situational
cues F
Voluntary
C Responses
Personal
characteristics
Figure 2.3. The different Although it is not depicted, this model is recursive. Involuntary and voluntary
phases of a social stigma responses to identity threat may provide feedback that affects objective
process and its impact on
the individual’s identity.
circumstances as well as subjective appraisals of those circumstances. These
The elements belonging to may reduce or worsen the effects of stigma.
the stigmatizer are marked
in yellow, those belonging In figures 2.3 and 2.4 we marked elements in green and yellow. The yellow
to the stigmatized in
green. (Adapted from
elements belong to the realm of the stigmatizer. They are situated on the
Major (2005,) the identity input side of the model and are ‘projected’ onto the stigmatized. The green
threat model) elements in the model all refer to the stigmatized, in our case the product
user or wearer.
Note that a similar model could be drawn depicting the identity threats of the
bystanders that are present in the interaction. We will return to this insight
when we characterize the various types of appraisal. In the next paragraphs
we glance over the model from the perspective of the product user, the
stigmatized. We will expand on certain elements in the model and include
aspects that relate to the product.
Culture
The stigmatizer(s)
Figure 2.4. Schematic
representation of the
unprepared encounter that
we target in our research.
The elements on the right Bystanders
depict the contextual
elements present in the
immediate situation. The
situation comprises four
contextual elements:
The stigmatized
the user, the product,
bystanders, and culture. User Product User + product
33
Chapter 2
Input variables
Major (2005) defines three context specific input factors that potentially
lead to an identity threatening or stigmatizing situation (boxes A, B and C in
figure 2.3). These input variables will determine whether a person will judge
a situation to be socially threatening.
• Collective representations (box A) are shared cultural understandings

and beliefs. They include how people of a specific social group think about
themselves in their society. Collective representations can also apply to
symbols or products that have a commonly shared meaning for members of
a social group or culture. Because they are widely known and shared in the
culture, and among the stigmatized, collective representations may create
what Claude Steele (1997) calls “a threat in the air”. They can affect the
behavior of the stigmatized in the absence of obvious forms of discriminatory
behavior on the part of others, and even when no other person is present in
the immediate situation (see Crocker, 1998, for a similar line of reasoning).
• Immediate situational cues (box B) are structured situations that signal
that one is at risk of being devalued, negatively stereotyped or discriminated
against because of one’s social identity. These cues are often provided by
people who are present in the immediate social interaction, such as groups,
bystanders and passers-by. They can range from blatant remarks or deviant
behavior to subtle behavioral or attitudinal responses.
• Personal characteristics (box C). Personal characteristics strongly
influence how situations are perceived and appraised by the individual.
These personal characteristics are shaped by the individual’s past experience,
through exposure and understanding. They include aspects such as
personality, background, individual norms and values, skills, etc. Influencing
factors include:
◦◦ what individuals think most bystanders think about them and their
product;
◦◦ how individuals believe society views them personally or because
they use or possess a product;
◦◦ the stereotype awareness: how individuals recognize the general
public’s negative view on them and their product;
◦◦ the stereotype agreement: how individuals endorse the same
stereotypes perceived to be common in the general public.
Assessment / Appraisal
Identity threat (box D) results when individuals appraise the demands from
the input variables as potentially harmful to their social identity, and as
exceeding their resources to cope with those demands. The appraisal results
from an interaction between the input variables mentioned in the previous
paragraph:
34
Literature Review
• The perceived cues in the immediate situation. These cues can be affective
(human related) or semantic (product related).
• The collective representations that the individual brings to that situation.
• The individual’s personal characteristics.
The stigmatized is not always consciously aware of this phase, i.e. the
appraisal process can be automatic, nonverbal, instantaneous, and occur
outside of consciousness (Smith 1991).
Responses
When a situation is appraised as harmful, the stigmatized can respond in two

ways. Involuntary responses (box E) are stress, anxiety, increased vigilance,
and working memory load. The stigmatized can also react with voluntary
responses (box F), such as coping efforts. With these coping efforts the
stigmatized actively responds to the stigma and attempts to overcome it.
Outcomes
Both responses are followed by the long-term outcomes (box G) of those

responses. Important outcomes of a product-related stigmatization process
can be lowered self-esteem, loss of status and reduced social interaction.
These could in return be reflected in physiological outcomes such as stress
and increased blood pressure.
The model clearly demonstrates that stigma is a relational process involving

at least two actors: one who inflicts the stigma (the stigmatizer) and one who
receives the stigma (the stigmatized). The primary focus of Major’s model is
on the experience of the stigmatized: how they understand and interpret their
stigmatization, how they cope with it, and how it affects their psychological
well being, cognitive functioning, and interactions with non-stigmatized
individuals. Our research does address the experiences of the stigmatized,
but focuses primarily on the discrediting perceptions, attitudes and behaviors
of ‘the stigmatizers’. As such we focus on the input variables at the start of
the stigmatization process and the appraisal or assessment of the human-
product interaction.
We focus our efforts on this part of the process in an attempt to solve the
product-related stigma at the (semantic) source and to make symptomatic
curing or coping with stigma at the target side obsolete. By approaching
the threatening input variables with the appropriate design interventions,
the designer can have an impact on the product-related stigma process and
lower or terminate product stigma attribution before or during the appraisal
phase.
35
Chapter 2
A second focus is placed on the content side. From the different types of
stigma we focus on product-related stigma and not existential, sociological
or physical stigma (see Goffman 1963). It is not because we narrowed our
scope towards one actor and product-related stigma that we brush aside the
valuable insights brought by the overall process. In the next paragraphs we
describe how the perceptions, attitudes and behaviors of both the stigmatizer
and stigmatized are shaped.
36
Literature Review
2.3. Stigma and ‘the stigmatized’
2.3.1. Perceptual factors experienced by the stigmatized
Perceptual are those factors that the stigmatized takes in with one of the
senses. Users of a stigma-sensitive product might observe or hear overt
reactions of bystanders. A laugh or a frown, audible remarks and even
the physical discomfort of their surroundings. Other obvious perceptual
elements that the stigmatized could be confronted with are signals that urge
for a specific dress code.
The discomfort experienced when a person enters our personal space is

something most people can identify with. In a conversation with a stranger, it
is immediately sensed when this person is standing to close. It makes us feel
uncomfortable. The same holds for a bystander who consciously maintains a
distance from us that we feel is too large.
People also have the tendency to adjust their behavior around users of
assistive and medical products. As noted by Brookes (1998): “Assistive devices
become a signal because the sight of a person using assistive technology
sends a message that this is not an ordinary person and that one needs to
behave differently around this person”.
2.3.2. Meaning factors experienced by the stigmatized
When users of stigma-eliciting products are faced with overt reactions

from bystanders, it touches them emotionally, resulting in feelings of
embarrassment or shame, making them socially insecure. A person’s self-
esteem and self-image are developed across time and through interactions
with others (Crocker & Quinn, 2002). The use of a stigma-eliciting product
may impact those interactions and consequently contribute to a person’s
self-image. This lowered self-image can be spotted by others, leading to
exclusion by those others and even to self-exclusion.
How individuals feel about themselves when using a stigma-sensitive product

is intimately tied to their self-image. In return, self-image also relates to the
degree to which people will reach out to others, initiate relationships, and
ultimately participate or withdraw socially. When people are not involved in
social relationships, it is difficult to form a sense of acceptable social behavior,
possibly leading to isolation (Scherer, 2003).
37
Chapter 2
Self-stigma versus public stigma
Self-stigma often begins when a person becomes aware of other people’s

reactions.
When a person agrees with and internalizes these undesired social reactions
and stereotypes, he or she is likely to feel the pain of self-stigma. As such,
self-stigma is the private face of stigma and connects with the shame, anxiety
and lowered self-esteem of the stigmatized himself. Once the public or social
stereotypes are internalized, self-stigma tends to affect the stigmatized in
three ways (Corrigan & Watson, 2002):
• they often think that their condition is a sign of weakness or incompetence,

• they develop feelings of low self-esteem,
• they anticipate discrimination, even in the absence of overt reactions,
and in order to protect themselves they often limit social interactions.
In fighting self-stigma, the stigmatized can challenge his or her assumptions

about his or her capabilities and not listen to internal stereotypes.
Stigma appraisal
When people use products, they experience complex social and emotional
responses that are no different from the responses they experience when
interacting with real people in the real world (Desmet, 2002). The central
idea of stigma appraisal is that events are appraised for their significance for
one’s well-being. Subsequently, the outcome of this appraisal process directs
affective, cognitive, behavioral, and physiological responses to that event
(Smith 1991).
Literature in social psychology refers to two types of appraisal: primary and

second appraisal. To avoid the discussion about the order or importance
suggested by this separation, we would like to reformulate these appraisal
judgments by relating to two aspects: value and arousal. The designer can
address both.
Value appraisal focuses on whether a product, event, or experience helps

to achieve an individual’s goals. As such, it targets the value of an object or
situation for the individual. A product or situation can be good or bad, or
somewhere in between.
In the case of stigma, the value appraisal can assess the demands posed by
a stigmatizer. The stigmatized evaluates the extent to which these demands
are perceived as self-relevant, dangerous, or effortful, and if they create
uncertainty. Unconsciously users of assistive devices can appraise pleasant
products or reactions as good and unpleasant products or reactions as
38
Literature Review
bad. Consciously however they may realize that a painful or uncomfortable

assistive device, such as their prosthetic leg, is valuable and beneficial to
them.
The arousal appraisal focuses on the level of ‘arousal’ that a product or

situation might engender. In this process individuals assess whether they
have the necessary internal and external resources to address a situation,
object, or experience (Manstead & Fisher, 2001). Arousal can be described
as a level of stimulation and is the physiological dimension of emotion. Our
physical state (rest or relaxation versus stress or anxiety) largely determines
how intensely we experience feelings of pleasure or pain (van Gorp, 2006).
High levels of physical and mental stimulation amplify the value of an
experience, whether it’s good or bad. Low levels of stimulation decrease
the intensity. Later on in the human-product interaction, value will affect
approach (i.e. pleasure) versus avoidance (i.e. pain), whereas arousal will
affect how motivated we are to approach or avoid.
The appraisal theory (Desmet and Hekkert, 2007) suggests that we make
appraisals when we evaluate a product against the concerns we have. The
result is an emotional response (Desmet, 2002). On the negative side of the
emotional spectrum, for example, threat or anxiety can be the result when
the demands of a (self-relevant) situation are appraised as exceeding one’s
perceived resources to meet those demands.
Additionally, appraisals of the same object or situation may elicit different

emotional reactions at different times. Users of hearing aids might be
disturbed and ashamed of their device during a private diner, but appreciative
of it during a rock concert, when the volume can be turned down.
Figure 2.5. The appraisal Value Arousal

process and its focus on appraisal appraisal
value and arousal.
human
concerns
Appraisal Emotion
product User
stimulus
Bystanders
Culture
39
Chapter 2
The above-mentioned appraisals, followed by the appropriate emotions

will affect how we plan to interact with products, and the perceptions and
outcomes that surround those interactions (Forlizzi & Batterbee, 2004).
Our research has adopted the appraisal theory (Desmet and Hekkert, 2007)
as one of its cornerstones. As suggested earlier, the appraisals of users of
stigma-eliciting products can be strongly influenced by the appraisals of
bystanders. Even a society or culture can have its appraisals, where collective
concerns are balanced with product stimuli. In our attempt to influence the
appraisal processes of all stakeholders involved, we focus our efforts on the
left part of the appraisal theory, depicted in figure 2.5. By avoiding appraisals
leading to negative value and enforcing positive value attribution, stigma-
free product design should strive to decrease product-related stigma in the
value appraisal phase.
2.3.3. Behavioral reactions of the stigmatized
As a result of a harmful product-related stigma situation, which exceeds

the competence to deal with the situation, the stigmatized can exhibit
voluntary or involuntary responses. Although the emotional and behavioral
responses to stigma may be complex, a basic underlying dimension of both
emotions and behaviors is one of approach and avoidance (Bargh, 1997;
Cacioppo, Priester & Berntson, 1993; Neumann & Strack, 2000). An intimate
psychological link exists between positive–negative feelings and approach–
avoidance tendencies. These understandings suggest that positive emotions
may stimulate users to approach a product, whereas negative emotion can
be linked to the tendency to avoid a product. In paragraph 2.4.3, where the
behavioral reactions of the stigmatizer are described, these reactions will be
treated in more detail.
Involuntary responses to stigma
As stated earlier, important outcomes of a stigmatization process can be a

distorted self-image and resulting poor self-esteem, loss of status, reduced
or disrupted social interaction, person avoidance, anxiety, and depression
(Crandall & Coleman, 1992). These could in return be reflected in involuntary
physiological responses. Social psychologists describe these involuntary
responses to the identity threat resulting from stigma as:
• Anxiety (Spencer et al. 1999) and Anxiety in the absence of self-reported

anxiety (Blascovich et al. 2001, Bosson et al. 2004);
• Arousal (Ben-Zeev et al. 2004);
• Increased blood pressure (Blascovich et al. 2001);
• Identity threat consuming valuable cognitive resources (Klein & Boals
2001);
• Identity threat engendering automatic vigilance to threat-related stimuli.
40
Literature Review
The involuntary responses of the stigmatized, resulting from product-related

stigma, are not explicitly addressed in our research. Many of the involuntary
physical responses result from people feeling frightened, fearful, disgusted,
frustrated, and nervous. As such, our stigma-free design approach does
acknowledge the importance of avoiding involuntary responses such as
anxiety.
Avoiding arousal however can be either beneficial or harmful. The term
arousal is often used as a concept that closely relates to anxiety, attention,
agitation and motivation. Products or situations that elicit high levels of
arousal can be beneficial in that they increase motivation and make a user
more focused. Too much arousal, however, can be overwhelming, causing
a drop in performance and motivation. As such, situations or products that
are valued as both unpleasant and eliciting high levels of arousal can lead to
‘negative’ stress, anxiety, increased blood pressure and so forth.
Voluntary responses to stigma (Coping strategies)
The stigmatized can also respond in a voluntary manner. In an active response

to stigma, people can manage or cope with discreditable information about
themselves. For example, a woman could perceive herself as a potential
target of sexism, yet not appraise this as a threat if she feels she has more
than sufficient coping resources to meet the demand (Kaiser et al. 2004a).
There can be various reasons why she is able to cope with this situation:
because she has the mental resources to do so, the ability to limit exposure
to those who are prejudiced, a strong group identity, or she is endowed with
a dispositional optimism.
As evidenced by this example, people can cope with stigma-induced identity

threat in a variety of ways. Social psychology defines two categories of coping
strategies:
• Primarily problem focused, e.g. when an overweight person decides to

go on a diet;
• Primarily emotion focused, e.g. restricting one’s comparisons to others
who are also overweight;
• Some strategies may serve both goals, e.g. to avoid wearing a bathing
suit.
As voluntary responses to stigma, coping strategies are a fundamental

part of our stigma-free design approach. Coping strategies can be qualified
as engagement strategies and are characterized by an approach or fight
motivation. They are the opposite of disengagement strategies, which reflect
avoid or flight motivation (Miller 2004, Miller & Kaiser 2001). Coping strategies
are initiated by the stigmatized and can help them to counter product-related
stigma in ways that suit their personality. Some might choose for discretion
whereas others might decide to actively and overtly challenge any negative
attribution.
41
Chapter 2
Concealment and avoidance versus social activism
Social psychologists (Siegel et al., 1998) have placed stigma coping strategies
on a ‘reactive–proactive continuum’, ranging from concealment and
avoidance to social activism (figure 2.6).
Reactive strategies include: concealment, avoidance or withdrawal, and

selective disclosure, i.e. informing only those people who the stigmatized
believes will be supportive. There are several concealment strategies that
have the potential to counter product-related stigma. Stigmatized product
users have several options to conceal their human-product identity. By using
skin-colored prosthetics, users choose to camouflage or conceal their device.
Limited social participation or social exposure in the presence of the product
concealment
avoidance public education
withdrawal Limited social exposure social activism
Reactive Intermediate Proactive

strategies strategies strategies
is another way to avoid the stress associated with the use of a stigma-eliciting Figure 2.6. The continuum
product. of coping strategies.
Intermediate strategies can consist of gradual disclosure, selective affiliation,

discrediting stigmatizers, and challenging moral attributions. Intermediate
strategies that can counter product-related stigma include interventions that
empower the stigmatized to actively challenge the stigma. With products
or interventions that boost social skills, for example, the stigmatized can
become visually or verbally more assertive and compensate or anticipate
negative remarks.
Proactive strategies include: precautionary disclosure (i.e. telling someone

before they find out from someone else), public education, and social
activism. As a response to product-related stigma, proactive strategies can
aim to produce fundamental changes in cultural attitudes and beliefs towards
certain products or user-groups. Social activism, for example, involves
confronting the stigma by challenging its validity. All social activism strategies
involve some form of ‘coming out’ of stigmatized individuals who wish to
openly denounce the stigma in the hope of changing public perceptions of the
group and how the group is treated in society (Darling 2003; Gill 1997; Sayce
2000; Siegel et al. 1998; White 2001). Likewise, even individual activism can
be an option. By wearing a t-shirt with a bold print, users of assistive devices
can transform their identity into a positive and viable self-image. A benefit
of social activism over strategies such as concealment and withdrawal is that
improvements in the interaction will spill over across a variety of situations
and improve the lives of other similarly stigmatized people (Major et al.
2000).
42
Literature Review
The coping strategy that a stigmatized person uses has been linked to
psychological and behavioral outcomes. Link et al. (1991, 2002) found that
the use of reactive and defensive coping strategies were harmful in terms of
psychological well-being. In contrast, Shih (2004: 175) argues that overcoming
the hardship associated with stigma can be experienced as an empowering
process. This insight supports growing evidence that proactive strategies
are indeed related to more positive outcomes. Jones et al. (1984: 132), for
example, argue that the self-esteem of the stigmatized will increase as they
come to view themselves as other than helpless, dependent, and worthless.
Peer support
Through peer support, the stigmatized can 'reach back' and help other
similarly stigmatized people. Initiatives of this kind are found in mutual aid
organizations, self-help groups, and informal mentoring and they are often
accomplished by sharing experiences, strength, and hope with others. In this
role the stigmatized can become a role model and mentor. An ‘experienced’
prosthetics user, for example, can help others who are less far in the process
of acceptance or mobility. As such, stigmatized individuals can become
recognized as providers of help and support and not merely as receivers of
help.
Various coping strategies that originate from research in social psychology

have proven to be inspirational for the design interventions suggested in
the PIMS (Product Intervention Model for Stigma), presented in Chapter 5.
Even though our destigmatizing approach often strives for emotion-focused
interventions, problem-focused interventions and mixed approaches might
strengthen the overall impact.
The entire continuum of coping strategies, from reactive to proactive has

proven its value. The specific situational context, along with the personal or
group characteristics of the stigmatized, largely determines which strategies
will be most advantageous. Social psychology literature indicates that
stigmatized people can use reactive and proactive strategies in different parts
of their social networks at the same point in time (e.g. Schneider and Conrad
1980; Siegel et al. 1998). In the same line of thought, reactive and proactive
product-related coping strategies often collaborate to achieve the desired
outcome in different situations or contexts.
Furthermore, over time, the stigmatized may progress from the use of one
strategy to another. For example, the stigmatized may employ reactive
strategies (e.g. concealment) early on in their ‘stigma career’ and then move
toward the use of proactive strategies, e.g. social activism, over time (Darling
2003; Fine and Asch 1988; Herman 1993; Siegel et al. 1998).
43
Chapter 2
In Chapter 5 we will elaborate on this topic and present a set of design

interventions inspired by reactive and proactive coping strategies and geared
towards the product, its user and collective cultural influencers.
Are the outcomes as radical for product-related stigma as they are for social
stigma? (Self-esteem, stress, acceptance)
Figure 2.7. Riam Dean and
A law student with a prosthetic arm her prosthetic arm.
(Riam Dean, 22) was forced to work in
the storeroom of the clothing retailer
Abercrombie & Fitch because she did not
comply with the company’s strict “looks
policy”. Miss Dean told the central London
tribunal that she felt “humiliated” and
“questioned her worth as a human being”
before quitting her job. She said that she
“wasn’t the same person,” adding “I didn’t
want to socialize. If I did go outside the
family home I felt so self-conscious I would
cover up and wear long cardigans despite
it being summer”.
44
Literature Review
2.4. Stigma and ‘the stigmatizer’
A stigmatizer can be anybody who witnesses a human interaction involving

social stigma, or a human-product interaction involving product-related
stigma. The most obvious stigmatizer is the bystander or passer-by who is in
the visual (perceptive) range of the stigmatized. A less personifiable stigma-
tizer is molded in the cultural context. The norms and values that are active in
a culture will influence bystanders. Referred to as ‘collective representations’
in the literature, these norms and values affect the stigmatized, even in the
physical absence of bystanders. When individuals walk around with political
symbols that are viewed as culturally inappropriate, they might feel nervous,
vulnerable or threatened even when no other people are around. In the next
paragraphs we will address the stigmatization process as experienced by the
stigmatizers. Insights were gathered from literature in social psychology and
design research and they address the perceptive, meaning, and behavioral
factors of the stigmatizer.
2.4.1. Perceptual factors describing the stigmatizer
Perceiving stigma as visible versus concealable
As stated earlier, visibility is an important factor in stigma experience. The

stigma has to be available for perception, draw attention, and subsequently
break up the coherent image of the user (Goffman 1963:59 and 124). The
‘mark’ that triggers the stigma process can be visible or concealable, a
distinction that is applicable to both social stigma and product-related
stigma. Goffman (1963) asserts that having a highly visible stigma, such as a
large birthmark or a perceptible stigma-sensitive product, can cause a person
to be 'discredited'. In situations in which the stigma can be concealed the
person is merely viewed as 'discreditable'. A ‘discredited’ person is someone
who has unjustly been rejected and suffers loss of or damage to his or her
reputation. ‘Discreditable’ merely expresses the tendency to bring discredit
or harm to someone’s reputation. Examples of cases in which stigma can
be concealed include mental illness, HIV/AIDS and a prosthesis that can be
covered by clothing. Sensory perception goes beyond visual perception and
can be extended to all physical senses: hearing, taste, smell, and touch. The
unfavorable sensory aspects can be allocated to both stigmatized individuals
and their products: the individual’s bad odor, sweat, or irritating voice, or a
product’s uncomfortable feel, scent, taste or sound. Our research addresses
cases of product-related stigma in which the product is visible and clearly
linked to its user. Concealment of the product will be considered as a viable
strategy to reduce the stigma-eliciting impact of a product.
45
Chapter 2
Perceiving stigma as achieved versus existential
Next to being visible versus concealable, a stigma can be perceived as

achieved or controllable versus existential or accidental. Based on their
perception and appraisal, stigmatizers may display two types of emotions
and reactions when confronted with a user of a stigma-eliciting product.
Either users are viewed as responsible and blameworthy for their actions,
or as irresponsible, accompanied by appropriate feelings of sympathy or
compassion. Based on this ‘cause’ of stigma, Falk (2001) differentiated two
types of stigmatizing conditions: ‘existential stigma’ (e.g. mental illness,
race, etc.) where people did not cause or have little control over the stigma;
and ‘achieved stigma’ (e.g. obesity, AIDS, etc.) where people have brought
about a stigma because of their conduct and/or because they contributed to
attaining it (e.g. prisoners).
Stigma-eliciting products that can be linked to an existential stigma condition

include wheelchairs, crutches, or obliged protective devices. Many of these
products are used involuntarily and are often indispensible to their users.
Products such as piercings, extreme fashion and political symbols, can
engender an achieved stigmatic condition. In some cases the users of such
products conscientiously seek to be a part of a stereotype that is known to
provoke or agitate cultural standards. From the perspective of these users,
their stigma, and any reactions they cause others to have might actually be
‘enjoyed’.
In general, individuals in the ‘achieved stigmatic condition’ are perceived

as more responsible and blameworthy for their condition. Consequently,
bystanders are more likely to respond to them, and the group more generally,
with hostility and avoidance and are less likely to pity or help them (Corrigan,
Markowitz et al. 2003; Weiner et al. 1988).
Perceiving multiple stigmas
Some people are members of several stigmatized groups simultaneously.

For example, a formerly incarcerated person stated that ”I am an outcast
four times over: ex-convict, ex-junkie, black, and HIV-positive” (Wynn 2001,
17). Multiple stigmas are also relevant for product-related stigma. Additional
their stigma-eliciting product, users can be faced with stigmas that may
be more important, including economic circumstances (poverty), physical
disability, race, and/or gender. Consequently, it is important for designers to
check for multiple or simultaneous stigmas that users may have to live with.
In addition, designers need to be aware that their solutions do not worsen
the problems of users that already face multiple stigmas.
46
Literature Review
2.4.2. Meaning factors describing the stigmatizer
Once stigmatizers perceive the ‘stigma mark’ on the stigmatized, meaning

will be attributed to what is perceived. Just like users assess the relevance of
an object or situation for their well-being, so do bystanders. After the sensory
perception, stigmatizers or bystanders initiate their specific appraisal of a
situation. The appraisal process of stigmatizers is also guided by emotional
affects. Negative affects will trigger higher levels of arousal, promoting focus
of the mind and a body that is ready to take action (Norman, 2004).
An important factor in this ‘meaning construction’ is the presence of

stereotyping content in the stigmatizer (Fiske 2002). People can hold both
unflattering and flattering ‘stereotypical images’ of certain groups. Some
stereotyped groups are disrespected as incapable and useless (e.g. elderly
people), whereas others are respected for excessive, threatening competence
(e.g. Asians). Some stereotyped groups are liked as sweet and harmless (e.g.
housewives), whereas others are disliked as cold and inhuman (e.g. rich
people). These differences can also matter to users and their stigma-eliciting
products.
The social image of a person is closely related to his or her social status, or
how a person is regarded by others. Others will view any product used by
an individual as a symbol of status for that individual. Social status involves
both material and cultural status (Jordan, 2000) and can be ascribed due to
age, gender, race, state of health, and achieved through accomplishment.
Material status is often linked to products that belong to expensive brands,
radiating material wealth. Material status can also be achieved by using
products that have become prestige items through comparison, like using
the first smartphone in a world of flip phones. Having the appropriate taste
or knowing which products are fitting or fashionable in a cultural group
confers cultural status (Jordan, 2000). The maintenance of cultural status can
also involve minimizing the stigma involved in dealing with a stigma-eliciting
product or medical condition.
The emotions and responses of the stigmatizer are based on the social
dimensions of warmth and competence
As stated earlier, the emotions and reactions of stigmatizers are often

influenced by stereotypes. Stereotypes can be understood as thoughts or
beliefs that stigmatizers adopt about specific types of individuals or groups.
These stereotypes can refer to people and products and may or may not
accurately reflect reality. The contents of stereotypes come and go with the
winds of social pressures, but do correspond to certain principles.
Fiske (2002) argues that two dimensions, warmth and competence, can
capture stereotypes. The warmth dimension reflects people’s friendliness
and the competence dimensions their ability. Fiske states that people who
47
Chapter 2
are perceived as warm and competent elicit uniformly positive emotions and
behavior. Different combinations of these dimensions will result in unique
intergroup emotions and reactions (see figure 2.8). Older and disabled
people combine the positive stereotype of warmth in one dimension with
the negative stereotype of low competence in the other dimension. As such
they are perceived by their surroundings as a dependent, non-competitive
group. According to the model the resulting emotion in bystanders will
be pity, accompanied by active helping and passive neglect. For example
institutionalized older and disabled people in our society get support but are
quite often socially isolated. The envied groups elicit passive association and
active harm. For example neighbors might shop at stores of entrepreneurial
foreigners (outsiders) but under societal breakdown these shops might be
attacked and looted.
High Pity, sympathy Admiration,

Figure 2.8. Four
combinations of status
paternalistic prejudice high status, not competitive and competition, and the
low status, not competitive pride, admiration corresponding forms of
prejudice as a function
of perceived warmth and
competence.
elderly, in-group members,
disabled people, close allies
Warmth
housewives
Contempt, disgust, anger, Envy, jealousy,

resentment envious prejudice,
contemptuous prejudice, high status, competitive
low status, competitive
welfare recipients, Asians, Jews, rich people,

poor people feminists
Low
Low Competence High
Stereotyping people along these two dimensions may be functional; in

order to survive, people need to know who is a friend or a foe (warmth)
and who has higher status (competence). Both dimensions relate to two
basic survival questions that we process prior to a human interaction. First
and foremost, we try to evaluate whether the other intends harm or help
(Warmth). Secondarily, we assess if the other has the ability to enact those
intentions (Competence). Eliciting warmth is vital in order to proceed to the
dimension of competence. The warmth dimension captures personal traits
that are related to perceived intent, including friendliness, helpfulness,
48
Literature Review
sincerity, trustworthiness and morality. Being primary, the warmth dimension

predicts active behaviors: active facilitation (helping) versus active harming
(attacking). The competence dimension reflects personal traits that are
related to perceived ability, including intelligence, skill, creativity and efficacy.
Being secondary, the competence dimension predicts passive behaviors:
passive facilitation (association) and passive harm (neglect) (figure 2.9).
Stigma expressed in the dimensions of social cognition (warmth &

competence)
Stigmatized groups tend to be negatively stereotyped in the dimensions of

competence and/or warmth in most cultures (Fiske 1998). Social psychology
researchers have demonstrated that the perception of disability, including
the use of assistive technology, clearly elicits pity, compassion, and desires to
be helpful, but that it also elicits distinctly negative and antisocial reactions
as well. These negative reactions are evident in emotions such as disgust and
anxiety, in attitudes and judgments such as the tendency to blame individuals
for their disabling conditions (Ryan, 1971), and in a host of subtle and not-so-
subtle nonverbal forms of behavior, such as the tendency to physically avoid
contact with the disabled individual (Snyder et al., 1979).
An important factor in stigma experience is the power or dominance that is

felt by the stigmatizer towards the stigmatized. Link and Phelan (2001) state
that in these power situations elements of stereotyping, labeling, separation,
status loss and discrimination more easily occur. Corrigan and Watson (2002),
Figure 2.9. BIAS map:

schematic representation High Active
of behaviors from
intergroup affect and facilitation
Ad
stereotypes. The red

ty
m
Pi
arrows represent emotions

ira
and the blue arrows

tio
n
represent behaviors
(Cuddy et al., 2007).
Warmth
Passive Passive
harm facilitation
C
on
vy
te
En
m
Active
pt
Low harm
Low Competence High
49
Chapter 2
for example, describe attitudinal factors that stereotype people with mental
illness as dangerous and unpredictable.
Attitudinal pressure from stigmatizers towards the stigmatized has also been
signaled in relation to the use of assistive technology. The following example
implies that the stigmatizer can even be a family member. A person with a
disability may be excited about using assistive technology, but even then, it
has been suggested, stigma associated with choices made by the families of
school-age students with disabilities to not implement assistive devices due
to perceived increased visibility or attention received if these children were
to use these devices in public settings (Brooks, 1998; Smith-Lewis, 1992).
We advocate that the dimensions described in Fiske’s model can be

extended to describe the combined impact of users and their products. The
dimensions could be used to assess whether product proposals are capable
of semantically enhancing the stereotypes that shape the social image of
users and their product.
In design research and practice the warmth dimension is often unintentionally

used when designers create ‘personas’. Personas are used to represent a
specific user group. Personas are based on research and described in a visual
narrative form or through empathic role-play. When personas are created,
designers need to be aware that they need to send out enough ‘warmth’, so
that people can relate and empathize with the depicted target group.
Personality traits versus product personality traits
Design research literature reveals valuable parallels with the dimensions of

social cognition and its usefulness in assessing the combined influence of
user and product on bystanders. Jordan (2000:7) describes products as “living
objects with which people have relationships” rather than mere instruments.
Stigmatizers can feel a wide range of emotions when they interact with
product users. Additionally they will ascribe a wide variety of meanings
to those emotions. A construction worker with a safety helmet might be
associated with ‘control’ or ‘confidence’, whereas a white respiratory mask in
a public setting might be associated with ‘fear’ or ‘contamination’.
Just like we evaluate and stereotype people, we automatically and

unconsciously perceive emotion in the form and content of things. Social
psychologists refer to ‘personality traits’ in people, whereas product designers
refer to ‘product personality traits’. In relationships with other people,
personality traits are an important part of attraction and conversation. They
help us determine who we like and what we expect from those we encounter.
50
Literature Review
Users and bystanders will judge the personality of a product based on the
same markers and criteria that they use to judge the personality of other
people. In this respect, perceived personalities in products are no different
(van Gorp, 2011).
When users or bystanders judge product personality traits, a semantic

distinction can be made between traits that are dominant versus submissive
and friendly versus unfriendly. As such, the friendly versus unfriendly traits
can be used to communicate how friendly the product is. This continuum
strongly correlates with the warmth dimension described by Fiske. Similarly,
the dominant versus submissive product personality traits will convey the
level of dominance, which strongly relates to Fiske’s competence dimension.
Dominant product personality traits will engender high arousal and can be
achieved through visual elements such as angular and straight shapes, heavy
and robust looks. Submissive product personality traits will engender low
arousal and can be achieved through curved and round shapes, lightweight
and delicate looks. Dominant tactile qualities include rough and hard surfaces,
whereas submissive tactile qualities include smooth and soft surfaces.
Auditory product personality traits for a dominant product are often louder
with a deeper pitch, whereas submissive auditory product personality traits
are quieter and higher in pitch. (van Gorp, 2011).
Figure 2.10. From left to Figure 2.10 shows three wheelchairs exhibiting distinct product personality
right: a rugby wheelchair, traits. The chair on the left is used in wheelchair rugby and is designed to
a neutral wheelchair, and
the wheelchair by Eva
withstand heavy impacts. Aggressive bumpers and wheels help to strike
Dijkhuis. and hold opponents, generating an overall ‘unfriendly’ image. The rugby
wheelchair clearly radiates a dominant product personality. The green
wheelchair in the middle is endowed with a submissive product personality.
Its friendly visual features and colours give it a sociable and soft image. The
third wheelchair is designed by IDE student Eva Dijkhuis (2006). Wheelchairs
for children are often scaled down versions of adult wheelchairs, painted in a
bright colour. With its central bumper, thick tires and energetic looks inspired
by a mountainbike, Eva’s wheelchair aims to facilitate and stimulate playful
behavior. The chair manages to match product and user personality traits,
supporting the child’s aspirations towards being playful and independent.
51
Chapter 2
Next to the visual aspects of a product, product intelligence (or competence)

can also be expressed by how well something functions and how easy it is to
communicate and interact with. Intelligence, resulting in competence, can
also be communicated through the features or capabilities of a product.
To illustrate the impact of the social product appraisal of bystanders and their
resulting behavior, we selected the example of the Tweenbot by Kacie Kinzer
(2009) (figure 2.11). The Tweenbot is a small and friendly-looking robot that
is equipped with a flag displaying its destination. Able to move only in a
straight line at a constant speed, it bumps into all kinds of trouble. With its
friendly looks the robot overcame challenges and obstacles, thanks to the
pity, kindness and active facilitation of bystanders and passers-by.
Figure 2.11. Tweenbot by
Collective meaning factors influencing the stigmatizer Kacie Kinzer (2009)
The stigma stereotypes are conditioned by a broader and collectively shared

regulator that influences the subjective perceptions and attributions of
individual stigmatizers, bystanders or groups of bystanders. Major (2005)
describes these as collective representations. In contrast to the stereotypes
of individuals, these representations articulate and embody the collective
beliefs, sentiments, and values of a social group or an entire society. If these
broadly shared attitudes are negative, they appear to be deeply entrenched
and resistant to change. Phelan et al. (2000) have found that negative
attitudes toward persons with mental illness have not substantially declined
between 1950 and 1996, and in some respects have increased.
Risk of contamination
A collective representation that is frequently linked to medical products

is the risk of contamination. Social psychology has studied links between
evolutionary mechanisms of disease avoidance and prejudices against
individuals with physical disabilities. Because abnormal physical features
are often accompanied by contagious diseases, humans plausibly developed
52
Literature Review
psychological mechanisms that respond to the perception of these features.

This disease-avoidance system triggers specific emotions (disgust, anxiety),
cognitions (negative attitudes), and behaviors (avoidance). Additionally, the
system is over-inclusive: abnormal features that are not related to a disease,
such as a limb amputation due to an accident, may also activate it. This
disease-avoidance system partly clarifies prejudicial attitudes and behaviors
directed toward people with disabilities (Park, Faulkner & Schaller, 2003).
2.4.3. Behavioral reactions of the stigmatizer
Once stigmatizers have perceived and appraised the user and his or her
product, they have several ways in which they can respond and behave.
As suggested earlier, stigmatizers often demonstrate mixed appraisals and
responses towards the stigmatized. Although people may feel some revulsion
to a user of a prosthetic arm, their actual behavior may reflect sympathy
and kindness. In order to explain such findings, social psychologists have
proposed a variety of dual process models (Gawronski and Bodenhausen,
2006; Pryor et al., 1999; Smith & De Coster, 2000; Strack & Deutsch, 2004).
A common thread in these models is that both associative and rule-based
processes are believed to shape people’s reactions to a stigmatized person.
People’s immediate reactions to a stigmatized person are typically dominated
by their associative thinking. Within a matter of seconds, however, more
deliberative processing may come into play. Social psychology suggests that
the dual process models can be useful in the study of reactions to a variety
of social stimuli, such as reactions to consumer goods, political issues, art,
humor, and various other stimuli of social relevance as well as other people
(Pryor & Reeder, 2004).
As the basis for our experimental explorations we opted for the dual process
model as proposed by Pryor et al. (2004). An assessment of the behavioral
reactions of bystanders implies a study of the initial confrontation as well as
the more deliberate and thoughtful responses that follow. Pryor indicated
that there is an important reflex reaction within the first second, possibly
followed by a more deliberate reaction that takes its time to build up.
Next to this distinction, Pryor’s model also indicates that in reactions to

perceived stigma, each of these processes has a time course (see figure
2.12). The two processes in figure 2.12 interact dynamically over time. A
reflex reaction is not necessarily replaced by a later rule-based reaction.
The reflexive processes may re-emerge if the stigmatizing attribute is
re-experienced or if one is reminded of the stigma (Pryor and Reeder, 2004).
53
Chapter 2
Figure 2.12. Dual
! Thoughtful reactions
Processes in psychological
reactions to perceived
stigma, as proposed by
Relative Psychological Impact
shaped by deliberative and rule-based processes

Pryor et al. (2004)
Reflex reaction
shaped by reflexive and associative processes
+/- 1 sec. Time
Reflex reactions: shaped by reflexive and associative processes
The reflexive process that is responsible for these reactions is immediate

and, in the case of reactions to stigma, often instinctive, spontaneous and
emotional. As represented by the red curve in figure 2.12, these spontaneous
reactions to stigma are often powerful.
Social psychology evidenced that merely being exposed to a stigmatized

individual immediately brings to mind negative evaluations (Fazio and Olson,
2003). These negative evaluations can be activated in a stigmatizer’s mind
even if he or she considers those reactions to be an inaccurate characterization
of the stigmatized (Devine, 1989).
For example, upon exposure to an individual with a white respiratory mask,

bystanders may initially react with fear even though they do not believe
the individual is dangerous. An ‘automatic’ reaction of this sort may have
been acquired from exposure to media or associations that link contagious
diseases to white respiratory masks. Resulting reflex reactions could include
a visual startling reaction or an involuntary frown.
The measurement of associative processing and reflex reactions often relies

on implicit methods, such as response time measures (Greenwald et al. 1998).
In the ‘approach and avoidance experiment’ (2010), presented in Chapter
3, attempts were made to assess these reflex reactions. The experiment
measured the response times on approach and avoidance behavior towards
pictures of people wearing different types of respiratory masks.
54
Literature Review
Thoughtful reactions: shaped by deliberative and rule-based processes
The reflex reactions do not necessarily prevail. Human beings are also
capable of more thoughtful reactions to stigma. Rule-based processing
involves conscious, deliberative or thoughtful reactions that rely more on
‘facts’. During the rule-based process, the stigmatizer will actively consider
the pros and cons of further interaction. Such deliberative processing may
be triggered when stigmatizers reflect on the appropriateness of their initial
associative reactions to the stigmatized (Pryor et al. 1999). Subsequently,
thoughtful reactions may be a correction of earlier reflex reactions. Successive
thoughtful reactions could be a smile, or masking behavior where bystanders
pretend not to have noticed the unusual person and his or her product.
During the rule-based process, the stigmatizer may also consider whether
the stigmatized is held responsible for his or her condition. As stated earlier,
if the stigmatized is not considered to be responsible, stigmatizers typically
react in a sympathetic way. In contrast, if the stigmatized is held responsible,
stigmatizers are more likely to react with irritation and blame. This may
help to explain why victims of lung cancer, which is typically viewed as a
controllable outcome, experience greater social stigma than the victims of
breast cancer, which is presumably less controllable (Reeder & Pryor, 2008).
Although the associative processes are continuously active during

consciousness, rule-based processes may be turned on and off.
The conscious, rule-based processes are measured by explicit methods.

These explicit measurements, which predict controlled behavior, often rely
on standard self-report questionnaires or observational research. In Chapter
3 we present three experiments that assess these thoughtful reactions: the
Spy Pack Experiment, the Dyadic Distance Experiment, and the Stain Dilemma
Experiment.
55
Chapter 2
Interpersonal dissociation (social distance) and avoidance
A defining and immediate reaction to stigma seems to be avoidance. People

act as if physical contact or even proximity to the stigmatized can result in
some form of contamination. The study of avoidant behavior has proven to be
fundamental to our research. The reflexive component of avoidant behavior
can be assessed by measuring approach and avoidance as tendencies that
arise in the first milliseconds. Measuring the interpersonal or social distance
exposes the thoughtful interpersonal dissociation of avoidant behavior.
Social psychology provides ample evidence of thoughtful avoidant behavior.

For example, people choose to stand or sit at greater distances from the
physically disabled, people with HIV and others, in comparison to the
non-stigmatized (Kleck, 1969; Mooney et al. 1992; Snyder et al. 1979).
Additionally people are more likely to cut short their interactions with
the stigmatized (Kleck et al. 1966). People even react to objects somehow
associated with stigmatized persons as if the objects have become
contaminated, e.g. a sweater once owned but never worn by a person with
HIV is devalued (Rozin et al. 1994; Rozin et al. 1992).
This process of avoidance or disassociation can be seen as the opposite of

empathy. It is a state in which interactions are cut short, social distance is
increased and mutual understanding is minimal.
56
Literature Review
2.5. Designer empathy towards stigma
In the previous paragraphs we described how products and their users

are perceived and appraised in situational interactions. It is the task of the
designer to optimize this interaction between products, users, bystanders
and cultural influencers. This chapter briefly indicates ways to get designers
in the right state of mind, a state that is needed to explore the various layers
of meaning attribution that arise from human-product interactions.
Designing involves a creative and intuitive process, dealing with uncertainty,

instability, uniqueness and conflicting situations (Cross, 2007). It is in the
industrial designer’s nature to be driven to solve problems. Time and financial
pressure is often a first barrier that prevents designers to broaden their
scope. In the subsequent pursuit, designers are often focused on the tangible
solution that results from their intervention. In doing so, and unless specifically
instructed to do otherwise, designers instinctively focus on providing the
necessary utility for someone with physical and skill capabilities similar to
their own (Cooper, 1999). Designers are either unaware of the needs of
users with different capabilities, or do not know how to accommodate them
into the design process. Subsequently, many products present unnecessary
difficulties for users and are therefore ‘disabled by design’ (Coleman, 2001).
The elements mentioned in the previous paragraph often hinder the mental
preparation that is needed to create a deeper understanding of users and
their social surroundings. To connect with this deeper understanding,
designers would benefit from a sensitivity that goes beyond ‘tact’ and
embraces real user empathy. Proper user empathy can be critical when
designers are faced with the design of products which they themselves have
no user experience with. In such instances, direct contact with users and
their social settings could provide insights that are necessary for the success
of the design project. Furthermore, it can increase the amount of quality
information and increase the designers feeling of ‘being inspired’ (Sleeswijk,
2009). The main advantage of this ‘right state of mind’ is that it will allow the
designer to communicate and interact with all stakeholders on a higher than
merely cognitive level of intelligence, i.e. the emotional intelligence level.
2.5.1. Empathy
In general, empathy involves understanding the emotional states of other

people. It can encompass a broad range of emotional states, from caring for
other people and having a desire to help them, to experiencing emotions
that match another person's emotions, to knowing what the other person is
thinking or feeling, to blurring the line between self and other (Hodges and
Klein, 2001).
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Chapter 2
In handling social stigma, the benefits of increased personal contact or

empathy are apparent. Social psychology research indicates that people who
have personal contact (i.e. familiarity) with the stigmatized see them as less
dangerous and do not shun or avoid them as much as people who have had
little contact with them (Angermeyer et al. 2004; Corrigan et al. 2001). The
same could be true for product-related stigma. People who have had previous
encounters with a user and his stigma-eliciting product may develop a basic
level of empathy with the user that facilitates subsequent interactions. Most
encounters, however, are unprepared. Increased sensitivity and empathy is
an essential designer ‘attitude’ that lies at the basis of any technique that
assists designers to foresee the stigmatizing episodes in these unprepared
encounters.
Cakmakli (2010) describes empathy in the context of design research and

understanding user needs. For a designer, empathy is the capacity to imagine
oneself as another person, usually the product user. It involves recognizing
and representing the user’s personal characteristics, emotional states, and
intentional actions in an accurate and tolerable way. In the process of
product-related stigma the designer should recognize and represent the
needs of the user as well as those around him. After applying an empathy
enriched design process, designers could consider products that convey
empathy by anticipating user needs or by offering help when the user needs
it. In a stigma sensitive design process, user needs related to social well-being
deserves special attention.
My My My
My
experiences experiences
My
experiences experiences My Know- experiences
experiences ledge
user’s user’s
user’s context user’s
context context
context
DISCOVERY IMMERSION CONNECTION DETACHMENT
Entering the user’s world Wandering around in the user’s Resonate with the user Leaving the user’s world
Achieve willingness world Achieve emotional resonance Design with user perspective
Taking user’s point of reference and find meaning
According to Kouprie and Sleeswijk (2009), the process of achieving empathy Figure 2.13. The process
in design consists of four phases: discovery, immersion, connection and of achieving empathy
in design consists of
detachment (see figure 2.13). In the discovery phase the designer enters four phases: discovery,
the user’s world and achieves willingness from the user. In this process, the immersion, connection
designer should establish contact with all other stakeholders who interact and detachment. Adapted
with the user and her (future) product. In the immersion phase, the designer from Kouprie and Sleeswijk
(2009).
wanders around in the user’s world. For specific stigma-sensitive design
projects, this immersion phase might imply the integration of a wide variety
of stakeholders and social contexts. When faced with the conception of
assistive technology, for example, empathy with both abled and disabled
people is required. During the course of this immersion, the designer
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Literature Review
potentially forsakes his own point of reference and changes his perspective to
the user’s point of reference. In the connection phase the designer resonates
with the user and the other stakeholders in an attempt to achieve emotional
resonance and meaning that can lead to valuable insights. In the final
detachment phase, designers leave the user’s world and take their insights
back to the design team or the drawing board. Designing with user (and
social) perspectives is now an option. The model above is of a prescriptive
nature; all four phases are vital in achieving proper empathy in design. The
first three phases are necessary to achieve a personal link with the user and
the other stakeholders. After these phases, the designer detaches in order to
design in a competent way, but with a deepened understanding of the user
and those around him or her.
At this point it is valuable to note that this model can also clarify why random
bystanders often react conspicuously towards users of protective, assistive
or medical devices. During these often unprepared encounters, there was
no discovery or immersion phase prior to the perception or connection and
therefore bystanders are more likely to react with rejection and avoidance.
2.5.2. Meta-position
Before designers can successfully enter this process of empathy and

‘heightened’ sensitivity, specific competences are needed. Human-product
interactions need to be looked at from a meta-position, as described by
Krippendorf (2006). He refers to this position as ‘second order understanding’
or understanding of the user’s understanding of products. In disciplines
such as Conceptual Interaction Therapy and Leadership and Organization
Development this approach is referred to as ‘empathic resonance’ (Vleugels
2008) and ‘appreciative inquiry/understanding’ (Schon, 1983). The main
purpose of a heightened perspective is to go beyond pre-conditioned mind-
sets and attitudes from the past. In creative dialogues the designer allows
stakeholders to express their perceptions, thoughts and intentions (the three
basic behavioral components) in meta-position terms of ‘here and now’. By
taking this perspective the designer will collect conflicting and struggeling
concerns from stakeholders in their context. The meta-position will help
designers to balance and integrate expressed physical, cognitive, emotional
and even existential concerns or needs.
To fully witness and process the full range of stakeholder-product interactions,

the designer has to possess additional levels of mental capacities above
practical wisdom and cognitive intelligence. According to Goleman (1996)
meta-position calls on emotional intelligence (EQ). Zohar (2000) extended
the human intellectual capacities (IQ) to an even higer level and introduced
the notion of spiritual (existential) intelligence (SQ). ). It seems that every
human being is born with these intelligences and has the ability to evolve in
them.
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Chapter 2
The four intelligence levels converge with four hierarchical levels in human
needs; physical, cognitive, emotional (relational) and existential (Nuttin
1965; Maslow 1970; Zohar 1997; Barrett 2006) . All too often, the fulfilment
of higher emotional and existential needs is searched for using only cognitive
approaches, wich is inadequate for this purpose. Understanding the true
experiences and aspirations of users and stakeholders requires ‘reflective’ and
‘generative’ competences of these higher than cognitive intelligences (Schon
1983, Isaacs 1999). It will endow the designer with sensitivity for emotional
and even existential concerns of stakeholders and the accompanying way of
speaking (sensing), thinking (meaning) and behaving (acting).
At the beginning of Chapter 3 we report on the process and results of a user-

experience design project called the ‘Pleasurable Mask Experience’. The
assignment used the design process of diverging and converging of ideas
in empathy enhanced settings. This method of diverging and converging of
ideas is the basis of knowledge development in a designerly way (Stappers,
2007).
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Literature Review
2.5.3. Experience prototyping
Designers cannot wholly control or define the users’ experiences and their
social interaction patterns. When stigma-sensitive products are visibly
worn and taken out in public, interactions with other people and additional
contextual elements will influence the overall experience.
Hence, an investigation of product-related stigma by an outsider is often

not powerful enough. It has to be experienced from within. There is a long
research tradition on developing empathy through direct experience of other
people’s lives. Some of it has been aimed at understanding the lives of those
living in poverty. In the late 1920s George Orwell dressed up as a tramp and
wandered the streets of East London with vagabonds and beggars, a period
of his life described in his book Down and Out in Paris and London.
As stated earlier in this chapter, Patricia Moore carried out an important

experiment in experiential empathetic adventuring in the late 1970s. With
her research journey she created empathy in herself with the struggle which
is life for an aged person. But at the same time she also caused empathy or
experienced a lack of due empathy in others. By putting Vaseline across her
glasses to simulate glaucoma, by binding up her joints to simulate arthritis,
Figure 2.14. the famous she basically invented the concept of empathy tools for designers. Her
OXO good grips potato
peeler, an iconic product
approach has inspired designer and researchers to invent tools for simulating
in the world of inclusive the effects of aging, vision impairment, arthritis and much more.
design.
Empathy tools allow designers to ‘immerse’ themselves in the user experience
in order to gain deeper insights. It is also known as “empathic research” or
“role-playing” – it allows the designer to understand not just the physical use
of products and spaces, but how the individual experiences situations and
tasks emotionally and socially. Moore created tools which other designers
have used to create empathy, much in the same way in which we made
our students wear dust masks in order for them to feel what it is like to be
stigmatized.
Based on the insights she gained, she was able to inspire the design of a series
of products that were suitable for use by elderly people. The OXO-grip potato
peeler, designed by Smart Design, was one of these inventions (figure 2.14).
Although the product was aimed at people with arthritic hands, it proved to
be a product with a much broader appeal. In an interview by the California
College of the Arts on the power of design, Patricia Moore quoted:
“Design has morphed into the cornerstone of equity, culture, and socialization.
It’s about bringing resources to people who do not have them… .The power
of design is to look at each individual, their home, their community, and the
infinite small things that make for success or failure of interaction in those
realms….”
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Chapter 2
In order for a designer to become aware of these ‘infinite small things’

during a social human-product interaction, it has to be experienced from
within. Situations and human-product interactions need to be experienced
as realistically as possible. Experience prototypes may be used to explore
these interactions. Pastalan (1982) referred to this technique as “Empathic
Modeling”. Through the use of special spectacles, he simulated age related
visual changes to allow designers to participate in a variety of everyday
environmental tasks as if these normal physiological aging processes affected
them.
Prototypes are no longer being built to merely establish technical feasibility or

usability issues. Surely, design researchers still gather people into a usability-
testing laboratory and ask them to use a product under consideration. These
tests will provide valuable information about the ‘understandability’ and
effectiveness of the basic design. Although essential to the design process,
the information gathered from these tests rarely says anything about the
sociability of the design. Therefore, user-experience design advocates the use
of prototypes that are able to assess the overall experience that a product
can deliver to the user and its surroundings.
Marion Buchenau and Jane Fulton-Suri (2000) described experience

prototyping to encompass all activities that prioritize the engagement of
people with an experience, even at the expense of fidelity to the design.
For them, experience prototyping is aimed at allowing designers, users and
clients to “experience it themselves”, rather than to rely on demonstrations
or proof of someone else’s experience. Experience prototyping can also be
used on kids, educating them on stigma sensitive topics when they are young
and still shaping their social identity.
Experience prototyping can be accomplished through interaction with existing

stigma-eliciting products or specially designed prototypes that address
specific issues of the social interaction. To increase designer awareness
Figure 2.15. The age

simulation suit GERT
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Literature Review
about the obstacles encountered by users of assistive technology, it could

suffice to have them use wheelchairs, walkers, etc. A number of disability
awareness groups actually advocate the use of existing assistive technologies
such as wheelchairs, white canes, etc., that allow able-bodied individuals to
be placed in the position of the stigmatized. Other examples of experience
prototypes include ‘fat suits’ (i.e. weighted jackets to simulate heart
conditions), special glasses that simulate vision disorders, arthritis simulation
gloves, and headsets and earpieces that form a schizophrenia simulator.
Figure 2.15 shows the GERontologic Test suit GERT. This age simulation suit
offers the opportunity to experience the impairments of older persons even
for younger people. The age-related impairments that can be simulated are:
◦◦ opacity of the eye lens

◦◦ narrowing of the visual field
◦◦ high-frequency hearing loss
◦◦ head mobility restrictions
◦◦ joint stiffness
◦◦ loss of strength
◦◦ reduced grip ability
◦◦ reduced coordination skills
The mask prototypes, used in the Immersive Experiment in Chapter 3, are

‘lookalike’ models used to assess the ‘experience’ factor of users and their
situational surroundings. Where most experience prototypes focus on
factors like user engagement and subjective well-being, the scope of our
interest extends to the subjective emotions and reactions engendered in
bystanders. Wearing a respiratory mask in public will generate functional
and comfort issues, generally tolerated due to temporary or obligatory use.
Design practice has several ways to retrieve and process these functional
product improvements. The social inconveniences experienced while
wearing a respiratory mask in public, however, cannot be simulated without
actually wearing a mask in public. It is only there, in its context of use and
surrounded by others, that the designer can experience the real social
impact of the product. For the purpose of our research we framed these as
‘social experience prototypes’, geared at discovering the social impact of the
product on its surroundings.
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Chapter 2
2.6. Conclusions
Our literature review in both design research and social psychology has
proven to be inspirational for our theory building. Both fields provided stigma-
influencing insights that shaped both our theory building, and experimental
research.
We initiated our review in design literature and positioned our research in

the contributing fields of Inclusive Design, Product Semantics and Human-
Centered Design.
Despite their specific focus on universally usable products, the field of

Inclusive Design did connect with our subject and provided us with valuable
product cases and design research. Product Semantics provided us with the
necessary concepts to think and write about product meaning. In the field
of Human-Centered Design we pursued models that were able to structure
our stigma specific human-product relations. Most models in this area deal
with the emotional impact of products on the positive side of the acceptance
spectrum. The term ‘pleasurable design’ inspired us to put forward our
research as its counterpart, ‘product stigmaticity’. We selected the Appraisal
theory of Desmet and Hekkert (2007) as the first basis for building our theory.
The model connects the levels on which the product can impact the human-
product interaction with the human goals that have to be met by the product.
In the second part of our literature review we explained our motivation for
choosing the term ‘stigma’ and how we delimited the term in our research.
As a first deliverable, this review brought forth our working definition of the
term ‘stigma’. Within our research we frame ‘stigma’ as a perceivable ‘mark’
(often visible), belonging to an individual or group of people, situated in a
particular social context that violates standards, and/or induces aversive
emotions in other people and leads to interpersonal disassociation (rejection,
avoidance, etc.).
We selected Major’s identity threat theory (2005) to provide the second

basis for building our theory. The model takes a top-down perspective of
social stigma, from the stigmatizing bystanders and their cultural influences,
towards the stigmatized user. A central aspect in this model is the appraisal
phase, where the individuals appraise whether the stigma-specific demands
are potentially harmful to their social identity. As such the identity threat
theory of Major (2005) reveals parallel approaches that complement our
previously selected appraisal theory by Desmet and Hekkert (2007). In figure
2.16 we present how both models merged into an encompassing model that
helps to explain our focus and subsequent advancements.
On the input side of the encompassing model we situate the three input
variables suggested by Major. These variables arise from the stakeholders and
their concerns: the personal characteristics and concerns of the stigmatized,
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Literature Review
Figure 2.16. Encom- Input Assessment Responses & consequences

passing model of Desmet
and Major.
Collective
representations
Identity Involuntary
threat Responses
Situational appraisals
Major (2005) Outcomes
Identity Threat Theory
cues
Voluntary
Responses
Personal
characteristics
human
concerns
Desmet and Hekkert (2007)

Appraisal Theory Appraisal Emotion
product User
stimulus
Standards
Collective Focus of
representations Attitudes Experiments &
Culture Goals
Explorations
Standards
Situational
Involuntary
Cues Attitudes
Responses
Bystanders Goals
Personal Standards
Voluntary
Characteristics Attitudes Responses
human
concerns
User Goals
Outcomes
Appraisal Emotion (long term)
Product perception
non-instrumental interaction
Anticipating product action

non-physical interaction
product
stimulus
Product use
instrumental interaction
Focus of
Designer Tools
PAMS & PIMS
65
Chapter 2
situational cues provided by the context and its bystanders, and the collective
representations shaped by cultural values and standards. By extending these
input variables with the product stimulus levels suggested by Desmet &
Hekkert (2007), we address the full product-related stigma process and link
human experiences to objects and contexts.
The encompassing model extends the appraisal phase to include the

appraisals of users, bystanders and cultures. Each of these three stakeholders
has its standards, goals and attitudes. If the demands from the input variables
exceed the resources of any of the stakeholders to cope with those demands,
the product-related stigma process will continue towards emotions, and
responses and outcomes of these emotions.
In our stigma-free design approach we focus on the left part of the

encompassing model and strive to counter product-related stigma in the
value appraisal phase. As such, our stigma-free design approach aims to avoid
appraisals leading to negative value and enforces positive value attribution.
The yellow outlines in figure 2.16, indicate the areas in which our research
progressed. In answer to our first research question (understanding product-
related stigma), we focused on the input variables, context and appraisals
associated with product-related stigma. The resulting ‘Product Appraisal
Model for Stigma’ (PAMS) is presented in Chapter 4 and operationalizes how
the product-related stigma process unfolds and how the various stakeholders
contribute. Our five experimental techniques, aimed at quantifying product-
related stigma and presented in Chapter 3, focus on the behavioral reactions
from bystanders.
In answer to our final research challenge, managing product-related stigma,

Chapter 5 suggests 17 stigma-reducing design interventions (PIMS – Product
Intervention Model for Stigma) that target the product and stakeholders that
are addressed on the input side of the encompassing model.
In paragraphs 2.3 and 2.4 we structured the literature according to the

two main actors who shape the process of product-related stigma: the
stigmatized and the stigmatizer. We zoomed in on the perceptive, attitudinal
and behavioral elements that impact these two actors. From the perspective
of the stigmatized, we warned for the danger of self-stigma. To address
self-stigma, designers can incorporate product features that empower
the stigmatized, allowing them to rise above negative assumptions and
internalized stereotypes.
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Literature Review
Next to involuntary responses to product-related stigma, such as anxiety,

increased blood pressure and stress, we were inspired by the voluntary
responses or coping strategies that the stigmatized employ in response to
social stigma. Various coping strategies have proven to be inspirational for
the design interventions suggested in Chapter 5. Coping strategies ranged
from reactive (concealment, avoidance or withdrawal) to proactive strategies
(social activism, empowerment).
From the perspective of the stigmatizer, our research addresses those

instances where the product-related stigma is perceived as achieved and/
or controllable versus existential or accidental. Stigma-eliciting products
that can be linked to an existential stigma condition include wheelchairs,
crutches, or obliged protective devices. Many of these products are used
involuntarily and are often indispensible to their users. Products such as
piercings, extreme fashion, and political symbols, can engender an achieved
stigmatic condition. When stigmatizers are confronted with a stigmatized in
the ‘achieved stigmatic condition’, they are perceived as more responsible
and blameworthy for their condition, often resulting in social exclusion and
avoidance.
We selected the model of Fiske (2002) to explain the stereotypes that

influence the emotions and responses of stigmatizers. Fiske (2002) argues that
two dimensions, warmth and competence, can capture these stereotypes.
People who are perceived as warm and competent elicit uniformly positive
emotions and behavior, whereas stigmatized groups tend to be negatively
stereotyped in both dimensions in most cultures (Fiske 1998). We advocate
that Fiske’s dimensions of social cognition can be extended to describe the
impact of product-related stigma, delivering insights that should enable
the designer to semantically enhance the stereotypes that shape the social
image of users and their product. Design research literature showed valuable
similarities to these two dimensions. When users or bystanders judge product
personality traits, a semantic distinction can be made between traits that
are dominant versus submissive and friendly versus unfriendly. The friendly
versus unfriendly continuum strongly correlates with the warmth dimension.
Similarly, the dominant versus submissive strongly correlates with the
competence dimension.
The dual process model as proposed by Pryor et al. (2004) served as the basis
for our experimental endeavors. The assessment of behavioral reactions
from bystanders implies a study of the initial confrontation as well as the
more deliberate and thoughtful responses that follow. Pryor indicated that
there is an important reflex reaction within the first second of the interaction,
possibly followed by a more deliberate reaction that takes its time to build
up. The experiments and explorations presented in Chapter 3 attempt to
assess both reflex and conscious reactions.
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Chapter 2
In paragraph 2.5 we switched our focus from the interaction between the
stigmatized and the stigmatizer towards the designer. Because it is the task of
the designer to optimize the interaction between products, users, bystanders
and cultural influencers, we briefly indicated ways to get designers in the right
state of mind. An empathic understanding and the right mindset can endow
designers with a sensitivity that goes beyond ‘tact’ and embraces real user
empathy. The complementing meta-position can endow the designer with
sensitivity for the relational and even existential concerns of the stakeholders
and the accompanying way of speaking, thinking and behaving.
Finally we asserted that it is recommendable for a designer to experience

product-related stigma from within. Experience prototypes may be used
to experience situations and human-product interactions as realistically
as possible. In the Immersive Experiment, presented in Chapter 3, we use
mask prototypes that we labeled as ‘social experience prototypes’ geared at
discovering the social impact of the product on its surroundings.
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CHAPTER 3 Experimental
Studies
Chapter 3
Can designers determine whether their design concepts are ‘burdened’ with
product-related stigma, and if so, can it be quantified? Designers would not
only value this insight during their creative process, it could also help them to
support design decisions with quantitative data. Additionally, a quantitative
measure could help to assess which product properties have influenced the
human-product interaction and to what extent subsequent improvements
were successful.
This chapter reports on our pursuit for techniques that objectively assess the
‘degree’ of product-related stigma that is ‘attached’ to existing products as
well as new concepts. In our explorations we aimed to find techniques that
deliver a quantitative measure and could plausibly result in an affordable and
straightforward tool for designers.
All experiments and explorations were executed with dust masks as stimuli.
Although the results of the experiments do not apply to other products, the
setups and techniques can be generalized towards other assistive, protective
and medical devices.
Measuring product-related stigma

From our own experiences, anecdotal information and initial explorations,
we became aware that a public and unprepared encounter with a user
of a dust mask causes many practical and emotional complications. The
subjective appraisals of both users and bystanders are responsible for the
wide variety of emotional and behavioral responses which result from this
unprepared encounter. In our study of this encounter, it was our aim to rule
out the subjectivity and introduce a technique that would enable designers
to objectively evaluate their design interventions.
As stated earlier, the impact of these encounters on the well-being of the

mask users or bystanders is strongly influenced by personal characteristics,
such as character, previous experiences and self-image. A product that is
appraised as stigma-free by one user can be stigma-sensitive for someone
else. It is valuable to focus on the thoughts, feelings and reactions of the
individual user, but they are hard to measure objectively. Our experimental
techniques therefore target the many and diverse passers-by and
bystanders who witness the user and his or her product. By averaging
the behavioral reactions of a large sample of random passers-by, we
obtained a more objective measure to quantify product-related stigma.
Prior to our exploration in behavioral research, we considered the use of
questionnaires, self-report and physiological measurement techniques.
70
Experimental Studies
Questionnaires and self-report
Although an inquiry among individual users or bystanders is valuable, it

introduces subjective interpretation. During our explorations we worked with
questionnaires on two occasions. To select the appropriate stimuli for the
Approach and Avoidance Experiment, we used a Likert scale questionnaire
to rate several mask designs in the social dimensions of warmth and
competence. During the Spy Pack Exploration, we questioned participants
after their encounter with our mask wearer. We discovered that both
masks users and bystanders found it difficult to express and verbalize their
experiences. For example, startling reactions in response to product-related
stigma often occur unconsciously and are difficult to recount and report
after they have occurred. Although the insights derived from questionnaires
and interviews are valuable, we specified our search towards measures and
techniques that are robust, easy to operate and as objective as possible.
Psycho-physiological measurements
An assessment of affective experiences can also be achieved by recording

psycho-physiological data. Several research institutions endeavour this type
of research. This non-exhaustive list identifies physiological parameters that
could serve as measures for arousal, anxiety or stress that is accompanies the
use (user) or perception (bystander) of a stigma-related product:
• Cardiovascular responses (heart rate)

• Galvanic skin response
• Blood pressure
• Visual attention and facial expression
Recording these parameters presents many challenges. In lab settings it is

often difficult to generate authentic emotional responses that match those
which are experienced in actual interactions. In field experiments it is difficult
to differentiate the affective physiological responses from other physiological
responses.
In our search for an affordable and straightforward tool that can be used
by design teams, we eliminated the setups that involved substantial medical
know-how (cardiovascular responses, galvanic skin response, and blood
pressure). These would also require the attachment of measuring devices
on the participating bystanders. The use of these measuring devices would
not allow for unintentional cooperation and would spoil the authenticity of
the unprepared encounter. In order to grasp the intensity of the unprepared
encounter, we tried to take our research as close to the actual encounter as
possible, while remaining inconspicuous. In design research there is a tendency
to move research out of the lab and as close to the actual interaction as possible.
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Chapter 3
Behavioral experiments and explorations
Behavioral research permits us to come closer to and observe the actual

unprepared encounter. By observing the behavioral reactions of a large
number of random bystanders and passers-by, we obtained a level of
objectivity in our explorations. As we progressed in our explorations, we
switched from experiments set up in lab conditions to controlled indoor
environments and finally real life outdoor encounters.
As suggested earlier, an assessment of the behavioral reactions of bystanders

implies a study of the initial confrontation as well as the more deliberate and
thoughtful responses that follow. Social psychology evidences that there is
an important reflex reaction within the first second, possibly followed by a
more thoughtful reaction that takes more time to build up. The initial reflex
reactions can be very powerful, but they do not necessarily prevail. Human
beings are also capable of more thoughtful reactions to stigma.
To put it simply, we separate the behavioral reactions in the first second from
those that occur in the following time sequence and take them into account.
Both types of reactions can interact dynamically over time. A reflex reaction
is not necessarily replaced by a later thoughtful reaction and a reflex
reaction may re-emerge if the stigmatizing attribute is re-experienced (Pryor
and Reeder, 2004). It is also important to note that results obtained from
measuring both types of reactions are sometimes dissociated (Gawronski &
Bodenhausen, 2006). Products that elicit strong reflex reactions in the initial
second may engender little conscious behavior afterwards, and vice versa.
72
Reflex reactions
Reflex reactions occur within the first second and are triggered by reflexive
and associative processing. When a user with a dust mask is perceived an
often unconscious association with contagiousness may arise. This association
may have been acquired through exposure to media or associations that link
contagious diseases to white dust masks.
In response to this perception, reflex reactions can include startling reactions

or an involuntary frown. Most of these reflex reactions are immediate,
instinctive, spontaneous and emotional. In our first experimental exploration
we attempted to assess these reflex reactions in a lab setting. The parameter
used to quantify the reflex reactions was the reaction time in approach and
avoidance behavior. Later on we attempted to detect these reflex reactions
in observational setups.
Thoughtful reactions
Reflex reactions were separated from the more thoughtful reactions that
occur over a certain period of time. In this time frame bystanders use
thoughtful processes to decide on their actions or correct previous actions.
We attempted to assess the more thoughtful reactions in real-life conditions.
The experiments were initiated in a controlled indoor environment, but
soon moved to crowded public areas. An important and defining conscious
reaction to stigma seems to be avoidance. As such we tried to quantify
how people approach and pass a user and his stigma-eliciting product. We
quantified the interpersonal distance that was maintained at the moment of
passing by and we observed when passers-by made visual contact with our
mask wearer, whether they had startling reactions or looked back. Detecting
the moment of visual perception and possible startling responses proved
to be very challenging. Subsequently, our understanding of these reactions
remains premature. Instead we focused most of our explorations on the
interpersonal distance, or the distance that passers-by maintain as they pass
the user and his or her product.
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Chapter 3
Explorations and experiments on product-related stigma What was measured Parameters

1. Approach & Avoidance experiment (Padua, Italy – 2009) - Lab environment
Our first exploration was executed at the social psychology Reflex reactions of Reaction times
department of the University of Padua, Italy. The ‘Approach and bystanders on approach and
Avoidance Experiment’ explores the initial reflex reactions that avoidance behavior
occur within the first second. The experiment was set in a lab towards visual stimuli
environment and captures reflex reactions towards pictures of
people with or without dust masks, presented on a screen.
2. Immersive Mask Experience (Antwerp - 2010) - Uncontrolled outdoor environment
This exploration was aimed at investigating the actual unprepared Empirical research None – aimed at
encounter between mask users and bystanders in a real-life exploration empirical insights
setting. During the ‘Immersive Mask Experience’ 60 design
students were sent out into the city to walk around wearing white
dust masks. Their experiences and reports on the behavioral
reactions of bystanders delivered important initial insights and
clearly demonstrated that dust masks are easily perceived and do
engender reactions in bystanders.
3. Spy Pack Exploration (Antwerp - 2011) - Controlled indoor environment
The previous exploration evidenced that the reactions of Thoughtful reactions Visual attention /
bystanders were observed and ‘felt’ by all participants and that of bystanders Interpersonal distance
they distressed them. The biggest contribution of the ‘Spy Pack
Exploration’ is that it allowed us to observe and study the real-life
and unprepared encounter in a controlled indoor environment. By
analyzing the images of seven cameras we investigated the staring
and walking behavior of passers-by and evaluated parameters
such as moment of visual perception, interpersonal distance and
‘looking back’ for their relevance.
4. Dyadic Distance Experiment (Antwerp – 2012) - Field experiment / outdoor
A relevant contribution of the Spy pack Exploration was Thoughtful reactions Interpersonal distance
the confirmation that at least two parameters proved to be of bystanders
comprehensive, measurable and valuable for further exploration:
the moment of visual perception and the interpersonal distance.
The ‘Dyadic Distance Experiment’ focused on deviations in the
walking path of passers-by, quantified by the parameter of
interpersonal distance. The experiment was set in real-life outdoor
situations, and accurately measured the shortest interpersonal
distance between a passer-by and a mask wearer, by means of an
ultrasonic sensor.
5. Stain Dilemma Experiment (Antwerp – 2012) - Field experiment / outdoor
The ‘Stain Dilemma Experiment’ was a simplified variation of Conscious reactions Interpersonal distance
the ‘Dyadic Distance Experiment’. The experiment required a and explicit behavior
minimal setup and focused on the walking path of the bystanders of bystanders.
as they pass the mask wearer. By placing a physical obstruction
in their walking path, passers-by are forced to walk around the
obstruction or in between the obstruction and the mask wearer.
The researcher only had to count the instances in which these
reactions occur.
74
None of the parameters that we used in the experiments have the intention
to be ‘the’ measure of product-related stigma. There is no single and most
significant measure to express product-related stigma yet and we wonder
whether it would be valuable to direct our efforts towards this goal. Certain
products elicit more stigma than others and a specific stigma-eliciting product
will not necessarily score high on all the parameters. The experimental
techniques are mainly suited to compare product proposals and existing
products and to rank them based on the ‘degree’ of product-related stigma
that is attached to them. Designers can use these techniques to compare
product proposals, without making statements on the exact attributes that
caused or influenced their performance.
The results of the experiments as such do not present a direct contribution

for designers. The techniques and guidelines that are used in the experiments
and explorations are more relevant and should enable designers to set up
comparable research activities. The final two experiments embody our most
comprehensive experimental insight and can be the basis for additional
research on behavioral deviations in the walking path of passers-by in the
vicinity of users of stigma-eliciting products.
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Chapter 3
3.1. The Approach & Avoidance Experiment
The Approach and Avoidance Experiment was set up in a lab environment

and aimed to explore the reflex reactions of bystanders towards users of
stigma-eliciting products. Because these reactions precede the thoughtful
reactions, we explored them first. By measuring reaction times on a selection
task, this experiment assesses the approach and avoidance-like tendencies
of participants that are confronted with pictures of people who wear dust
masks. The dependent variable or parameter was reaction time and this
was easy to quantify with appropriate software. Although this experiment
primarily focused on reflex reactions, a complementing questionnaire was
added to the procedure. By comparing the results on both tasks we verified
whether the reflex reactions and questionnaire responses were consistent
and/or whether they diverged on this socially sensitive issue. The experiments
were executed in October 2009, in cooperation with the department of social
psychology of the University of Padua, Italy.
3.1.1. Method
In essence, human behavior is driven by two fundamental action tendencies:

approach and avoidance (e.g., Carver, 2001; Higgins, 1997; Miller, 1944). The
approach system generally responds to rewards and opportunities, and the
avoidance system responds to threats and punishments. These two systems
exert unique influences on action, motivation, and emotion.
Approach and avoidance-like experiments have been widely used and

validated in socio-psychological research. In 1996, Bargh et al. asked
participants to evaluate words presented on a computer screen as either
“good” or “bad” by pushing or pulling a lever. Their results illustrated that the
perception of a stimulus as positive or negative primes or facilitates approach
or avoidance motor behavior, respectively (Bargh et al., 1996).
We selected the Approach and Avoidance Motor Behavior Experiment as

described by Paladino (2008) and Castelli (2004). Their work relies strongly
on previous studies but is different in several respects. Whereas previous
studies had used (out)groups that were characterized by highly stigmatizing
features, such as child molesters or HIV-infected individuals, their research
included a wide range of groups that do not involve a personal threat (e.g.,
age and political groups). Likewise, the procedure of our study also considers
responses to in-group members, i.e. people without masks.
The dependent variable in this experiment is the reaction time. The

independent variables are the types of movement (approach versus
avoidance movement) towards pictures of people with vs. without masks
and the variation in the type of masks (competent, warm or neutral). All
these variables were manipulated within participants. Only the order in
76
which participants had to respond to the different mask types and the first
response they had to give to classify masks was counterbalanced between
participants.
Tested hypotheses
Selection task Pictures of people with masks Pictures of people without

masks
APPROACH Forward movements towards Forward movements towards
Press ‘forward’ people with masks should be people with no masks should
positioned button slower compared to people be faster compared to people
for mask or no without masks with masks
mask
AVOIDANCE Backward movements away Backward movements away
Press ‘backward’ from people with masks should from people with no masks
positioned button be faster compared to people should be slower compared to
for mask or no without masks people with masks
mask
3.1.2. Experiment
Pre-test to select evocative stimuli (pictures of dust masks)
The dust masks for this experiment were selected on the basis of a pre-test.
We initially searched for dimensions that could be useful in classifying the
existing dust masks that are on the market. In our pre-test we used the
universal dimensions of social cognition, as described by Fiske and colleagues
(2007):, i.e. Warmth and Competence. As stated earlier, Fiske found that
people who are perceived as warm and competent elicit uniformly positive
emotions and behavior. Conversely, stigmatized groups tend to be negatively
stereotyped in the dimensions of competence and/or warmth in most
cultures. Stereotyping people along these two dimensions may be functional;
in order to survive, people need to know who is a friend or a foe (warmth) and
who will act on these basic benevolent or hostile intentions (competence).
If both these qualities were represented by a selection of masks, it would be

interesting to investigate if these masks change the perception of the person
that is wearing them in terms of ‘competence’ or ‘warmth’ in comparison to
a selection of ‘neutral’ masks.
In the pre-test we tried to select those masks that were thought to represent
each of these dimensions (neutral, competence and warmth). The neutral
masks were all white dust masks, which are the most commonly used on the
market. The so-called competence masks were dust masks used in different
professions and in sports. The warmth masks were personalized and colorful,
and were conceived specifically for this experiment. In order to select the
masks that best represented their category, a pre-test was conducted with
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Chapter 3
16 participants, of which 9 were male and 7 were female. Participants’ age

ranged from 20 to 35 years old (M = 23, SD = 2.76). All participants had the
Italian nationality and were Italian native speakers. In the pre-test they were
asked to rate 44 pictures of people with dust masks on 7 dimensions, each
on a 7-point scale. Three dimensions were related to warmth (friendly, well-
intending, sociable), three to competence (capable, competent, efficient),
and one to beauty (attractive). On the basis of these judgments, we selected
the three masks that best represented their category and conducted separate
one-way ANOVA’s on competence, warmth, and attractiveness judgments
comparing these judgments for the different types of masks.
Testing for differences on the competence dimension between mask type,

results showed a significant main effect F(2, 30) = 4.49, p < .05. In contrast with
our expectations, the images we labeled as competence masks scored low
on competence traits, i.e. participants classified people who were wearing
reference (neutral) and warmth masks, respectively, as more competent and
efficient than the actual competence masks (comparing means: REFmasks M
= 4.33, SD = 1.39; Wmasks M = 4.12, SD =1.34; Cmasks M = 3.61 SD = 1.21).
The judgments on the warmth dimension also showed a significant main
effect, F(2, 30) = 33.93, p < .001, revealing that perceived warmth was indeed
higher for people who wore warmth masks. Mean comparison tells us that
warmth masks were perceived as warmer and more friendly (M = 4.81, SD =
1.30) compared to reference (M = 3.79, SD = 1.14) and competence masks
(M = 2.75, SD = 0.85).
Finally, when testing for differences between the mask on attractiveness, a

significant main effect emerged, F(2, 30) = 8.54, p < .001, showing that people
who wore both warmth or reference masks were seen as more attractive (M
= 3.07 SD = 1.50 and M = 2.75, SD = 1.10 for warmth and reference masks
respectively) than the competence masks (M = 1.92 SD = 0.67).
Overall, pre-test data showed that masks that are mainly used in a professional
environment do not convey competence on the persons who are wearing
them, while personalizing a mask significantly increases the level of warmth
the person wearing the mask is thought to have. These differences are
important to bear in mind when interpreting the results of the main study.
Experimental setup
The selected stimuli were presented on a computer screen and the participants’
speed and direction of approach-like and avoidance-like movements toward
and away from models with no masks and models with masks were compared.
At the end of the experiment, the same participants were asked to fill out
a questionnaire with the intent to compare their spontaneous and implicit
reflex reactions with their rational and explicit questionnaire answers. This
study aims to test whether the generic distinction between models without
78
dust masks and models with dust masks is sufficient to trigger elementary
motor tendencies associated with approach and avoidance.
Participants
This research was conducted on a sample of 48 students and former students

at the University of Padua, of which 20 were male and 28 were female.
Participants’ age ranged from 19 to 32 years old (M = 21, SD = 2.81). All
participants had the Italian nationality and all but one were native-speaking
Italians. Data from this last participant were excluded from the analysis due to
the high number of mistakes that were made (i.e., the participant’s responses
did not match the instructions). All students participated voluntarily.
Materials
Three images of models wearing a mask were selected in each category that
was created (warmth, competence, reference). In addition, a single image of
a model without a mask was selected as well. Each of the 4 models (2 females
and 2 males) was seen wearing all of the masks. Thus, participants saw 10
different images of each of the 4 models, creating a total of 40 stimuli (see
figure 3.1).
Figure 3.1. Overview of all Images were presented on a computer screen, which was situated at a
40 stimuli: Four models,
three mask conditions and
distance of approximately 50 centimeters from the participant. We provided
the no-mask reference a modified keyboard, which was used in previous approach-avoidance tasks
condition (Paladino, 2008). This is a standard computer keyboard from which all the
Neutral Masks Competence Masks Warmth Masks No Mask

Male 1
Male 2
Female 1
Female 2
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Chapter 3
buttons have been removed. Three bigger wooden buttons were added: an
upper (approach), a central and a lower one (avoidance). The upper one was
colored in red and the lower one in green, while the central one had no color.
The keyboard was displayed in a vertical position and adjusted to the right or
to the left according to the participant’s dominant hand (see figure 3.2). Given
the position of the keyboard, each participant had to respond by moving
their arm toward (approach-like movement) or away from (avoidance-like
movement) the stimulus that was presented on the computer screen when
pressing the forward and backward keys, respectively.
Figure 3.2. Experimental
setup
Procedure
Implicit judgments – reflex reactions
Participants were divided into two conditions: 24 followed the instructions

of the mask approach condition while the remaining 24 conducted the
experiment in the no-mask approach condition. This way, the participants’
first response instructions were counterbalanced.
• In the no-mask approach condition, the participants’ first task consisted

in pressing the approach button for images of models without a mask.
• In the mask approach condition, their first task was to press the approach
button for images of models wearing a mask.
Every response trial was structured as follows: participants were requested

to press the red (approach) or green (avoidance) button for mask or no-mask
images, depending on the condition. Immediately after giving their response,
they had to press the central button. When they did this correctly, they heard
a beep that signaled that the next image was about to appear. Participants
were asked to wait for the new image holding their hand above the central
button. Participants were told to be as quick as possible in giving responses
80
and to make as little mistakes as possible. The complete task consisted of

three blocks. In each block, participants were confronted with one of the
three mask types: warmth masks, competence masks, and reference/neutral
masks. Even though every participant responded to each mask type in
different blocks, the order in which the various categories of masks appeared
was counterbalanced between participants. See figure 3.3 for an overview of
the experimental setup.
Each block was structured in four phases that were presented as follows:
• Phase 1: First, the computer program displayed a training sequence of

four images, in order to verify whether the person understood the specific
task instructions correctly.
• Phase 2: Immediately following this training phase, participants saw all
the stimuli responding to the specific instructions for no-mask approach or
mask approach.
• Phase 3: The third phase was again a training sequence of four images in
which the response instructions were reversed.
• Phase 4: In the fourth phase participants responded to all the stimuli with
the new instructions.
Figure 3.3. Overview
of the distribution
In each block, 24 stimuli were presented twice in a random order, once
of participants and with the first instructions and once with reversed instructions. Hence, the
experimental conditions. complete task, made up of three blocks, comprised 144 trials (see figure 3.3).
6 conditions
C = competence mask Starting with Starting with Starting with
N = neutral mask warmth competence neutral
W = warmth mask
1 2 3 4 5 6
Phase 1 Training sequence of 4 images (to practice instructions)
Starting with
W W C C N N
No-mask N C N W W C
Phase 2 approach
C N W N C W
Experiment
24 participants 4 4 4 4 4 4
Phase 3 Training sequence of 4 images (to practice reversed instructions)
Starting with W W C C N N
Mask N C N W W C
Phase 4 approach
C N W N C W
24 participants 4 4 4 4 4 4
Total of 48 participants
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Chapter 3
Explicit judgments – responses to the questionnaire
At the end of the computer task, participants were invited to fill out a
questionnaire, while they were shown four images, one after the other. These
images showed all four models: three of them were wearing masks and one
barefaced. All models wearing masks wore the same mask type as before and
their masks also corresponded to the masks that participants saw in the first
block of the computer task. The implicit judgments from the first block are
more genuine because no comparison is possible, guarding the responses
from any habituation to the task or influence of seeing other types of masks
in previous blocks. Therefore, we only compared the implicit judgments of
the first task with the explicit judgments at the end of the questionnaire. The
masks were presented in a fixed order but the model who was wearing them
was randomized. The fourth target was always the one wearing no mask. As
such, each participant judged each model once and all three masks of each
category (i.e., warmth or competence or reference).
In the first question of the questionnaire, we asked participants to pretend

they were actually meeting the person pictured for the first time, exactly
in the way he/she appeared. They had to imagine this for each target and
answer four questions about general liking (e.g., How much do you like this
person? How much would you like to meet this person?). All ratings were
made on 7-point Likert-type scales ranging from 1 (not at all) to 7 (very much).
3.1.3. Results
Implicit judgments (data processing of reaction times)
In our results, we focus on the analysis of the reaction times that were
recorded during the first experimental condition (phase 2 in figure 3.3). We
focused on these measurements to avoid any influences of order effects,
despite all of our counterbalancing efforts. Additionally, we wanted to
exclude all effects due to the inevitable comparative nature of the implicit
judgments that were recorded after the first phase.
Response latencies of 47 participants were taken into consideration,

excluding very slow (slower than or exceeding three seconds) and very
fast reaction times (faster than or below 300 ms). Very slow reaction times
may indicate that the participant did not perceive the stimulus or lacked
concentration. Very fast reaction times may indicate that the participant
reacted prior to the perception of the stimulus. These outliers were
processed as errors together with the incorrect responses and made up
2.6% of the total amount of responses. This exclusion rate of 2,6% indicates
that the participants acted with a good level of arousal and concentration.
82
The remaining responses were log-transformed and analyzed in a 2 (Target:

mask vs. no-mask images) x 2 (Reaction: approach vs. avoidance) x 2
(Experimental condition: no-mask approach vs. mask approach) x 3 (Mask
type: warmth vs. competence vs. neutral) mixed ANOVA of which the first
two factors were measured within participants and the latter two between
participants. All means were transformed back to reaction times in the
following sections for ease of interpretation.
General results – mask/no mask
From this analysis a main effect of reaction emerged, showing that

participants were generally faster at approaching rather than avoiding the
different targets (F(1, 41) = 9.86, p < .05). In addition, the two-way interaction
between participants’ Reactions and Target turned out to be significant (F(1.
41) = 8.84, p < .05). Mean comparisons showed that approach movements
were performed faster towards mask images (M= 757.48) compared to
avoidance movements (M = 780.55), while the reverse was true for the
no-mask images (M = 820.57 and M = 749.95 for approach and avoidance
reactions respectively). Importantly, these effects were qualified by the
three-way interaction between Target, Reaction and Mask type that showed
to be marginally significant, F(2, 41) = 2.53, p = .092).
The results for different mask types:
In order to get a better understanding of the interaction between mask

types separate 2 (Target: mask vs. no-mask images) x 2 (Reaction: approach
vs. avoidance) within-subjects ANOVA’s were calculated for each mask type
(warmth, competence and neutral).
For the ‘warmth’ masks, apart from a significant main effect of participants’
reactions, no other significant effects emerged (F < 1). For these masks there
was no statistically relevant difference in how fast masks and bare faces were
approached or avoided.
The ‘competence’ masks were approached faster (M = 735.94 ms) than they
were avoided (M = 789.81 ms) and this effect was statistically significant (F(1,
14) = 10.18, p < .05). The reverse happened for the no-mask images, which
were avoided faster than they were approached (M = 753.49 ms and M =
822.9 ms, for avoidance and approach reactions respectively).
The reactions to the ‘neutral’ masks showed a significant interaction

effect: F(1, 13) = 7.99, p < .05, between target and behavioral responses.
Participants responded faster when approaching (M = 764.63 ms) than
they did when avoiding (M = 873.68 ms) reference masks, while the
reverse happened for the correspondent bare faces (M = 882.18 and
M = 759.92 for approach and avoidance movements respectively).
83
Chapter 3
Reaction times Figure 3.4. Between-

(ms) participant comparisons
'##$ by mask type (only first
block).Three factors
&"#$ interact: approach/avoid,
mask/no mask and mask
type (from left to right:
&##$ warmth, competence,
reference).
%"#$ 1(23$
4+$1(23$
%##$
!"#$
())*+(,-$ (.+/0$ ())*+(,-$ (.+/0$ ())*+(,-$ (.+/0$
Warmth Competence Neutral
Explicit judgments (analysis of questionnaires)
As stated earlier, participants were also invited to fill out a questionnaire,

while they were shown four images. Participants had to pretend they were
actually meeting the person in the picture for the first time and they had to
answer four questions about general liking (e.g., How much do you like this
person? How much would you like to meet this person?). All ratings were
made on 7-point Likert-type scales ranging from 1 (not at all) to 7 (very much).
Results for Liking (warmth)
The first four questions of the questionnaire all reflected general liking and
were aggregated in a single index (α = .72), which was calculated separately
for the models with mask and compared with the barefaced model. These
means were analysed in a 2 (Target: mask vs. no-mask) x 3 (Mask type:
warmth vs. competence vs. neutral) mixed ANOVA of which the first factor
was calculated within participants and the second between participants.
Results showed that the mask types did not influence the ‘liking’ judgements
(non-significant - F < 1). Still, the depicted means in figure 3.5 show that
participants tended to like the warm masks slightly more compared to the
bare faces. This difference, however, was only marginally significant (p = .11).
Moreover, the mean judgment on liking was the highest (M = 3.7) for warmth
masks. Clearly no differences emerged for competence and neutral masks.
84
Figure 3.5. Explicit liking 3,8

judgments in function of
the target and the type 3,7
of mask (Non-significant
interaction). 3,6
3,5
3,4
3,3
3,2
3,1 mask
no mask
3
warmth competence neutral
Results for Professionalism (Competence)
Looking at the ANOVA calculated on the means of judgments on

professionalism (specialist, professional, scientist, α = .62), we found that
overall masked persons were judged as more professional (M = 3.82) than
the bare faces (M = 3.16) (significant main effect of target, F(1, 44) = 12.11,
p < .01). Moreover, a significant interaction effect emerged between target
and mask type, F(2, 44) = 3.29, p < .05, indicating that competence masks
were seen as the most professional among the mask types (M = 4.07), and
in comparison to the corresponding no-mask images (M = 2.73) (figure 3.6).
Figure 3.6. Professiona- 4,5

lism means of interaction
between type of mask and
4
mask/ no mask (Significant 3,5
p < .05). 3
2,5
2
1,5
1
0,5 mask
no mask
0
warmth competence neutral
85
Chapter 3
3.1.4. Discussion
The reaction time measurements do not agree with our hypotheses. Reaction
times were faster when participants had to approach the mask stimuli. This
result not only contrasts with our expectations, but also to a certain extent
with the explicit judgments given by the participants. Indeed, the masks that
were least liked in the reaction time experiment proved to be the most liked
ones in the questionnaire.
An alternative explanation could be linked to the way in which the experiment

was set up. People had to decide whether something was present (mask)
or not. Formulating the task in these terms, people may have been faster
at approaching masks because it is easier to point at something (making a
forward movement) that is present than to point at something that is absent.
Following this explanation, it is plausible that the reaction time measures
reflect the fact that people liked the warmth masks better, because this
facilitation effect was absent for the warmth masks. Interpreting the data
from this perspective, we suggest that the warmth masks are most likely to
be ignored on the face of a person. However, more research is needed to
support this alternative explanation. In an iteration of the experiment, we
suggest researchers alter the original setup, asking participants for example
to categorize people with glasses and people with masks.
3.1.5. Conclusions
This experiment bears witness that experimental techniques from social

psychology can be inspirational for the field of design research. Understanding
and interpreting behavioral tendencies towards stigma-eliciting products by
measuring implicit reflex reactions as well as analyzing questionnaires, which
reflect more thoughtful responses, can be a basis for a quantification of the
product-related stigma potential.
The technique that was used to record the reaction times is relatively
straightforward to execute, but does require a tight control over the
experimental script and its parameters. Analyzing the results is time-
consuming and requires a solid comprehension of statistic analysis.
At the end, the experiment revealed little effect. The experiment was
intended as a comparison task, but turned out to be a detection task
due to the visual contrast between the mask and no-mask conditions.
It is advised to replicate this study with stimuli that have a product in or
around the face in both conditions (e.g. glasses, hat, scarf). By doing so,
the experiment returns to its original purpose and allows researchers to
compare two human-product conditions. At the same time, a reduction of
the esthetical variability between the mask types may allow for a better
evaluation of the implications of design interventions or product variances.
86
To improve our understanding of the unprepared encounter, we will direct

our experimental efforts towards setups that approach real-life conditions
and encounters. The following experiments will explore the observable
behavior of bystanders, whether intentional or not.
87
Chapter 3
3.2. The Immersive Mask Experience
The immersive mask experience was a pivot point in our research and
motivates a shift from the lab towards a real-life situation. We moved our
attention away from the reactions and experiences of the bystanders
towards a personal experience in which we could observe the bystander and
experience the intensity of their reactions. The immersive mask experience
allows the designer to get as close as possible to a real-life situation and
experience ‘in the flesh’ what it is like to wear a dust mask in public. As
such, we orchestrated this exploration as a straightforward and manageable
learning method for designers, aimed at first person experiences instead of
quantifiable data.
Additionally, the immersive mask experience was organized to explore the

qualities which the ‘experience prototyping approach’ has for our research.
We wanted to find out whether an immersive experience with a social
experience prototype could have a positive effect on the designer’s sensibility
and empathy. In contrast with most functional experience prototypes the
use of our social experience prototype (a plain white dust mask) was not
considered an enjoyable activity. By placing our students and ourselves in this
situation, we underwent a powerful confrontation with the phenomenon of
product-related stigma.
3.2.1. Concept and procedures
The immersive experience exploration was part of a design assignment called

‘The Pleasurable Mask Experience’, in which students had to design a mask
that was unconstrained by negative connotations projected both by users
and bystanders. The project represented a workload of 4 ECTS (European
credits) and 60 third grade bachelor students in Product Development at
the Artesis University College of Antwerp participated. The assignment
challenged students to conceive a pleasurable dust mask experience for
four specific target groups: the active elderly (yourself in 40 years), children
aged 3 to 7, children aged 8 to 12 and bike couriers. For each of these target
groups, the students had to develop a mouth and nose covering dust mask
that was fitted with existing filtering technology. To ensure the integration of
emotional awareness and empathy, a three-step framework was used. Each
step of this three-step framework consisted of a divergent and convergent
phase. The various empathy-enhancing activities are marked in yellow (figure
3.7).
The immersive mask experience was organized a few weeks before the actual
start of the design project and presented a vital first step in our empathy-
enhancing process. On the day they received their white dust mask, students
were instructed to wear their mask in public settings for at least two hours
a day. In the design assignment, we initially intended this exploration to
88
Empathy in analyzing phase Empathy in creation phase Empathy in verification phase
immersive mask idea generation

experience multidisciplinary concept selection concept concept testing
analysis of persona co-creation with with lead users development with lead users
philosophical lead users
perspectives
Figure 3.7. The three-step divert students away from themselves as a point of reference to an empathic
framework followed in understanding of their future user. Additionally, we wanted to make sure that
the ‘Pleasurable Mask
Experience’ assignment. students would not underestimate the physical and psychological discomfort
associated with wearing a dust mask.
As they set out wearing their masks in public, students personally experienced
the reactions of bystanders, which they observed and documented. Students
often made their walks in small groups of two or three. One of them wore
the mask, while the others observed from a ‘safe‘ distance to avoid spoiling
the authenticity of the reactions. At the end of the exercise, students were
requested to present an A3-poster with quotes and pictures that portrayed
their feelings and experiences.
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Chapter 3
Figure 3.8. Chloë (top)

3.2.2. Results and Robrecht (bottom) try
to adjust their masks and
the accompanying ‘social
We purposely did not inform or prepare our students for this assignment. image’ through some quick
After distributing the masks, we noticed a lot of opposition and frustration. alterations.
Most students ‘hated’ the assignment and only a very small number of
students stated that they had no objections to wearing their dust masks in
public. During the immersive experience, we discovered that the perceptions
and attitudes of students differed dramatically. Their personalities strongly
influenced the way in which they coped with the assignment. Some students
reluctantly did what they had to do while others took immediate action to
improve their masked appearance. In figure 3.8 we see how two students,
Chloë and Robrecht, immediately tried to alter their masks to look less
conspicuous.
Next to their frustrations about various usability and comfort issues, most
students also illustrated the emotional consequences of wearing a dust mask
on their posters. Several students even managed to capture the expressions
of bystanders with hidden cameras or pictures taken by their spy colleagues.
90
These were the most common reactions and associations reported by our
students:
• Social distance: The participants observed or ‘felt’ that bystanders

maintained a greater (safer) distance. Several students reported that this
turned out to be an advantage while using public transport; they always had
a seat or enough room to move around.
• Awkwardness and embarrassment: Friends or family were often
ashamed when a masked student accompanied them.
• Contagiousness: With the bird- and Mexican flu in the back of their minds,
some people made a connection with infectious diseases and contagiousness.
• Mysophobia (fear of germs): Wearing a mask can also be associated with
a pathological fear of contamination or germs.
• Staring: Students described and visually documented that people
often stared in many different ways. Students literally quoted that virtually
‘everybody stared’ at them. However, when students stared back or tried
to overtly photograph these reactions, most bystanders turned their heads,
suggesting that they did not want to be linked to their own judgmental
behavior. These are our interpretations of the most commonly reported
staring reactions:
◦◦ The ‘ignoring’ stare: The passer-by did notice the student but
pretended as if he or she didn’t.
◦◦ The ‘sympathetic’ stare: The passer-by noticed the student and gave
a look of recognition or sympathy. This sympathy was often linked to the
absurdity of certain situations.
◦◦ The ‘maintained’ stare: Reports were made of elderly people who
explicitly stared for longer periods of time and with expressions ranging
from non-existing over disapproval to fearful.
◦◦ The ‘laughing’ stare: Fused by curiosity, children and youngsters
displayed little reservation and often combined their staring with laughter,
remarks or questions.
• Tourist: Because most students walked along the street of Antwerp,
bystanders also made associations with foreign tourists visiting the city with
respiratory protection.
Students also reported that they gave bystanders and friends the most
bizarre explanations about why they were wearing the masks.
An experience that was shared by many was the social unease that they
themselves experienced. Even in the absence of others, most students felt
uncomfortable and a target of attention.
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Chapter 3
92
3.2.3. Conclusion
The general conclusion of this experience was remarkable; students did not
like the fact that they were stared at, 'like they were bearers of an infectious
disease'. The exploration clearly emphasized that dust masks have a strong
stigmatizing effect, and are not perceived as a 'normal' feature in our streets
and public places. Their personal experience also made students aware of
the challenge ahead and the importance of an encompassing user experience
approach.
Many of the assumptions that they had incorporated in their first design
concepts, proved not to coincide with the expectations of the target group.
The immersive experience gave our students something that went beyond
Figure 3.9. on the the notion that empathy with the user is important; it created an empathic
left, examples of awareness that stretched out towards the larger social environment.
student posters visually
representing their
experiences (Jens Baert & Below, some concept sketches of dust masks that were conceived during the
Jonathan Cools). ‘Pleasurable Mask Experience’.
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Chapter 3
3.3. The Spy Pack Exploration
The immersive mask experience evidenced that a lot can be learned from
the real-life interaction between users of stigma-eliciting products and those
who surround them. As stated earlier, an important and defining thoughtful
reaction to product-related stigma seems to be avoidance. The Spy Pack
exploration is the first in a series of three explorations that aims to quantify
how people approach and pass a user and his stigma-eliciting product.
Following the measuring of reaction times in a lab environment, this

exploration represents our first attempt to approach and observe the actual
unprepared encounter. The Spy Pack exploration focuses on the bystander’s
perceptual and behavioral responses that result from a product-related
stigma encounter and is set in a controlled indoor environment. Perceptual
responses were explored by observing the staring behavior of passers-by as
they approached and passed a dust mask user. The behavioral responses
were investigated by analyzing deviations in the walking paths of passers-by
as they approached and passed a dust mask user.
By analyzing the images of seven cameras, we investigated the relevance of

three parameters:
Perceptual parameters related to staring behavior
• Moment of perception: the distance between a passer-by and the mask

wearer at the moment of visual perception.
• Looking over the shoulder: the registration of the number of passers-by
that looked over their shoulder after passing the mask wearer.
Behavioral parameters related to walking behavior
• Interpersonal distance: the registration of the closest interpersonal

distance between the passer-by and the mask wearer as they pass each other.
The main goal of this exploration was to determine which of these parameters
are most relevant for further exploration. The setup of this exploration was
inspired by observational research methods. By simulating real-life conditions
in an indoor environment, we managed to reconstruct the valuable ‘first time
encounter’ in a controlled environment. The research was conducted on a
sample of 87 male and 82 female participants, who were randomly assigned
to three conditions, a no-mask reference condition and two distinct mask
conditions.
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3.3.1. Method
In this experiment, the independent variables were the gender of the

confederate (mask wearer) and the three mask conditions (no mask – standard
white mask – blue Respro mask). All variables were counterbalanced.
The dependent variables that were measured:
Variable 1 – Staring behavior / Moment of perception: This measure

provides an indication of the moment or sector in which our confederate was
noticed, as the passer-by approached him or her. A sector scale (figure 3.13)
reflected whether the perception occurred without delay, with short delay or
with long delay. Early detection could be an indication of increased interest,
vigilance or alertness, which could in turn signal to the mask wearer that the
passer-by does not feel at ease in his or her presence.
Variable 2 - Staring behavior / Looking over the shoulder: An overt type

of staring behavior occurs when people turn their heads after passing a
mask wearer. We inserted this variable for exploratory reasons, mainly
because numerous reports of this reaction were made during the ‘Immersive
Mask Experience’. The overt nature of this behavior, combined with the
distinguishable rotation of the head made it relatively easy to assess when
the reaction occurred. This overt reaction has an undeniable impact on the
mask wearer who notices it.
Variable 3 – Interpersonal distance: This is the closest distance between the

passer-by and our research confederate during the interaction. Interpersonal
distance reflects people’s willingness to avoid an individual.
The experiment was set up in a controlled indoor environment and registered

the behavior of people passing by a confederate, wearing a dust mask in a
discrete setup. During the course of the experiment the confederate was
discretely occupied with his mobile phone and did not make visual eye contact
with any passers-by. The walking and staring behavior of the passers-by was
registered by five overhead HD-camera’s, supplemented with two HD pen
camera’s that were attached to a backpack in an unnoticeable way.
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Chapter 3
3.3.2. Experiment
Stimuli
The experiment focused on those parameters that could serve as indicators

or predictors of stigmatizing behavior around stigma-eliciting products.
We repeated our experiment for two mask types and a no-mask reference
situation (See figure 3.10). The first mask was a white disposable dust
mask with a double headband and no breathing valve (NORTH 810-FFP1).
These masks protect against non-volatile solid and liquid particles and are
commonly used for light construction work.
Figure 3.10. A male and
female confederate in the
three conditions.
The second mask is the Respro City mask, a mask that is often used by bike
couriers in busy city traffic. The blue Respro mask has breathing valves on
both sides and was chosen because of its high visibility. It would be interesting
to detect whether there are differences between these two mask conditions
on any of our three parameters.
Experimental setup
The experiment was set up in a spacious hall with no visual or physical

obstructions. The hall had a length of 20 m and a width of 2,7 m. The
confederate was placed, leaning against the wall, at a distance of 12 m from
the entrance. Five overhead cameras were positioned in a lighting rail, 4 m
above the confederate. To avoid distortion, we made sure that there was
enough overlap between the video images of the overhead cameras. The
combination of the five images enabled us to monitor the passers-by over a
distance of 15 m, 10 m before and 5 m after passing the research confederate.
Prior to the actual experiment we interrogated 35 passers-by and asked them
96
whether they had noticed anything unusual in the empty hallway; none of
them reported noticing the overhead cameras.
Figure 3.11. The hall in
which the experiment was
set up.
Participants
The research was conducted on a total sample of 169 students and employees
of the Artesis University College of Antwerp, of which 87 males and 82
females. Participants’ age ranged from 18 to 50 years old. All participants
had the Belgian nationality and participated unknowingly. Participants
were intercepted at the end of the hallway, where the intentions of our
research were clarified and permission was asked to process the images.
All participants agreed to cooperate. Male and female participants and
confederates were counterbalanced within each condition (no mask, white
mask and blue mask). We explored six conditions:
Condition Mask type Gender of research confederate

1 Neutral – no mask Female
2 Male
3 White mask Female
4 Male
5 Blue mask Female
6 Male
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Chapter 3
Equipment
All six conditions were filmed in full sequence. To allow synchronization of

the seven video-images, an audio signal was incorporated at the start of the
recordings. Above the research confederate, five Sanyo X-acti HD cameras
were installed and in the backpack two VIO POV wide-angle HD cameras
were built in. We will refer to this backpack with spy-like qualities as the ‘spy
pack’. Figure 3.12 shows how both cameras were integrated in the spy pack.
The five images from the overhead cameras were ‘stitched’ and carefully
aligned in Adobe Premiere.
Figure 3.12. Build-up of
the spy pack backpack / A
male research confederate
wearing the spy pack.
Procedure
In order to qualify as a valid participant, a passer-by had to singly approach

our test person, without being obstructed by others during the full length
of the interaction process. Passers-by who encountered a distracting event
during the interaction were excluded from the sample. The subjective data
that were included in the observations offered valuable information on the
‘rich’ reactions (smile, frown, looking away, etc.) that passers-by displayed.
All video images were processed in Adobe Premiere and compiled into
one overall image that comprised the images of all seven cameras used in
this experiment. The images were assessed on a 32” High Definition LCD
screen that provided the necessary resolution and contrast for an accurate
observation.
Variable 1 – Staring behavior / Moment of perception (MP)
To efficiently determine the moment of visual perception, we specified three

sectors in the 10 m range that was registered when someone approached
the mask wearer. We labeled this a sector scale (figure 3.13) and it indicates
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whether the perception happened without delay, with short delay or with
long delay. If the passer-by did not visibly look at our confederate, in any
of these three areas, we encoded this participant’s perception as 0. The
moment of visual perception was determined by analyzing the frontal video
image of the spy pack on a large screen, combined with the composed image
of the overhead cameras. Passers-by who clearly turned their head towards
our confederate or stared into the camera mounted on the confederates’
shoulder, were considered as valid participants. When a clear visual detection
of the passer-by was observed on the frontal camera, the image was paused
and the correspondent sector was indicated with the appropriate statistical
value: 0 (no visual perception), 1 (sector 1/long delayed perception), 2
(sector 2 /shortly delayed perception), 3 (sector 3/no delay or immediate
perception). In figure 3.13 a passer-by noticed our confederate in sector 2,
with a short delay.
Figure 3.13. Variable 1
Staring behavior: no delay,
short delay or long delay.
Variable 2 – Staring behavior / Looking back
This variable is an indication of enhanced staring behavior and was derived

from the images of the rear camera in our spy pack. Displayed on a large
screen, these images enabled us to detect whether people looked over their
shoulder or stared into the rear camera. This parameter was transformed
into a 0 (no looking back) or a 1 (looking back behavior). No attention was
given to the relative position of the passer-by towards our confederate at the
moment of looking back.
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Chapter 3

Staring behavior: a passer-
by looking over his
shoulder.
Variable 3 – Interpersonal distance
This variable was conscientiously derived from the combined overhead

camera images. The wall against which our confederate leaned served as
the zero mark for our distance measures. As portrayed in figure 3.15, we
intended to measure the distances between the zero mark and the passer-by
at three points in the walking trajectory. Differences between the distances
at WD1 (Walking Distance 1) and WD3 would provide us with an indication
of the explicitness of the avoidant walking behavior. However, in this
exploration we only address the interpersonal distance at WD3, which is the
shortest distance between the confederate (zero mark) and the passer-by.
When a passer-by was aligned with this mark, the video image was paused
and the distance between the center of the head and the zero mark was
assessed with the help of a grid-overlay. This grid, with an accuracy of 25mm,
was positioned over the composed and aligned images of three overhead
cameras, one exactly above the confederate and two consecutive ones in
the direction of the entrance. To increase the accuracy, measurements were
taken from this ‘zoomed-in’ image.
Deriving the walking
distance between the zero
mark and the passer-by.
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3.3.3. Results
Two hypotheses were examined after the data were gathered. The hypotheses
are linked to the detection and measurement of explicit behavioral responses,
namely staring behavior (moment of perception and looking back) and
avoidant walking behavior vis-à-vis a wearer of a stigma-eliciting dust mask.
Hypothesis 1 – Moment of MP mask < MP no mask

Perception (MP)
Hypothesis 2 – Interpersonal ID mask > ID no mask
distance on WP3 (ID)
Explorations Differences between mask types, gender of research
confederates, and gender of participants for MP and ID
Our first hypothesis predicts that a person who wears a dust mask is perceived
significantly faster, which could in turn be an indication of heightened
alertness or self-protection of the passer-by. Our second hypothesis forecasts
that a passer-by will maintain a greater (safer) walking distance when our
confederate is wearing a dust mask. In addition, it would be interesting to
discover significant behavioral differences in any of the three parameters,
related to the two mask conditions and related to the gender of the
participants or confederates.
Prior to the validation of our hypotheses, we examined whether the gender

of the confederate or passer-by had the potential of influencing any of our
three parameters. For each of the three conditions (no-mask / blue mask /
white mask) the experiment was executed with both a male and a female
confederate.
After analyzing the results of 87 male and 82 female passers-by, we noted

a similar distribution of the results among male and female passers-by
and confederates when it came to the two staring variables (moment of
perception and looking back). A chi-square with continuity correction showed
no significant difference for looking back (passers-by: Chi² (1, correction) =
0.022; p = .881 / confederates: Chi² (1, correction) = 0.146; p = .702). A Mann-
Whitney U test showed no significant difference between the medians for
the sector in which the confederate was perceived (passers-by: z = -0.007; p
= .995 / confederates: z = -1.347; p = .178).
An analysis of the valid results of 44 male and 47 female passers-by assessed

gender influences on the walking behavior. The Mann-Whitney U test did not
show a significant difference between medians of both confederates (median
male: 177,5 / median female: 167,5, z= -1.483, p=.138) and passers-by (median
male: 172,5 / median female: 170, z= 0.810, p=.418). Performed on the four
gender combinations of passers-by and confederates, a median test showed
no significant differences in walking distances (Chi² (3) = 1.338; p = .720).
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Chapter 3
These results enabled us to add the male and female samples for the three
experimental conditions. Collapsing these variables generated a bigger
sample for each condition and increased the accuracy of further statistical
analysis.
Variable 1 – Staring behavior / Moment of perception
The data stored in this variable were linked to a score of 0 (no visual
perception), 1 (delayed perception), 2 (shortly delayed perception), or 3
(no delay or immediate perception), according to the sector in which the
passer-by made visual contact with our confederate. A confederate in the
neutral no-mask condition was not perceived by 39% of the passers-by. This
percentage drops to respectively 9% (white mask) and 5% (blue mask) for the
mask conditions.
The white mask is detected faster with a total of 84% in sectors 2 (shortly
delayed) and 3 (immediate detection), whereas the blue mask is detected
slower with a total of 82% in sectors 1 (delayed) and 2 (shortly delayed).
Figure 3.16. Percentage
No-perception Delayed Short-delayed Immediate
indicating the moment
(0) (1) (2) (3) (sector) of perception
Neutral 39% 20% 35% 6%
White mask 9% 7% 54% 30%
Blue mask 5% 37% 45% 13%
After performing a test for equality of medians (Kruskal Wallis), we did

notice a significant difference between the three medians (Chi² (2) = 29,886;
p < .002). Comparing the equality of medians two by two with the Mann-
Whitney U test each time delivered a significant difference (neutral - white
mask: z = -5.117; p < .001 / neutral - blue mask: z = -3.031; p < .003 / white
mask – blue mask: z = -3.175; p < .003).
Variable 2 – Staring behavior / Looking back
This variable was introduced to serve as an indicator for increased visual

interest from the part of the passer-by. Our results show that none of the
participants looked over their shoulder after passing a confederate without
a dust mask. For the blue mask 7 out of 56 participants (12%) looked back
and for the white mask 11 out of 59 participants (18%) did. The chi-square
with continuity correction did not indicate a significant difference for the two
mask conditions (Chi² (1,correction) = 0.422; p= .516).
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Variable 3 – Interpersonal distance
The interpersonal distance on which we report is measured at point WD3

(closest distance between confederate and passer-by), as indicated in figure
3.15. A test for equality of medians (Kruskal Wallis) displays a significant
difference between the medians of the walking distance for the three mask
conditions (Chi² (2) = 8.606; p < .015). The median of the walking distance for
the blue mask condition is significantly higher than for the no-mask condition
(Mann-Whitney U: z = -2.996; p < .004). With 10 percent significance, there
is a significant difference between the medians of the walking distance of the
neutral and the white mask condition (Mann-Whitney U: z = -1.682; p < .094).
A Post Hoc Tukey HSD used on a one way ANOVA shows a .068 significance
between the neutral and white mask conditions.
Figure 3.17 better represents the spread of the results. We can note an almost
unvarying spread in the range between 110 and 200 cm for the no-mask
condition. For the white mask we can see a shift of results towards the right,
which clearly indicates that the passers-by did prefer to maintain a greater
distance as they walked by our confederate. This shift is even more apparent
for the blue-mask condition.
Figure 3.17. The relation 12

between the walking 10
No mask
distances, the three 8
mask conditions and the 6
frequency of occurrence.
4
2
0
12
10
White mask
Frequency
8
6
4
2
0
12
10
Blue mask
8
6
4
2
0
50,0 100,0 150,0 200,0 250,0
Walking distance (cm)
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Chapter 3
3.3.4. Discussion
The results of this experiment led us to infer that passers-by do perceive a

confederate with a dust mask noticeably faster and do exhibit behavioral
changes, such as increased staring behavior and a greater interpersonal
distance.
Both mask conditions were detected significantly faster then the no-mask
condition, with the shortest delay for the white mask condition. A
confederate without a mask was not noticed by 39% of the passers-by. This
percentage dropped significantly to 9% for the white mask and only 5% for
the blue mask. The white mask was detected faster than the blue mask,
with an immediate detection rate of 30% (16% for the blue mask). Both
masks did get high detection rates (54%-white / 45% blue) in sector 2 (short
delay). Comparing the two mask conditions indicated a significantly faster
perception for the white dust mask. This quick detection could be related
to its contrasting color or the slightly lager size of the mask. Although visual
detection is crucial, consequently determining the moment of detection
proved to be a challenging task. We do realize that this parameter can be
subjected to interpretation and that therefore it is problematic. This is why, in
the following experiments, we focus on personal distance as the parameter
that delivers an objective measure. By taking sufficient samples we can
eliminate influences of variations at the moment of perception.
The increased visual interest for both mask conditions was also reflected
in the number of passers-by that looked over their shoulder. None of the
participants looked back after passing a confederate without a dust mask,
whereas respectively 18% and 12% did do so in the blue and white mask
conditions. Analyzing the images of the rear camera on a large screen allowed
for an objective observation of this oftentimes overt reaction.
Apart from a heightened alertness, our results also showed a significantly

greater interpersonal distance between a passer-by and a person with versus
without a dust mask. Although the interpersonal distances did not vary
significantly between the two mask conditions, we do note a more consistent
and greater interpersonal distance (less variance) towards the blue mask.
The experimental setup in this specific hall taught us that it is advisable to use
a wider passage area. With a width of 2,7m this hallway might have restricted
the freedom of the passer-by. Moreover, the fact that subjects crossed the
path of potential participants from the opposite side limited the number of
valid participants and increased the duration of the experiment considerably.
In a future setup we will transfer the experiment outdoors and allow for a
passage of at least 4 m wide, with a more consistent flow of pedestrians.
In addition, the exploration required a lot of hardware and preparation. In
subsequent explorations we will aim to reduce the setup and evaluation time.
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The use of video cameras directed towards the oncoming stream of passer-by
as well as away from them did prove valuable for gathering ‘rich’ information
and for reviewing the gathered data.
3.3.5. Conclusion
In our quest for a tool that can determine the ‘degree’ of product-related
stigma attached to a product, the relevant contribution of this exploration
was the confirmation that the three parameters of interest proved to be
comprehensive, measurable and valuable for further exploration. Due to the
exploratory nature of these findings and the basic stimuli, it was impossible
to make any valid statements concerning the degree of acceptance of both
mask conditions or the product attributes to which passers-by might have
reacted.
The current setup had two flaws. The challenge of objectively determining
the moment of perception, together with the multitude of images that had to
be processed and evaluated, turned this exploration into a time-consuming
undertaking.
It would be beneficial for further research to introduce improved experimental

scenarios and a combination of camera’s and sensors that allow for a quicker
and more accurate data processing. The next two experiments focus on the
objectively measurable parameter of interpersonal distance and attempt to
improve its measurability.
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Chapter 3
3.4. The Dyadic Distance Experiment
The spy pack exploration was as a preliminary study leading to the next
two explorations. The spy pack exploration confirmed that two parameters
proved to be measurable and valuable in a quantification of the avoidant
behavior of bystanders around users of stigma-eliciting products: the
moment of visual perception and the interpersonal distance. The results of
the spy pack exploration indicated that passers-by do perceive a confederate
with a dust masks noticeably faster and do exhibit behavioral changes,
such as increased staring behavior and a greater interpersonal distance. A
faultless and unbiased detection of the moment of visual perception proved
to be problematic, and as such we discarded this measure. Counting the
number of people that looked over their shoulder after they passed the mask
wearer assessed the increased staring behavior. Although this measure is
straightforward and easy to detect it is difficult to determine what motivated
this reaction. The response could be triggered by curiosity, positive affect or
negative aversion. Consequently we shifted the focus of our explorations to
the parameter of interpersonal distance as a valid and reliable measure to
quantify the avoidant behavior of bystanders around users of stigma-eliciting
products.
The two experimental techniques presented in this paragraph focus on the

parameter of interpersonal distance. Both explorations are set in real-life
outdoor situations and use the same five dust mask prototypes as stimuli.
The first is called the ‘Dyadic Distance experiment’ and it focuses on an
accurate measurement of the shortest interpersonal distance between
the passer-by and a research confederate (mask wearer), by means of an
ultrasonic sensor. The second experiment is called the ‘Stain Dilemma’ and
is a simplified variation that introduces a physical obstruction in the walking
path, forcing the passer-by to chose between two walking paths.
Interpersonal distance as a measure to quantify product-related stigma
Measuring interpersonal or social distance is a common method used to

examine stigma and it refers to people’s willingness to avoid versus interact
with individuals. Previous explorations clearly indicated that the presence of
a stigma-eliciting dust mask affects the interpersonal distance between the
passer-by and the research confederate.
Hall (1966) states that the social distance between people is reliably
correlated with physical distance, as are intimate and personal distance,
according to the following delineations: intimate distance for embracing,
touching or whispering (15 to 46 cm), personal distance for interactions
among good friends or family members (46 to 120 cm), social distance
for interactions among acquaintances (120cm to 370cm), and finally the
public distance used for public speaking (370 cm or more) (figure 3.18).
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Prior to the conceptualization of our explorations we reviewed the factors

that have the potential to influence the interpersonal distance. The table
below lists those factors that will influence the interpersonal distance
between a mask wearer and a passer-by (next to the five mask stimuli that
were used in the explorations).
Figure 3.18. Hall (1966).
Public Space
3,5m
Social Space
1,2m
Personal Space
0,45m
Intimate Space
Staring Staring at an individual increases the chance of social interaction,

and may result in a tendency or felt ‘obligation’ to interact. There is
a correlation between the degree of eye contact and the resulting
approach or avoidance reaction in bystanders. A smaller interpersonal
distance results in less eye contact and vice versa, depending on the
relationship of the individuals involved in the interaction. This effect
is clearly observed in interactions between individuals of the opposite
gender (Argyle, 1965). When designing an interpersonal distance
experiment, the determination of the degree of eye contact needs to be
specified accordingly. When wearing a dust mask, eye contact with the
passer-by could increase the chance of visual perception. As such, during
an encounter with a user of a stigma-eliciting product, exchanging
visual contact may increase the interpersonal distance, expressing the
unwanted character of the interaction.
Body When the mask wearer’s body orientation is diverted away from a
orientation passer-by, the chance of interaction with and visual perception of the
stigma-eliciting product decrease, resulting in a smaller interpersonal
distance. This behavior is related to social interaction patterns, which
largely depend on cultural and societal factors. Our body language
expresses a possible interest in the message that the other wants to
convey. By orientating the body towards that person, we show that we
are willing to receive this message (Martin, 1995). Directing the body
orientation of the mask wearer towards the passer-by is therefore the
most authentic and unsuspicious setup.
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Chapter 3
Culture The culture in which the interaction is set will subtly dictate a complex
frame of reference for social interaction. Both social distance and body
orientation are strongly influenced by these unwritten rules of social
engagement (Martin, 1995).
A distance that is sensed as comfortable in a contact-culture A might be
sensed as ‘invasive’ in a non-contact culture B (Hall, 1966).
Size and Hall states that the social distances that are maintained and silently
volume of agreed upon in a particular culture influence the allocation and size
the room of spaces. White (1975) states that the size of a room is negatively
correlated to interpersonal distance. In a small room the interpersonal
distance will be larger than compared to a bigger room.
Social Next to cultural influences, the social relationship between individuals
relation- will extensively influence their interpersonal distance. A person lets him
or herself be approached more easily by some than others. A spouse, for
ship
example, is able to enter the intimate space without avoidance or flight
reflexes from the other, a task that would be difficult for a stranger. As
a result, interactions appear to be less intimate when they take place in
the outer regions of the model (social or public space). When a person
with a stigma-eliciting product enters a social zone that is undesired by
the bystander, the latter will increase their interpersonal distance. This
phenomenon is not easily explained and factors such as gender can have
a significant effect (Wellens & Goldberg, 1978).
Gender Gender influences interpersonal distance in certain situations. Studies
have shown that, in comparison to women, men maintain a greater
interpersonal distance when confronted with a stranger. Studies from
the seventies (Adler et al. 1974; White, et al., 1975; Wellens & Goldberg,
1978) suggested that gender influences interpersonal distance in dyadic
confrontations. Recent studies, however, point out that gender alone
is not the determining factor. Differences in interpersonal distance are
mainly influenced by the role, status, and social function that a person
radiates in his gender-group. The ‘degree’ of masculinity or femininity
has a greater impact on the interpersonal difference than the biological
gender difference. Additionally, the attractiveness of a person can also
influence interpersonal distance (Banziger et al. 1984).
Status When differences in status are sensed, the interpersonal distance will
be influenced. People with a comparable status will maintain a smaller
interpersonal distance than people who differ strongly in status (Adler
et al., 1974; White, 1975). These findings are not backed by other
research. Mehrabian (1968), for example, discovered that during a social
interaction there was little difference in interpersonal distance amongst
people of various social statuses.
Attributes / The presence of sensory input also impacts interpersonal distance. An
Accessories unpleasant smell, the use of headphones or inappropriate clothing can
result in a greater interpersonal distance (Workman, 1987; Oaten, 2009;
Tajadura-Jimenéz, 2011). There are indications that other attributes,
such as mobile phones, music players, and smartphones might influence
social interaction. To maintain a focus on the product of interest, it is
therefore important that the research confederate is inconspicuous and
uncompromised by unwanted attributes.
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3.4.1. Experimental stimuli, setup and participants
The location and stimuli are kept identical for both experiments. By simulating
real-life conditions, both experiments measure the valuable ‘first encounter’
of a large group of passers-by, in a natural setting, with a research confederate
that wears one of five distinct mask typologies.
In both experiments the independent variables are the gender of the

confederate (mask wearer) and the mask/no-mask conditions. All variables are
manipulated between participants. We now discuss the stimuli, experimental
setup and participants, which are the same for both experiments. After this
overview we present each experimental technique separately.
Stimuli
Both experiments are repeated for five distinct mask types and a no-mask
reference situation, as presented in figure 3.19. During the course of the
experiments, we briefly also incorporated a green respiratory mask (not
depicted). This mask proved to be out of context for this experiment. Because
the mask conditions did not interfere with each other during the actual
experiments, we chose to exclude this condition from the experimental
sample.
Figure 3.19. The mask

stimuli: five mask types
and a no-mask reference
situation
No-mask: reference White disposable dust Red Respro City mask:

condition (Referred to as mask: Headband behind Neoprene cycling mask
‘No-mask’) the ears, no breathing with breathing valves on
valves. (Referred to as both sides. (Referred to as
‘White mask’) ‘Respro mask’)
Respro Bandit Scarf: Filter Mask prototype 1: Mask prototype 2:

laminated between cotton Transparent mask, mouth Transparent front with
materials of scarf. Printed and nose are visible. Fine sporty looks and details.
pattern in dark grey and orange edge. (Referred to (Referred to as ‘prototype
black. (Referred to as ‘Scarf as ‘prototype transparent’) sport’)
mask’)
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Chapter 3
Experimental setup
In our attempt to simulate a real-life encounter, we took both experiments

outdoors and selected a suitable city location. The location was selected in
such a way that passers-by would experience as little visual and physical
distraction as possible, i.e. physical obstructions, visually competing signals,
or competing pedestrian circulation. Both experiments were set on a wide
sidewalk close to the central railway station of Antwerp, Belgium. Pedestrian
traffic on this 320 cm wide sidewalk is mostly one-directional and unhindered
over a length of at least 10 m. The street had limited car traffic and potential
effects of social insecurity were not present. Our research confederate took
a position next to the staircase of a metro exit. The 120 cm high wall of the
metro exit provided a suitable surface for positioning the measuring device of
the Dyadic Distance experiment. Measurements were done in one direction
only.
These are the requirements that were observed while selecting the proper
location:
• No object within a range of 500 cm of the research confederate.

• No bad or extreme weather conditions while performing the experiments.
Weather conditions were equal in both experiments and for the various mask
conditions.
• We performed the experiments between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. in the
afternoon. At that time, pedestrian traffic proved to be constant on that
specific sidewalk, resulting in a flow of approximately three passers-by per
minute.
The research confederate was dressed discretely and acted unsuspicious.

These are the requirements that were accounted for in the selection and
preparation of the research confederate:
• No eye-catching or too colorful clothing

• No visual referral to subcultures or social groups
• Normal build: average in size, weight and attractiveness
• No extra accessories or visual attributes such as headphones, hats, bags,
rucksacks, jewelry, piercings, tattoos, etc.
• No potentially stigmatizing physical conditions: physical abnormalities,
smell, noises, etc.
In both experiments, the research confederate oriented him or herself

towards the approaching passer-by.
110
Participants
Due to the vicinity of the central railway station, this location presented us
with a broad spectrum of participants, ranging in age, gender, and nationality.
The research was conducted on a sample of 392 passers-by for the Dyadic
distance experiment and a sample of 480 passers-by for the Stain Dilemma
experiment. All participants participated unknowingly and were unaware of
the experimental setup or its intentions. Because the video images were used
only as a visual backup, participants were not informed about the intentions
of our research, nor did we ask permission to process the images. Male and
female participants and confederates were counterbalanced within each
condition (no-mask, and the five mask conditions).
To qualify as a valid participant, passers-by had to conform to these

specifications:
• People behave different if they are in a group. Due to these behavioral

differences, only singular passers-by were included in the sample. Passers-by
had to maintain an interpersonal distance greater than 150 cm in order to
qualify as a singular individual.
• Passers-by walking in the reverse direction were excluded from the
sample.
• Passers-by accompanied by an animal were excluded from the sample.
• Passers-by who were obstructed during the interaction were excluded
from the sample
• Passers-by who encountered or were engaged in distracting activities
such as listening to sirens, phone conversation, listening to music, or lighting
a cigarette, were excluded from the sample.
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Chapter 3
3.4.2. Method
The dependent variable that was measured in this experiment is called

the dyadic distance. By definition, a “dyad” is a collection of two people,
the smallest possible social unit. As an adjective, “dyadic” describes their
interaction. In this study we use the term “Dyadic Distance” to describe the
shortest interpersonal distance between the two people of interest, the
passer-by and our research confederate (labeled as DD in figure 3.20).
The experiment registered the behavior of people passing by a confederate

wearing a dust mask in a discrete setup. During the course of the experiment
the confederate was discretely occupied and did not make visual eye contact
with any passers-by. The walking and staring behavior of the passers-by was
registered by 2 HD cameras and provided us with rich user insights on the
interaction. No further analysis was performed on these data. The dyadic
distance was measured with a narrow beam ultrasonic sensor, wirelessly
linked to a laptop. The output of this experiment consisted of the ratio-
scaled data of 392 participants, equally distributed over the various mask
and gender conditions. Depending on pedestrian traffic, the registration of
60 participants for one condition took about 20 minutes.
Figure 3.20. The
experimental setup
and the position of the
ultrasonic sensor.
Walking DD
direction X2
X1
Equipment
Next to the stimuli, two research confederates (one male, one female) and
an independent researcher, the DD experiment required the previously
mentioned DD-measuring tool and a laptop with DD-software and a Bluetooth
connection. The DD-measuring tool was built on an Arduino platform and
112
used a narrow-beam ultrasonic sensor suitable for in- and outdoor use
(Maxbotic XL-Maxsonar WRC MB7081). A 9 Volt battery fed the system
and to achieve a wireless connection, a Bluetooth module (BlueSmirf Gold)
was added to the Arduino board. A switch on top of the housing allowed us
to send two different data sets, allowing for a quick changeover between
the various conditions. The Arduino board was programmed with PLX-DAQ
software and fed its data to MS Excel. The DD-tool is straightforward to build
with limited knowledge of electronics and it should not exceed a total cost
of $300.
To avoid the deformation of the measurements, the presence of parking

sensors, or other ultrasonic sources needed to be avoided. The DD measuring
tool was placed at a distance of about 15 cm in front or next to the research
confederate (see figure 3.21).
Figure 3.21. The DD correct
measuring tool measurement
peripheral peripheral
measurement measurement
Narrow-beam
ultrasonic sensor
Procedure
Once the DD-tool was positioned, it followed a specifically programmed

calibration sequence to determine the initial distance towards the
opposing wall or object. After the calibration session, the sensor takes two
measurements per second. It takes about a second for a passer-by to pass
through the field of the sensor, resulting in one to three measurements
per participant. During the experiment the independent researcher was
responsible for the elimination of false or peripheral measurements. This
real-time assignment was subtly executed from a distance of at least 5 m
from the interaction. This evaluation can also be done by analyzing camera
images.. Both methods are suitable as long as they do not influence the
experiments.
During the experiment the researcher assigns a gender code to each valid
passer-by and selects the correct DD measurement from the set of maximum
three measurements (the lowest value), thus eliminating the peripheral
measurements of the sensor (see figure 3.21).
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Chapter 3
Gender research confederate / mask-‐condition / gender passer-‐by

Mask condition
Gender Research confederate
No-‐mask White mask Respro mask Scarf mask Proto Transp. Proto Sport
Total
Gender of Male 30 21 23 17 17 15 123
Male research
Passer-‐by Female 11 12 10 13 13 15 74
confederate
Total 41 33 33 30 30 30 197
Female Gender of Male 20 20 19 15 20 24 118
research Passer-‐by Female 10 12 19 14 13 9 77
confederate Total 30 32 38 29 33 33 195
Total observed participants 392
For each of the six conditions, at least 30 samples were registered with
both a male and a female research confederate. In each mask condition/
research confederate gender combination, male and female passers-by were
separately counted and registered (see table above).
3.4.3. Results
Our hypothesis predicts that in an experimental setup, cleared of external

influencers, a passer-by will maintain a greater (safer) walking distance
from a research confederate who wears a dust mask. In addition, it would
be interesting to discover significant differences in interpersonal distance
between the mask conditions and variances related to the gender of the
participants or confederates.
Prior to the validation of our hypotheses, we determined whether the gender

of the confederate or passer-by significantly interacted with the parameter of
interpersonal distance.
After analyzing the results of 241 male and 151 female passers-by, a
two-way ANOVA, with dyadic distance as the dependent variable, showed
no interference between the gender of the passer-by and the mask condition
(F(5) = 1.794, p = .113).
These results enabled us to derive conclusions related to the different mask

conditions that mutually apply to both male and female participants. Adding
the male and female samples generated a bigger sample for each condition
and increased the accuracy of further statistical analysis. However, for the
post-hoc analysis of the variance in dyadic distance among the various mask
conditions, it can be interesting to separately evaluate male and female
participants.
114
The DD was measured as portrayed in figure 3.20 and represented the closest
distance between a research confederate with mask and a passer-by. The
box plot in figure 3.22 depicts variances in dyadic distance for each mask
condition (male and female participants are merged).
Using Fisher’s Least Significant Distance (LSD), a post-hoc analysis compared

the mask conditions in pairs and exposed significant interactions between
mask pairs. After each LSD analysis, we integrated a visual interpretation
of the findings. The figure below each LSD-table visually groups the mask
conditions by their average mean dyadic distance. Each group clusters mask
conditions for which the mean dyadic distance does not differ significantly.
Figure 3.22. Box plot –

Dyadic distance / Mask 250
conditions.
200
Dyadic Distance (cm)
150
100
50
Mask
k
t
en
or
as
as
as
as
sp
ar
m
condition
sp
o-
o.
te
rf
pr
N
ot
hi
Sc
ra
es
Pr
W
.t
R
to
o
Pr
115
Chapter 3
Result DD-experiment – Male participants
Analyzing male only participants, ANOVA indicated significance (F(5)=3.301,

p=0.007) between mask conditions. Post-hoc analysis with LSD rendered the
table below, displaying the significant relationships in green. From the 15
possible combinations, five combinations had dyadic distance measures that
differed significantly (p<0.05) (figure 3.23).
Significance between mask conditions – only male participants (passers-by) Figure 3.23. Table and
graph with the result of
No-mask White mask Respro mask Scarf mask Proto trans. Proto sport
the DD-experiment – Male
No-mask participants.
White mask 0,008
Respro mask 0,065 0,431
Scarf mask 0,952 0,012 0,078
Trans. proto 0,219 0,191 0,588 0,230
Sport proto 0,350 0,001 0,010 0,416 0,045
170
160
Average Dyadic Distance (cm)
150
140
130
120
110
100
k
nt
k
or
as
as
as
as
re
sp
fm
m
pa
o-
ro
te
to
ns
ar
hi
p
o
Sc
ra
es
Pr
W
t
R
o.
ot
Pr
116
Result DD-experiment – Female participants
Analyzing female only participants, ANOVA indicated significance (F(5)=8.916,

p<0.001) between mask conditions. Post-hoc analysis with LSD rendered the
table below, displaying the significant relationships in green. From the 15
possible combinations, 10 combinations had dyadic distance measures that
differed significantly (p<0.05) (figure 3.24).
Figure 3.24. Table and Significance between mask conditions – only female participants (passers-by)
graph with the result
No-mask White mask Respro mask Scarf mask Proto trans. Proto sport
of the DD-experiment –
Female participants. No-mask
White mask 0,000
Scarf mask 0,129 0,000 0,000
Trans. proto 0,002 0,260 0,343 0,000
Sport proto 0,030 0,035 0,928 0,088 0,316
170
160
150
140
130
120
110
100
k
nt
k
or
as
as
as
as
re
sp
fm
m
pa
o-
o.
ro
te
ns
ar
ot
hi
p
Sc
ra
es
Pr
W
t
R
o.
ot
Pr
117
Chapter 3
Result DD-experiment – Male and female participants
Analyzing both male and female participants, ANOVA indicated significance

(F(5)=8.677, p<0.001) between mask conditions. Post-hoc analysis with LSD
rendered the table below, displaying the significant relationships in green.
From the 15 possible combinations, ten combinations had dyadic distance
measures that differed significantly (p<0.05) (figure 3.25).
Significance between mask conditions – male and female participants (passers-by) Figure 3.25. Table and
graph with the result of
No-mask White mask Respro mask Scarf mask Proto trans. Proto sport the DD-experiment – Male
No-mask and female participants.
White mask 0,000
Scarf mask 0,249 0,000 0,000
Trans. proto 0,005 0,088 0,829 0,000
Sport proto 0,538 0,000 0,045 0,088 0,031
170
160
150
140
130
120
110
100
k
nt
k
or
as
as
as
as
re
sp
fm
m
pa
o-
o.
te
ns
ar
pr
N
ot
hi
Sc
ra
es
Pr
W
.t
R
to
o
Pr
Analyzing the three clustering figures we observed that the following masks
conditions appeared in the same group for nearly each situation:
• No-mask / Scarf mask / Sport prototype mask: these three mask conditions
engendered the lowest dyadic distance-values in bystanders for each situation
(male participant / female participant / male + female participant). The scarf
mask had the lowest dyadic distance value, followed by the no-mask condition.
118
• Respro mask / transparent prototype: both these mask conditions scored

mid-range values.
• White mask: the white mask scored the highest average dyadic distance
in each situation and was clustered with the transparent prototype.
3.4.4. Discussion
The result of the DD-experiment led us to infer that avoidant behavior of

passers-by towards users of dust masks, expressed by the dyadic distance
parameter, can be measured. The average dyadic distance between the
white mask and the no-mask reference condition differed about 30 cm. In
contrast with our expectations, the no-mask condition did not engender
the smallest dyadic distance. The scarf mask generated the smallest dyadic
distance in each condition. The other mask conditions all differ about 15 cm
from the no-mask reference condition.
The most general and valuable conclusion from the DD-experiment was the
detection of three groups of masks that revealed no reciprocal significance.
The results of our subsequent exploration, the Stain Dilemma experiment, will
either confirm or disconfirm these initial findings. Because both experiments
were set up to be comparative, we will elaborate on the final results of both
experiments in a joint discussion and conclusion paragraph at the end of this
chapter.
119
Chapter 3
3.5. The Stain Dilemma Experiment
The experimental setup, location, stimuli and participants are identical to the
DD-experiment (See paragraph 3.4.1.).
Method
The measurement of interpersonal distance with the dyadic distance tech-

nique delivered an accurate dataset for each mask condition. The next
experiment focuses on the thoughtful and unconscious decisions that
are made during a social interaction. When we walk around, our brain is
constantly scanning and analyzing our visual surroundings. In 1971, Goffman
already pointed out that the study of walking behavior might deliver
interesting insights in the study of social stigma.
The ‘Stain Dilemma’ experiment reduces the input variables to a minimum

and focuses on the walking path of the bystander as he passes a person who
uses or wears a stigma-eliciting product. By placing a physical obstruction in
the walking path, the passer-by is forced to walk around the obstruction or in
between the obstruction and our confederate.
Prior to the experiment, we tried several obstructive setups. During these

explorations, the unsuspecting passers-by had to walk towards and pass a
research confederate while presented with two options in their walking path.
However trivial these dilemmas might appear, they are all possible influences
on the choices and behavior of the passer-by. We briefly discuss the setups
that were evaluated during the preliminary explorations. These are the steps
that were followed in analyzing the setup explorations:
• Selection of valid participants: only those passers-by who enter the social
space of the research confederate in an angle of 60° will be considered.
Passers-by entering from peripheral regions are less likely to notice the
confederate. In setups 1 and 2 passers-by approach two doors or staircases
allowing the passer-by to avoid the interaction and pass the confederate
behind his or her back. Both these setups were therefore excluded.
• Reducing the maximal interpersonal distance to 3 m. People will rarely
walk with their shoulders touching a wall, therefore a passage of 4 m
between the research confederate and the nearest wall is advisable. This
distance presents the passer-by with three possible trajectories, i.e. passing
the confederate either in his intimate, personal or social space (ranked from
near to further). Because the intimate space is rarely or only accidentally
entered, we chose for a setup that focuses on the personal or social space.
• Controlling the variables: Public setups that forced pedestrians off
the sidewalk were not successful. Setups 1 to 4 introduced too many
uncontrollable variables.
120
• Setup 5, the stain dilemma, proved to be promising. When positioned in

the right context, a stain from spilled food or drinks can be a quite common
obstacle.
Setup 1- Selection of doors: The research confederate
was placed between two doors which lead to the same
destination. During the interaction, subtle obstacles direct
the passer-by in a linear path towards our confederate. The
focal attention of the confederate is clearly directed towards
the right door. Will the passer-by take the right door, which
involves a delicate interaction with the confederate, or will he
or she take the left door and pass the confederate behind the
back, thus avoiding any interaction?
Setup 2 – At the start of a dual staircase: As the passer-by
approaches the staircase, he has the option to pass our
confederate on the left or on the right. As the focal attention
of the confederate is directed to one side, will this affect
the decision of the passer-by? A similar experiment can
be conceived when a passer-by has to make a selection
between an electric staircase and a regular staircase that are
positioned next to each other. Will the passer-by sacrifice
the luxury of the electric staircase and take the regular one,
when the focal attention of the passer-by is directed towards
the electric staircase?
Setup 3 – Wide staircase: In this experiment the research
confederate takes a position on one side of a wide staircase
with a central rail in the middle. Will a passer-by continue his
route on the same side of the staircase or will he or she make
a detour and switch towards the other side of the staircase?
Setup 4 – Sidewalk: This experiment uses a sidewalk that

allows for at least two pedestrians, walking side by side. The
edge of the sidewalk is higher than the adjacent road and
presents an obstacle in the walking path. The confederate
is positioned at about 100 cm of the edge of the sidewalk,
a distance that should leave a comfortable passageway
between the confederate and the edge of the sidewalk. Will
the passer-by stay on the sidewalk or will he or she opt for
a larger detour and leave the sidewalk as he or she passes?
Setup 5 – Stain dilemma: This experiment was conceived as
a ‘safer’ and subtler interpretation of setup 4. The boundary
of the sidewalk is replaced with a visual stain that presents a
passer-by with two options. The stain is positioned at the edge
of the social circle, between the personal and social space,
at about 120 cm from the research confederate. By making
the stain highly visible and large enough so that people are
not tempted to walk over it, the stain forces passers-by
to make a deliberate choice between two walking paths.
Walking between the confederate and the stain increases the
chance of an interaction, whereas the path around the stain
presents a ‘safer’ option and decreases the chance of social
interaction.
121
Chapter 3
Equipment
The ‘Stain dilemma experiment’ requires little equipment and setup. The
most crucial object is the physical obstacle that is introduced in the walking
path. The obstacle was to be easily detectable, without being suspicious or
alarming. In city life, pedestrians are often confronted with unpleasant spills
and obstacles on the sidewalk. The experiment relies on the pedestrians’
subtle awareness of these familiar obstacles, and their intent to avoid them
in an almost routinely way. Because our experiment was setup close to the
railway station, in the presence of many food and beverage stalls, we chose
to imitate a spilled milk shake. We avoided the use of unpleasant animal
or human droppings to avoid any negative connotations with our research
confederate. This connection could activate unwanted disease avoidant
behavior in the passer-by. A spilled milk shake is no anomaly on a city sidewalk
and does not allocate many cognitive resources as the passer-by approaches
and avoids it. We labeled our obstacle the ‘fake shake’ and positioned it on
the border between the personal and social space (Hall, 1996) surrounding
the research confederate.
The ‘fake shake’
The ‘fake shake’ is a realistic imitation of a strawberry milkshake, including

cup and straw (see figure 3.26). We chose a bright and contrasting color to
increase the chances of visual perception. The shake is made from a mixture
of acrylic paint and other additives to give it the right texture, solidity and
shine. A plastic cup and straw were added to increase the reality of the object.
For visual reference and in order to collect ‘rich’-data, the experiment was
Figure 3.26. The ‘fake

shake’.
122
registered with an invisible HD camera. The camera registered the passers-by

as they approached our research confederate (see figure 3.27). In its most
Figure 3.27. Experimental
elementary version, data collection requires no more than a pencil and a
setup of the Stain Dilemma piece of paper. Additionally it is possible to develop a smart phone application
experiment. for easy mobile data registration and analysis.
around
Stain
Walking
direction
in-between
120cm
500cm 500cm HD camera

obstacle obstacle
free free
Procedure
To qualify as a valid participant, a passer-by had to singly approach our

research confederate, without being obstructed during the full length of the
interaction process.
As with the DD-experiment, both male and female participants were

recorded. The amount of participants averaged about 40 for each mask and
gender condition, bringing the total amount to 480 participants (see table
below).
Data registration was limited to two variables, each with two possible values.
• The gender of the passer-by: male or female

• The path: around the stain or in between stain and confederate
123
Chapter 3
Gender research confederate / mask-‐condition / gender passer-‐by

Mask-‐condition
Gender Gender passer-‐ Reaction No-‐mask White mask Respro mask Scarf mask Proto transp. Proto Sport
confederate by passer-‐by Total
Around 13 20 11 19 15 17 95
Male In-‐between 11 3 10 9 7 7 47
Male research Total 24 23 21 28 22 24 142
confederate Around 11 11 14 9 9 13 67
Female In-‐between 5 6 5 3 9 3 31
Total 16 17 19 12 18 16 98
Around 6 20 17 16 12 13 84
Male In-‐between 13 1 9 12 12 11 58
Female
Total 19 21 26 28 24 24 142
research
Around 8 18 10 9 9 11 65
confederate
Female In-‐between 13 1 4 3 7 5 33
Total 21 19 14 12 16 16 98
Total observed participants 480
3.5.1. Results
The hypothesis of the stain dilemma experiment predicted that when a mask
is appraised as stigma-sensitive, a passer-by will actively avoid entering the
personal space of the research confederate. By walking around the stain,
through the social space, a passer-by demonstrates that he prefers to avoid
the user of the dust mask.
As was the case with the DD-experiment, we analyzed additional differences

between the mask conditions and variances related to the participants or
research confederates’ gender.
The influence of the confederate’s gender on the participant’s reaction

(around / in-between) were analyzed with a chi-square test with continuity
correction. Only the no-mask condition displayed significant interaction
between gender and reaction.
Mask condition Significance Chi-square with continuity correction

All mask together No significance chi² (1) = 1.315 p = .251
No-mask Significance chi² (1) = 4.060 p = .044 of < 0.05
White mask No significance chi² (1) = 3.794 p = .051
Respro mask No significance chi² (1) = 0.055 p = .815
Scarf mask No significance chi² (1) = 0.224 p = .636
Prototype transparent No significance chi² (1) = 0.203 p = .651
Prototype sport No significance chi² (1) = 1.425 p = .233
Further analysis was performed on the combined samples of male and

female confederates.
124
Result stain dilemma experiment – Male and female participants separately

female participants male participants
around stain in-between stain around stain in-between stain
40 40
30 30
Count
Count
20 20
10 10
0 0
sk
ns sk
nt
hi ask
ns sk
ot ent
t
hi ask
sk
ar sk
ns sk
nt
hi ask
ar sk
ns sk
nt
or
or
or
or
as
as
as
as
as
Pr are
Pr are
Pr are
W ma
a
es ma
sp
sp
sp
sp
r
R em
o. rf m
R em
o. rf m
m
m
fm
R em
m
fm
pa
p
p
o-
o-
o-
o-
o.
o.
o.
o.
o
te
t
pr
t
pr
N
a
pr
t
pr
ot
N
N
ot
ot
hi
Pr Sc
Pr Sc
tra
tra
Pr Sc
Pr Sc
tra
tra
es
es
Pr
es
W
W
W
R
o.
o.
ot
ot
ot
ot
After analyzing the result of 284 male participants, a chi-square test with
Figure 3.28. Count continuity correction revealed no significant differences in the reactions to
around and inbetween the different mask conditions (chi²(5)=5.470, p=0.361). The results of the
stain for female and male
participants separately
female participants (196 samples) did reveal significant differences in reaction
(Chi²(5)=33.011, p<0.01). We especially noticed the apparent result for the
white mask condition. Only 2 out of 40 female participants felt comfortable
to enter the personal space of the wearer of the white dust mask.
Result stain dilemma experiment – Male and female participants combined
The results of the combined analysis of male and female participants (480
samples) are visualized in the bar-diagrams of figure 3.30. A chi-square test
with continuity correction for the entire sample (male + female participants)
indicated that the participant reactions differed significantly for certain mask
combinations (Chi²(5)=29.526, p<0.01). A two-sample proportion test was
used to disclose the proportional differences in reactions towards the different
mask conditions. To reduce type 1 errors, the alpha value was lowered to
account for the cumulative effect of the different mask combinations (alpha
= 0.05/(5+4+3+2+1)) = 0,0034). The table below displays the significant
differences in proportion between the mask combinations (< 0,0034).
Similar to the analysis of the DD-experiment, the results of the analysis

allowed for a clustering of mask conditions that did not reveal significant
interaction among each other. The clustering revealed three groups. In a first
group we situate the no-mask and transparent mask conditions. For both
these masks participants felt most comfortable to enter the personal space
of the mask wearer, i.e. between stain and mask wearer. A second group
bundles the scarf mask, sport prototype, and Respro mask. The white mask
condition is isolated from the other conditions, with 69 out of 80 passers-by
walking around the stain.
125
Chapter 3
around stain in-between stain Figure 3.29. Count around

and inbetween stain for
female and male
60 60
Count
40 40
20 20
0 0
hi ask
sk
ns sk
nt
hi ask
sk
ns sk
ot ent
t
or
or
as
as
Pr are
es ma
es ma
a
sp
sp
r
m
o. rf m
o. rf m
pa
p
o-
o-
o.
o.
te
te
o
pr
pr
N
a
ot
Pr Sc
Pr Sc
tra
tra
Pr
W
W
R
R
ot
ot
Significance between mask conditions – male and female participants

No-mask White mask Respro mask Scarf mask Trans. proto Sport proto
No-mask
White mask 0,000
Respro mask 0,000152 6,25E-09
Scarf mask 0,000045 3,20E-08 0,7669
Trans. proto 0,067121 2,03E-14 0,0490 0,0236
Sport proto 0,000012 1,57E-07 0,5504 0,7636 0,1546
78 Figure 3.30. visual
Frequency ‘around the stain’ - all participants
grouping of the count

73 ‘around the stain’ for all
69 participants and mask
68 conditions
Group 3
63
58
53 Group 2 54
52
53
48
45
43
Group 1
38
38
k
nt
k
or
as
as
as
as
re
sp
fm
m
pa
o-
o.
te
ns
ar
pr
N
ot
hi
Sc
tra
es
Pr
W
R
o.
ot
Pr
126
3.5.2. Discussion
The results of the stain dilemma experiment revealed significant proportional

differences in the reactions to the no-mask and white mask conditions. The
other mask conditions positioned themselves in between these extremes.
Although the analysis of the reactions of the male population did not
reveal significant differences, we mention that in four out of six conditions
their reactions scored proportionally higher in comparison to the female
participants. This could indicate that in general passers-by are less inclined to
enter the personal space of male individuals.
3.5.3. Discussion of Dyadic Distance and Stain Dilemma Experiment
Both experiments illustrated that they can be effective in assessing and

measuring avoidant behavior of bystanders towards dust masks. A remarkable
observation was that the average interpersonal distance as well as the
proportion of people walking around the stain was always greater in a setup
with a male research confederate. Male research confederates, independently
of the mask they wore, always seemed to increase avoidant behavior in
bystanders. Literature in social psychology confirms such behavior around
men and suggests that it is linked to the social power or menace engendered
by the male species (Dabbs & Stokes, 1975). This passive ‘force’ endues men
with a greater social space and could clarify why passers-by will maintain a
greater distance from them. Because our experiments only allowed for an
avoidance area of no more than 320 cm, this effect compressed the ‘comfort
zone’ around our male research confederates. This effect has to be taken into
account in future explorations.
In an analysis of the mask groupings that were made for both experiments,
it is possible to determine areas of convergence between the different mask
conditions.
Figure 3.31 shows a graphical representation that represents the results from
both male and female participants in both experiments. The horizontal axis
represents the DD-experiment and indicates the average dyadic distance
for each mask condition. The scale starts at 120 cm, which is the border
between the personal and social space (Hall, 1966), and runs up to 170 cm.
The vertical axis represents the Stain Dilemma experiment and indicates the
relative count of passers-by walking around the stain. The scale starts at 38,
which is the amount of passers-by who walked around the stain in the neutral
condition. Because the samples for each mask condition were identical in the
stain dilemma experiment, the count can be interpreted as proportionate. In
figure 3.31 we depict the mask groupings for each experiment.
127
Chapter 3
78
73
White
mask
68
Grouping
63 Dyadic Distance
Experiment
58
Proto
Scarf sport Respro
mask mask
53
Grouping
Stain Dilemma
48 Proto Experiment
transp.
43
No
mask
38
120 130 140 150 160 170
Average interpersonal distance - Dyadic Distance (cm)
The representation in figure 3.32 aims at visualizing the ‘degree of acceptance’ Figure 3.31. Combined
or the ‘degree’ of product-related stigma of a mask type with the aid of experimental results /
groupings of the different
a gradient scale. Products that reside in the green part of figure 3.32 are mask types.
considered to be acceptable, resulting in a regular interpersonal distance. As
a product migrates to the red area, it becomes less accepted, accompanied
by a greater dyadic distance and a large number of people walking around
the stain. If a product ends up in the grey zone, close to the axes, the validity
of the results should be questioned, because this would mean that the
results of the two experiments are opposed, which is unlikely. The gradient
representation in figure 3.32 allows for a straightforward interpretation
and communication of the experimental findings, ideal for meetings with
stakeholders.
The combined visualization in figure 3.32 also aids in exposing inconsistent

results for certain mask types. The further a product moves away from the
centerline, the less consistent its experimental results are. A mask can score
a low average dyadic distance, together with a high number of passers-by
walking around the stain, and vice versa. A closer look at the instances prior
to visual contact could clarify these findings.
If there are no striking features that visually alert a passer-by, he or she

will approach the mask wearer as a ‘normal’ person. In this situation it is
plausible that the decision to divert from the walking path will be made at
the last moment. This could explain why the scarf mask, which nicely blends
128
Figure 3.32. Combined
experimental results:
78
proportion around

the stain x average 73
interpersonal distance. White
mask
68
63
58
Proto
Scarf sport
mask Respro
mask
53
48 Proto
transp.
43
No
mask
38
120 130 140 150 160 170
Average interpersonal distance - Dyadic Distance (cm)
with its surroundings, engenders a low dyadic distance measure, combined

with a high count of people walking around the stain. The scarf is only noted
as unnatural or awkward when the passer-by is relatively close, promoting
his ‘last-minute’ decision to walk around the stain. An opposite scenario
can be observed for the transparent prototype that combines a substantial
dyadic distance with a low count of people walking around the stain. Due to
its brightly colored edge and its medical-like transparency, this mask has the
potential to attract attention from a greater distance, a possible explanation
for the greater dyadic distance. However, the soft looks and the visibility of
facial features might comfort the passer-by as he or she approaches. These
traits will increase the ‘warmth’ dimension of the wearer, encouraging the
passer-by to pass between the stain and the mask wearer when forced to
make a ‘last-minute’ decision.
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Chapter 3
3.5.4. Conclusion of Dyadic Distance and Stain Dilemma Experiment
Both experiments prove that it is possible to measure significant differences

in the behavioral reactions of bystanders towards users of stigma-sensitive
products. The results suggest that the interpersonal distance between the
product user and those who pass them is a valuable measure to quantify the
‘degree’ of product-related stigma. We suggested that an accurate detection
of the interpersonal distance could be obtained with a perpendicular
measurement received from an ultrasonic sensor. We labeled this parameter
the ‘Dyadic Distance’ and our experimental findings suggested that registering
30 participants for each human-product condition should suffice.
The stain dilemma experiment can be interpreted as a simplified as well as a

complementing experiment. An eye-catching stain positioned on the border
between the user’s personal and social space, forces passers-by to choose
a path. The path around the stain presents the ‘safe’ option, indicating the
desire to avoid the user and his product. The path through the user’s personal
space will be chosen when passers-by feel comfortable around the user-
product combination. Because the stain dilemma experiment only renders
binary results, it requires a larger sample for each condition. We advise to
sample at least 40 participants for each human-product condition.
The experiments are conceptualized for efficiency (in time and resources)
and allow for testing in a public setting that approaches real-life conditions.
The cost of the experimental hardware ranges from €300 for the dyadic
distance experiment (software and PC excluded) to as little as €50 for the
stain dilemma.
Both experiments do not aim to deliver meticulous data by which stigma-

sensitive products can be accepted or rejected. Nor do they provide the
designer with exact information on which design features engendered the
recorded reactions in bystanders. Nevertheless, these experiments have
proven to be valuable in ranking a set of design proposals or products. By
exposing products on a user, in realistic settings, and subjected to a large
number of passers-by, the experiments can provide quick and valuable
insight for designers.
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3.6. Conclusion of the experimental chapter
The experimental techniques presented in this chapter represent our creative

and exploratory way of wrestling with the phenomenon of product-related
stigma. All explorations and experiments attempted to measure and visualize
the behavioral responses of bystanders towards users of dust masks.
Experiments and explorations
After exploring the reflex reactions in a lab environment, our experimental

focus shifted towards the thoughtful reactions of bystanders. In support of
this decision, we argue that the laboratory setup was too detached from real-
life conditions. The reflex measurements that have to be taken in the approach
and avoidance experiment require an interference free experimental setup
that can only be achieved in a lab environment. Moreover, the experimental
stimuli, i.e. pictures of the mask wearers displayed on a computer screen,
are far removed from the real-life encounters that we replicate in the other
experiments. Apart from the experimental setup and stimuli, the experiment
also requires extensive preparation and analysis.
The spy pack exploration allowed us to test various behavioral parameters

and ways in which these could be registered and analyzed. As such this
exploratory approach was of a tentative nature and too complex to be easily
reproduced. All experimental efforts and insights are therefore crystalized in
the final two experiments.
What have we learned about the mask types and the bystander’s appre-
ciation of them?
In all experiments the white medical mask stood out as the most conspicuous
mask, generating clearly observable and measurable avoidant behavior in
bystanders. From all of the mask types we examined, the white mask was the
most common and recognizable one. When confronted with a wearer of a
white medical mask, a 50-year-old man literally commented that “something
is in the air”. Other people had the politeness to walk up to our research
confederate asking why they were wearing the mask and informing whether
everything was all right.
In most experiments, the red Respro mask could also count on an unconcealed
and early detection. Due to its contrasting color and unconventional looks, it
got a lot of people questioning its true purpose.
Overall, the Respro scarf or bandit mask engendered the least reactions
in bystanders. In both color and shape this mask blended well with the
situational setting, making it less eye-catching than many of the other
masks. With experimental conditions set in chilly early spring, the mask was
tolerated as a being worn by people that are sensible to cold temperature.
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Chapter 3
A passer-by even approached our scarf mask wearer and sarcastically asked
him, “Are you that cold, Sir?”.
For the most part, the transparent mask prototype generated curiosity.
Our research confederates indicated that they were often approached
while wearing the transparent mask. Reactions of passers-by towards the
transparent sport prototype are comparable to the reactions engendered by
the transparent prototype mask.
During our experiments we hoped to generate a lot of rich information

from our camera images. After analyzing the many hours of recordings, we
could not extract much additional information. The main reason is that overt
and verbal reactions to all mask types were similar. Most mask generated
looks and verbal comments. Based on the video images alone, it would be
impossible to determine criteria for an objective ranking of the mask stimuli.
Occasionally people manifested their verbal or overt behavioral reactions
outside of the visual range of our cameras, long after passing the mask
wearer.
Alternative applications of the experimental approaches
Both experiments can be applied to other stigma-sensitive products, given

that they have a substantial visual and contextual link with their user.
Next to protective, assistive or medical devices, the range of applications

can be extended with more popular products that are approaching our
bodies. If adopted by the public, the Google glasses predicts a whole range
of exciting technological products that are intrinsically linked to our body. A
prediction of the acceptability of these products which are ‘new to the world’
is conceivable with the aid of these experimental techniques.
We can imagine that these techniques can also be employed for products
that serve a public function related to safety or attention. The general public
better avoids products like noisy compressors or roadside works, whereas
certain safety zones have to be easily approachable.
The experiments may also be promising for the fashion industry. By measuring
the avoidant behavior around their creations, fashion stylist can be informed
about aversive effects of certain design decisions. In some cases avoidant
behavior around products might be desired, e.g. in law enforcement situations.
This aversive or ‘shock’ effect could be desired or undesired, depending on the
context. In the context of law enforcement a greater interpersonal distance
between the law enforcer and its opponents may even be sought after.
132
CHAPTER 4 PAMS
THE Product Appraisal
Model for Stigma
Chapter 4
4.1. Introduction
Following the literature review (Chapter 2) and the experimental explorations

(Chapter 3), this chapter aims to explain and operationalize how the product-
related stigma (PRS) process unfolds, and how the various stakeholders
contribute. The experimental explorations clearly evidence that instances
of product-related stigma occur in real-life encounters. These encounters
engender both positive and negative emotions and reactions in users,
bystanders and the broader cultural context. We are about to explore the
factors responsible for eliciting these positive and negative experiences in
people’s encounters with products. As such this chapter contributes to two
of our research goals. It deepens our understanding of PRS and prepares
designers with the information needed to manage the PRS process.
A first synthesis in our research leads to a designer tool called the ‘Product
Appraisal Model for Stigma’ (PAMS). The PAMS reveals and explains the
context and appraisal factors that influence the product-related stigma
process. Ultimately, the PAMS tries to alleviate the complexity of surrounding
products, people and cultures.
The model consists of two formats: a coherent graphic representation of

relevant factors and a tangible designer tool that integrates three matrix
checklists. By providing such tool, we hope to improve its designer appeal and
facilitate group discussion. The designer tool is constituted by two printed
cardboard sheets that require basic assembly. The output of the PAMS is a
list of stigma-specific design challenges in need of vital attention at the start
of a stigma-specific design challenge. Chapter 5, concerning the ‘Product
Intervention Model for Stigma’ (PIMS), will document 17 design interventions
that can be applied to the stigma-specific challenges, as revealed by the
PAMS. These interventions serve as a support to designers who are managing
stigma-sensitive design challenges, and they aim at reducing the product-
related stigma content of new design proposals.
The PAMS was conceptualized and refined during two designer workshops.
Both workshops were aimed at exploring the contextual and appraisal issues
that surround the use of assistive, protective and medical devices. A first
exploratory workshop was organized in December 2012 at the University
of Antwerp. About two months later we organized a second workshop at
the TU Delft. In this final workshop we assessed the appropriateness and
effectiveness of our first conceptual PAMS model. At the end of this chapter,
we will summarize the results of this workshop.
134
PAMS - The Product Appraisal Model for Stigma
Workshop 1: Exploratory Workshop on context and appraisal, prior to the

conception of PAMS
In December 2012 we organized a workshop with nine colleagues from

the faculty of Design Sciences. All participants were design professionals
and were affiliated to this institute as assistant teachers, professors or PhD
researchers. The workshop consisted of two exercises. An introductory
exercise was organized prior to the actual workshop. This exercise challenged
the participants to experience the practical and social discomfort of wearing
a dust mask. In this workshop we evaluated their findings. During the actual
workshop, the participants had to assess and evaluate the reactions and
experiences of three imaginary users of stigma-sensitive products.
Task 1 - Introductory exercise: Immersive Mask experience
Two weeks prior to the workshop, all participants received an envelope with
instructions and material for an immersive exercise. The exercise was similar to
the second exploration discussed in Chapter 2 (Immersive Mask Experience).
The envelope contained the detailed instructions for the exercise, a white
medical dust mask and a set of 25 ‘experience cards’ (Figure 4.1). To mentally
prepare our participants for the workshop, we instructed them to wear
the dust mask each time they went outside and to report their findings on
the experience cards. Each participant received a specifically colored set of
experience cards and had to use a new card for each experience he or she
encountered. The participants were instructed to briefly describe the stigma-
specific incident and its location. Additionally they had to indicate the context
or stakeholder which had caused the stigma-relevant experience.
◦◦ Stigma-relevant experiences linked to the product

◦◦ Stigma-relevant experiences linked to the user (him or herself)
◦◦ Stigma-relevant experiences linked to one or more bystanders
◦◦ Stigma-relevant experiences linked to the cultural context
The main goal of this exercise was to increase the participants’ connection
with the topic in preparation for the workshop exercises.
Figure 4.1. The materials
that were sent to the
participants for the
introductory immersive
exercise.
135
Chapter 4
The experience cards were gathered at the beginning of the workshop.

They were allocated to the appropriate context or stakeholder that was
accountable for the stigma-relevant experience. We received a total of 70
experience cards from our nine participants and they were distributed as
follows (Figure 4.2):
Figure 4.2. The experience

cards were allocated to
the appropriate context
or stakeholder which had
caused the stigma-relevant
experience.
Stigma-relevant experiences linked to the product 10

Stigma-relevant experiences linked to the user (him or herself) 9
Stigma-relevant experiences linked to one or more bystanders 44
Stigma-relevant experiences linked to the cultural context 7
Main insights:
• All participants abundantly reported on stigma-relevant reactions from
bystanders. Over half of the experience cards reported on product-related
stigma aspects that were experienced during encounters with bystanders.
• The participants also reported that it was difficult to decide exactly when
a specific incident started belonging to the realm of the social or cultural
context.
• Most product-related experiences addressed usability and comfort-
related issues.
Task 2 – Envisioning the stigma relevant experiences of imaginary users.
In groups of three, our participants were instructed to fill out a new series
of experience cards for three imaginary users of stigma-sensitive products.
We presented each product user on an A3 poster containing two pictures
and a brief description (Figure 4.3). They were asked to relate to this user
and to imagine the stigma-relevant experiences that he or she would
encounter. To assist and structure the participants’ analyses, they were
given a checklist of questions relating to the four context levels that we
wanted them to explore. This initial set of questions was made up of stigma-
relevant issues that had arisen during the literature review and from the
insights that were gathered from the immersive mask experience (Chapter
2). This initial set of questions would later be transformed into the PAMS.
136
We gave our groups 45 minutes to fill out as many experience cards as

possible. Figure 4.2 renders the amount of stigma-relevant experience cards
which the participants filled out for each context category and each product
user.
Figure 4.3. The three

Product User Bystander(s) Cultural
imaginary product users
and the amount of stigma- Marc is 15 8 11 7
relevant experience cards 38 and he
that our participants filled exercises
out for each user and daily with his
context level.
prosthetic
leg.
Lisa is 74 13 10 7 3
and uses a
walking aid
(rollator) to
get around
town. She
also uses it
to do her
shopping.
Simon is 32 10 10 10 7
and needs
oxygen
therapy.
Total 28 38 28 17
During the group discussion that followed the exercises, the participants
reported that the conceptual checklist was helpful to guide them through
the various layers of stigma and meaning attribution within each context.
Participants also reported that the checklist helped them to explore the
social contexts and stakeholders in a more structured way. As is rendered
by the table above, there was more of a connection with culturally relevant
stigma issues.
During the workshop we noticed that the way we presented the four
checklists was not efficient. All of the questions were visible at once and
the structure underlying them was perhaps not clear from our presentation.
Additionally, by presenting all questions at once, the checklist did not receive
enough focus during the group discussions. For the further development
of a successful product-related stigma appraisal tool, we had to focus on
presenting a thorough and structured introduction to the topic and its
stakeholders, followed by a checklist that would present the stigma-relevant
issues and questions with more focus.
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Chapter 4
4.2. Context & stakeholders
Some protective, assistive and medical products carry with them a long
history of ‘rejection’, while others become unacceptable or stigma-sensitive
when they are used outside of their intended context. Products designed
for use in hospitals or care facilities, for example, can be affiliated with
undesirable meanings when employed in public.
As a protective device, the dust mask illustrates the often-conflicting

sensitivities and layers of meaning attribution that will be dealt with in
this chapter. In Western culture, dust masks are associated with protective
usage in certain well-recognized areas. In the proper professional context,
respiratory masks protect construction workers or medical staff. Within
that context, the product is accepted, respected and understood. Once the
mask is taken out of this professional context, it can send out both positive
and negative signals. From the viewpoint of the user, the mask is not only
uncomfortable to wear, but also sends out signals of contamination and
disease. This visual connotation can generate unfavorable reactions from
bystanders. Adding to this, the use of dust masks is often obliged for health
reasons, which pressures the user into an unwanted or forced use situation.
On a deeper level, the dust mask also challenges cultural standards in both a
positive and negative manner. The significance of the dust mask in Western
culture sharply contrasts with its presence and connotation in Asian culture,
where dust masks are common and worn as a sign of respect towards others,
by protecting them from contamination. A culture-transcending fact about
dust masks is that they cover the wearer’s nose and mouth, thus hiding facial
features that are vital for human interaction. This ‘covered’ face may trigger
caution in observers and obstruct social interaction. These examples illustrate
that encounters with users and their stigma-eliciting products are often
distressing experiences that are the result of the aesthetic and functional
aspects of the product itself, the individual experiencing the stigma, the
observing bystanders and the cultural context in which the situation is set.
Literature in social psychology also confirms that “stigma is a mark that is

attributed to a person while in interaction with a specific social context”
(Major 2005). Products as such do not have a meaning without a context
and more importantly, the meaning of the product can change in each
context (Krippendorff, 2006). People can attribute a multitude of meanings
to a product. Mapping out the appropriate context will limit that number of
‘meanings’ and will allow us to focus on the relevant content. The product
‘meaning’ will thus be limited to what the context allows it to be. The
consequences of a product-related stigma encounter are therefore always
dependent on the immediate situational and cultural context, and the
‘meanings’ those contexts hold for the stigmatized user and the surrounding
stakeholders.
138
An understanding of the social and cultural context, often overseen in existing

design methodology, is crucial for gaining insight into the factors that may
have an influence on the acceptance and emotional appreciation of a new
product.
We argue for the existence of four distinct context levels in which products
are appraised and receive their ‘meaning’:
• The context of the product (and its interaction components, physical

properties);
• The context of the stigmatized or the stigma-experiencing individual (user
or wearer);
• The context of the observing bystanders and passers-by (individuals of
groups in the immediate surroundings);
• The context of the evaluating culture/society in which the product is
launched and used.
Four context levels of meaning attribution
Major’s model refers to three context levels in social stigma, labeled as the
three stakeholders in figure 4.4: the individual user (Personal characteristics),
the immediate social surroundings (Situational cues), and culture (Collective
representations). Because a product-related stigma appraisal will always
balance the human concerns of the stakeholders with the interaction
components of the product, the ‘Product’ is our fourth fundamental context
level.
In ‘A theory of everything‘, Wilber (2000) also discerns these four context

levels and places them along two continuums (Figure 4.5). The vertical axis
discerns the individual (product & user) from the collective (groups & culture)
and the horizontal axis discerns subjective (user & groups) from objective
(product & culture) elements.
The product users, together with the individuals that perceive and evaluate
them, can be interpreted as subjective influencers and correspond with the
personal characteristics and the immediate situational cues in Major’s model
(see figure 4.4). Users and groups might in turn be influenced by a broader
systemic-objective source of social and product stereotypes, which is shaped
by cultural structures and values. In Major’s model this context is described
as collective representations (see figure 4.4).
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Chapter 4
4 Context levels 3 types of

3 stakeholders human appraisal
Collective Standards
4 representations Attitudes
Culture Culture Goals
Situational Standards
Involuntary
3 Cues Attitudes
Responses
Bystanders Bystanders Goals
Personal Standards
Voluntary
2 Characteristics
human
Attitudes Responses
concerns Goals
User User
Outcomes
Appraisal Emotion (long term)
Product
perception
product
Using the stimulus
1 product
Product
Consequences
of product
use
3 product interaction
components
Figure 4.4. Our model,
encompassing the
Appraisal Theory of
Desmet and Hekkert
(2007) and the Identity
Threat Model of Major
(2005).
Individual
Figure 4.5. Four context

levels: the product
User/ Wearer Product as conceived by the
designer and three
other ‘stakeholders’ who
appraise and influence
the human-product
Collective
interaction. This is our

reformulation of K.
Wilbers’ ‘All Quadrants All
Bystanders Society/Culture Levels’ model featuring
an integrally conceived
Subjective Objective reality.
140
Context level 1: The product and its material properties
The context that is best understood by designers is the context of the product
and its physical properties. Aspects such as shape, material qualities and
other sensory aspects all belong to the context of the product. Through
its appearance and other sensory aspects, a product has the potential of
imposing an identity threat on its user, both physically and psychologically.
The opening quote in our introduction chapter neatly summarizes the

importance of this context: “Many well-meaning inventions fail – not because
they aren’t helpful, but because they aren’t appealing”. Indeed, many
assistive, protective and medical devices that function well on a technical
and functional level fail because of sensory and emotional rejection. An
important reason could be that aesthetic and sensory qualities are often not
prioritized in the design of these products. Even when considered, they are
often added as a last-minute cosmetic treatment to a conceptually conceived
product proposal. Sensory qualities that can benefit the overall product
experience and support both personal and social well-being, need to be
considered much earlier in the process. Sensory product qualities are not
limited to the product’s visual appearance but encompass tactile, olfactory
and audible qualities too. As the basis of our model we will use the product
context, which is the aspect on which the designer has the most impact. In
the Product intervention model for Stigma (PIMS) that follows the PAMS, 13
of the 17 stigma-free design interventions are aimed at the context of the
product. Within the product context we distinguish three product stimulus
components (Desmet and Hekkert, 2007) expressing and influencing the
behavioral experiences and intentions of our three stakeholders:
• the non-instrumental interaction component (perceptions),

• the non-physical interaction component (consequences of use),
• the instrumental interaction component (use).
Context level 2: The context of the product wearer or user
This is the context of the individual and subjective evaluations of product

users. Focus is given to the experiences of the stigmatized product user: how
they understand and interpret their stigmatization, how they cope with it,
and how it affects their psychological and physiological well-being, cognitive
functioning, and interactions with other individuals. All of these experiences
are shaped by the individual’s personal characteristics discussed earlier, such
as personality, background, past experiences, norms, values and skills.
In this context we situate examples of product-related stigma conditioned by

the user’s sensitivity to stigma and the degree to which the user identifies
with his in-group or ‘domain’ of stigmatization.
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Chapter 4
Next to products in relation to their users, this context also concerns the
aspect of human differences among users. Aspects such as skin color, gender,
and ability are ‘labels’ of a social selection process. These aspects are
identifying differences that will matter socially.
Differences between users are often apparent when designers are faced with
the conception of assistive, protective or medical devices. When designers
consider the needs of differently abled people, their emotional desires
deserve equal attention. On a physical or medical level their goals, standards,
and attitudes will be influenced by their respective ‘abilities’ or limitations.
On a personal level, however, their desires vary just like any other population.
In other words, different people have different abilities, but different people
will also have different needs and desires irrespective of their abilities (Pullin
2009).
Context level 3: The context of the bystander(s)
This context corresponds to the immediate situational cues in Major’s model

(Figure 4.4). Product meaning not only engenders appraisals in users, but
it also has a substantial impact on the immediate social setting, which it
resides in. This is the context in which users are perceived and evaluated by
surrounding others. Negative reactions of bystanders, passers-by or people
in the social interaction range of the product user are an example of negative
social appreciation. As stated earlier, during the human-product interaction
with a stigma-eliciting product, user well-being is strongly influenced by the
reactions in the immediate social surrounding. A strong or visible reaction
from bystanders can be viewed as an identity threat and it has the potential
of damaging the user’s self-esteem.
In this context ‘stigma’ can be connected to the concept of ‘discrimination’. In

contrast to stigma, discrimination focuses the attention on the stigmatizers,
i.e. those who discriminate, rather than on the people who are the recipients
of these behaviors (Sayce, 1998).
The attribution of unfavorable associations by bystanders and social groups

is one of the focal points in our research. In the product-related stigma
process these unfavorable associations often arise from product stereotypes.
Stereotypical aspects that can be assigned by bystanders or social groups to
users of stigma-eliciting products are:
• Products can pose a threat to others: e.g. a dust mask can pose the threat
of contamination.
• Products can induce aversive emotions: e.g. extreme piercings.
• Products can display a social identity that is under-appreciated in a certain
context: e.g. inappropriate clothing for a specific social gathering.
• The possession of a product may lead to rejection: e.g. political symbols.
• Products can arouse feelings of compassion, e.g. a blind cane.
142
Context level 4: The context of society/culture
Users, bystanders, and passers-by might in turn be influenced by a broader

systemic-objective source of product stereotypes that is shaped by cultural
structures and values. When envisioned as a collective of bystanders and
users, a society or culture can have an appraisal. A culture’s or society’s
concerns are embedded in the rules, laws, practices, systems and structures,
of states, political parties, businesses, public institutions and other levels
of organization. All societal entities are lead and managed by people who
have either direct decision (appraisal) power or who are entitled with
representative authority. As such a culture or society is an important actor,
because its leaders and their governance establish behavioral principles that
people have to endorse. This might include the (appropriate) use of specific
products.
In Major’s model, this context is described as collective representations (box

A in figure 4.4). Collective representations are shared cultural understandings
and beliefs. They include how people of a specific social group think about
themselves in their society. Collective representations can also apply to
symbols or products that have a commonly shared meaning for members
of a social group or culture, and even ideologies. Virtually all members of
a culture, including members of stigmatized groups, are aware of cultural
stereotypes, even if they do not personally endorse them (Steele, 1997).
Because they are widely known and shared in a culture, or among the
stigmatized, collective representations may create what Claude Steele
(1997) calls “a threat in the air”. An important difference with the previous
context is that these collective representations can affect the behavior of the
stigmatized in the absence of obvious forms of discriminatory behavior on the
part of others, and even when no other person is present in the immediate
situation (see Crocker, 1998, for a similar reasoning).
Although often intriguing to the Western eye, protecting the face from
polluted air, cold weather, sun or viruses is common behavior in China and
other Asian countries. Facemasks are an everyday product in China and serve
a broad range of needs ranging from self-protection to health etiquette.
This example illustrates that culture influences the appreciation and social
visibility of a product. Cultures differ in climate, vegetation, food and social
habits. Moreover, each culture has its values, tastes and morals. These
differences will impact the design or use of artifacts in that specific culture.
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Chapter 4
Some examples of how products can violate collective (cultural)

representations:
• Products can surpass social and cultural boundaries: e.g. the tolerated
length of a mini-skirt varies culturally.
• Products can be rejected based on evolutionary origins that are often
deeply entrenched and resistant to change: e.g.in the case of a dust mask,
covering the face is viewed as a threat. A passer-by cannot detect the visual
expression of the mask wearer is evolutionary programmed to be cautious.
• Societal respect: e.g. wearing a dust mask at work in Japan is seen as an
act of respect. Wearers signal that they are contagious and do not want to
infect their colleagues.
• Legal restrictions: e.g. explicitly wearing religious symbols is forbidden in
some public offices.
4.3. Appraisal
After having placed the stigma-eliciting product and its users in their contexts
of use, surrounded by the social entities that witness and influence the
human-product interaction, we now focus on types and layers of appraisal.
The topic studied by appraisal theories is the reason why people react to
things differently. Even when presented with the same or a similar situation,
all people react in slightly different ways based on their appraisal of the
situation. These appraisals elicit various emotions that are specific to each
person.
Product appraisal is a dynamic process involving various stakeholders and

types of meaning attribution, resulting in either product acceptance or
rejection. In the case of protective, assistive and medical devices, avoidance
of negative emotions and reactions may be more critical than the eliciting of
positive emotions and reactions.
According to appraisal researchers, all emotions are preceded and elicited

by an appraisal (Roseman, 2001). An appraisal may start off as a quasi
non-cognitive, automatic evaluation of a stimulus for one’s personal well-
being. This immediate personal significance of a product, rather than the
product itself, already causes an emotion. Because appraisals mediate
between products and emotions, different individuals who appraise the
same product in different ways will feel different emotions. The appraisal
of protective, assistive and medical devices can engender both positive and
negative emotions and reactions in stakeholders.
A child who receives a new brightly colored wheelchair may appraise this
as a positive event, accompanied by feelings of happiness, joy, excitement,
and/or anticipation. The child may feel empowered by the new wheelchair,
increasing his or her physical freedom and independence. Conversely, if the
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child’s social surrounding perceives the wheelchair negatively, the child’s

emotions, as a result, may include sadness, or disappointment. A similar
emotional pattern may appear when bystanders react with exaggerated
sympathy or compassion, eliciting emotions of sadness or pity. As a result,
bystanders may respond with facilitating reactions that the child did not
ask for. This example illustrates that products do not only elicit mere intra-
and interpersonal, like (attraction or pleasure) and dislike (aversion or pain)
reactions. Moreover, we often do not feel a particular single emotion towards
a product but a combination of ‘mixed’ and sometimes paradoxical emotions
(Desmet, 2002). Furthermore, a person can also appraise a given product in
different ways simultaneously, and thus experience ‘mixed emotions.’
Appraisal Theory of Desmet and Hekkert
The emotional variability that can be observed in human-product interactions

with stigma-eliciting products demands a model that accommodates the
variability illustrated in the previous paragraph. Several authors have
mentioned useful perspectives and differentiations in their models. All
models presented in Chapter 2 (Figure 2.2), illuminate certain aspects of the
complex human-product interaction process. After analyzing the various
models, we selected the model of Desmet and Hekkert (2007) to provide the
cornerstone of our model (Figure 4.6). Their Appraisal Theory distinguishes
three types of appraisal references that seamlessly connect with the three
product stimulus components. As such it links human experiences to objects
Figure 4.6. An adaptation
of the Product Appraisal
and contexts in a systematic approach, assisting designers to design with
Theory by Desmet and predefined emotional intentions. The key variables in the model are human
Hekkert (2007). concerns and product stimuli.
Attitudes: prevailing tendency to like

or dislike qualities of objects, people
or activities.
(Sensory perception processes)
Standards: expectations and beliefs about how

users, others and objects should behave or act.
(Cognitive interpretation processes) human
concerns
Goals: ‘things’ that the stakeholder wants to
accomplish or see happen.
(Physical action processes)
Appraisal Emotion
Product Perception
non-instrumental interaction
Product use product User

instrumental interaction stimulus
Consequences of product use
non-physical interaction
Bystanders
Culture
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Human concerns
In the Appraisal Theory, the cognitive components, attention, evaluation, and

intention correlate with ‘human concerns’. Every emotion hides a concern,
that is, a more or less stable preference for certain states of the world (Frijda,
1986). According to Frijda, concerns can be regarded as points of reference
in the appraisal process. Stimuli that match our concerns are appraised as
beneficial, and those that mismatch our concerns as harmful. This principle
also applies to products: a product elicits an emotion only if it is appraised as
relevant for a person’s concerns. Some concerns are universal, for example
the concern for safety, for love and for self-esteem. Others are more personal
and can vary strongly between and in individuals. A well-designed assistive
device can make its user proud, because it matches his or her concern for
social acceptance, for example. Concerns refer to human needs: attitudes,
standards, and goals respectively. In the next paragraph we will elaborate on
these aspects in more detail.
Stimulus (Product Stimulus)
According to Frijda (1986), any perceived change has the potential to

elicit an emotion. This can be some event, e.g. a bystander that makes a
remark at a woman who self-administers an insulin injection in a public
setting. The bystander’s aversion could be evoked by the event of seeing the
needle and the exposed body part. It is not only the actual event but also
remembered or imagined events related to needles that could have triggered
the emotion. Products can act as emotional stimuli in three different ways:
as object (product perception), in activity (product in use), and as identity
(thinking about the product or consequences of product use). We all know
from experience that thinking about products can elicit strong emotions.
Fantasizing about a motorcycle trip can fill us with excitement. A toy can
remind us of our own childhood and elicit feelings of happiness. One and
the same product can please us in perception, but frustrate us in use, for
example.
Two variables, product stimulus and human concerns, in their variety of

occurrence combine to a 3x3 matrix of nine sources of product emotion.
Emotional reactions can vary over time as described by the dual process
model of Pryor et al. (2004), mentioned in Chapter 2. In the next paragraph
we connect and relate all these aspects to the ‘Product Appraisal Model for
Stigma’ and add which conflicts in emotions can occur between the various
stakeholders that we defined earlier.
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4.4. PAMS: The ‘Product Appraisal Model for Stigma’
Similar to the Appraisal Theory of Desmet & Hekkert (2007), our model
makes a comprehensive and visual connection between the product
stimulus components, related to products, and human concerns, related
to stakeholders. In its two-dimensional representation (Figure 4.7) PAMS
links three types of human appraisal with respect to the human concerns
(green), which are active in three stakeholders (blue), to three sequences
observable in intentional behavior towards products (magenta). Although all
the elements constituting the model have a dedicated position, they cannot
be isolated as such.
Figure 4.7. The PAMS-

model. The PAMS builds on
the existing design models
of Desmet and Hekkert
(2007), Major (2005), and
Vleugels & Van Den Bosch
(2008).
Culture
Bystanders
User
Standards Goals
ins tera
cti cal
evaluation
in
on
tru cti
era ysi
intention
me on
int n-ph
nta
no
non-instrumental
interaction
attention
Attitudes
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Chapter 4
Three product stimulus components
In the center we find the product and its three product stimulus components
(Figure 4.7). These components are similar to the Appraisal Theory of
Desmet and Hekkert (2007) and describe how people interact with products.
In essence, a human-product interaction is made up of three components:
product perceptions (sensing - how the product looks and feels), product use
(acting - what the product is capable of doing, technically and functionally),
and the consequences of product use (meaning - what are the stakeholders’
experiences as a consequence of product use).
The arrows around the inner triangle describe the sequence of the experience
or interaction: from sensing, through acting, to meaning. Although this is a
comprehensive sequence, interactions can also start with the meaning or
acting sequence.
Product perception (Sensing): This is labeled the ‘non-

instrumental interaction component’ in the appraisal theory
(Desmet and Hekkert, 2007). Non-instrumental interaction
refers to interactions that do not directly serve a function in
operating a product, such as perceiving, playing with or caressing
the product. This component is related to human attention and
sensory perception. It is the sensory component that contains the
product’s look, feel, taste and sound.
Product use (Acting): This is labeled the ‘instrumental interaction
component’ in the appraisal theory (Desmet and Hekkert, 2007).
This area is event focused and expresses human intentions
with products. Examples of instrumental interaction are using,
operating, and managing products. This area contains the
product’s functional component: what the product is capable of
doing, technically and functionally.
Consequences of product use (Meaning): This is labeled the
‘non-physical interaction component’ in the appraisal theory
(Desmet and Hekkert, 2007). Non-physical interaction refers to
fantasizing about, remembering, or anticipating usage. One can
also imagine, anticipate, or fantasize about possible consequences
of interaction. In a stigma-sensitive design challenge these
consequences of a human-product interaction are important to
consider. The consequences of using a wheelchair may be that
passers-by make verbal remarks, generating negative affective
reactions. This component expresses human evaluation.
Three stakeholders
Often not only the interaction between users and their products
causes unhappiness or social deprivation as such. In our experimental
explorations we discovered that user well-being and product ‘acceptance’
are fundamentally influenced by the reactions of people in the immediate
148
situation, complemented with the ‘invisible’ pressure of cultural norms and

values. As such, our model does not focus exclusively on the behavior and
experiences of product users, but also on a culturally bound network of
stakeholders.
The PAMS adds two important context levels to the Appraisal Theory, being
the appraisals of bystanders and those of the cultural context. As such, the
model assists designers by navigating them through the types of product-
meaning attribution, as appraised by the stakeholders that are involved in
the interaction.
User: The product user or wearer has a personality,

background, past experiences, norms, values and skills. All of
these aspects will influence the user’s sensitivity to product-
related stigma.
Bystander(s): The surrounding others who perceive and

evaluate the product user. During the human-product
interaction with a stigma-eliciting product, user well-being is
strongly influenced by the reactions of bystanders, passers-by
or the people present in the social interaction range of the
product user.
Culture: We do not consider a culture to be a person, but

as a ‘construct ‘ of commonly shared values and norms held
by people who belong to a specific cultural entity. A culture
can have an appraisal as a collective of bystanders and users.
The concerns of users and bystanders are always and to a
large extent conditioned by nurturing and learning in cultural
contexts. Although certain cultural norms and values may be
addressed as a part of the appraisal of the user or bystander,
we do conceive of this level as a separate and important
stakeholder in the stigma appraisal of human-product
interactions.
Three human appraisal types
Surrounding the central triangle we have positioned three other triangles,

which represent the three types of human appraisal. They refer to the human
concerns in the human-product interaction. These types of appraisal make
the connection between the product stimulus components and the way
they are appraised by the stakeholders in view of their concerns, namely as
goals, standards or attitudes. We positioned these appraisals on a circle with
bi-directional arrows to make a visual reference to the stakeholders who can
‘circle around’ a product and appraise it as such. On the tips of the resulting
large triangle we positioned the concerns that humans try to balance in
their everyday experiences with products. People constantly try to satisfy
the numerous concerns that they associate with their everyday activities.
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Chapter 4
Some concerns strive for an immediate satisfaction, whereas others aim for
long-term gratification. These concerns are essential for solving any stigma-
specific design challenge, but they often remain abstract terms in the mouths
of designers. Concerns function like attractants, energizing human behavior.
As in the Appraisal Theory of Desmet and Hekkert (2007), the PAMS defines
three human concerns leading to three types of appraisal:
Attitudes appraisal (attention): Attitudes can be understood as the

conditioned and life-historical content, belonging to the individual’s
previous sensing, meaning, and acting. What the individual
perceives in the present passes through these ‘attitude-filters’ and
explains the selective nature of human perception. Attitudes can
be viewed as the stakeholder’s prevailing tendency to like or dislike
qualities of objects, people or activities.
Standards appraisal (evaluation): Standards refer to value, or
the human evaluations of what is perceived. They encompass the
stakeholder’s expectations and beliefs about how users, others
and objects should behave or act. We used the visual metaphor of
the compass, referring to the mental compass that humans use to
evaluate situations.
Goals appraisal (intention): Goals provide orientation and purpose
in human behavior, as conscious behavior is always goal-oriented.
Goals can be interpreted as ‘things’ that the stakeholder wants to
accomplish or see happen.
Designers should not only address concerns in relation to the object that
has to be designed, but also in relation to the activity that is enabled or
supported by using the product and in relation to the stakeholders involved
in the interaction.
Attitudes, standards, and goals vary with each stakeholder and with each
situation. They explain the tremendous diversity in human emotion and
behavior. The PAMS evaluates and compares the content of each of these
appraisal types, as the three stakeholders who appraise in each sequence of
a human-product interaction give them content.
While evaluating these aspects, our interest is focused on the conflicting

concerns often evidenced by these stakeholders: intra- and inter-users,
bystanders and culture. To manage the product-related stigma process and
to improve the overall acceptance of products, designers should balance the
needs of the different stakeholders. The PAMS is aimed at balancing these
needs and supports designers in exploring and connecting the various forms
of meaning attribution or appraisal by stakeholders in the product-related
stigma process.
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Here are just some of the design challenges that PAMS helps designers
manage:
• Conflicts between product perception and use or consequences of use

by users, bystanders or culture, e.g. having a preference for high heels
(perception of user), despite the fact that they are uncomfortable to
wear (consequence of product use).
• Conflicts in inter-stakeholders appraisal, e.g. having fun on a motorcycle

(positive for user) that produces 110 dB (negative for bystanders).
• Conflicts between types of appraisal intra- and inter-stakeholders, e.g.

being obliged to wear a dust mask (appraisal of user) that engenders
avoidant behavior in bystanders (appraisal of bystander).
• Conflicts between types of appraisal within a specific context or

stakeholder, e.g. using a sexually discomforting contraceptive (positive
towards goal of protection – user appraisal of goals) during sexual
intercourse (negative towards goal of pleasure – user appraisal of
attitudes).
• Conflicts between stakeholders for a specific type of appraisal, e.g.

wearing a ‘hijab’ or ‘burqa’ while serving a public function. This
situation recently led to tension between Muslim users and non-Muslim
bystanders (in Belgian law and custom, religious symbols cannot be
visually displayed while performing a public function). In this example
the norms and values of the user (user appraisal of standards) conflict
with those of the cultural context (cultural appraisal of standards).
• Conflicts between product and stakeholders and between types of

appraisal, e.g. building a family car that can reach 320 km/h. This
achievement is appraised as a satisfier for the car constructor who is
proud of the technical excellence built into the vehicle. In the eyes of
society (culture), however, this car can be viewed as a lethal weapon in
the hands of its user. The functional specifications of the car (product
context level – product in use) are in conflict with the norms and values of
the culture and the consequences for that society (cultural context level
- consequences of product use). Often products qualify on a technical
and systemic level, but at some point they can procure psychological or
moral damage to their user.
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Chapter 4
4.4.1. The PAMS as a tangible designer tool
Figure 4.8 depicts the 3D-conversion of the PAMS. The tetrahedron,

representing the transition from a surface (Figure 4.7) to a volume, intends
to visualize both scope (towards attitudes, standards, and goals) and
stakeholder-content, converging into one attraction point. Each tetrahedron
has the product as its basis and three appraisal areas as sides.
Culture
Bystanders
User User
The three appraisal areas move around the product basis, as depicted in figure Figure 4.8. The
4.8. As such, all stakeholders project their attitudes, standards and goals on 3D-conversion of the
PAMS-model, exposing the
every product interaction sequence, i.e. product perception, product use and appraisal tetrahedron of
the consequences of product use. each stakeholder.
In figure 4.8 the surface representing the ‘appraisal in view of attitudes’

rotates around the product base with its product stimulus components.
To make the differentiation between the three appraisal types more
manageable, we introduce a matrix for each type of appraisal. All three
stakeholders perform ‘appraisal in view of attitudes’, resulting in a 3x3
matrix. The other 3x3 matrices are built in a similar way, addressing the two
other types of appraisal. As such three 3x3 matrices can be traced back from
the model, mapping the three product stimulus components onto the three
stakeholders for the three types of appraisal (Figure 4.9).
The social processes experienced by the stakeholders and intermediated

by the product are made visible by simultaneously looking at each area of
appraisal for all three stakeholders. This perspective allows a designer to see
reactions that occur as a result of the actions of other stakeholders and their
alternative relationship to the product.
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Culture Culture Culture
Bystanders Bystanders Bystanders
User User User
Stakeholders Stakeholders Stakeholders
User Bystanders Culture User Bystanders Culture User Bystanders Culture
Appraisal
Appraisal
Appraisal
Figure 4.9. The structure In these matrices we inserted questions that address sensitivities related to
of a PAMS-matrix – product-related stigma. . The 27 questions that arose from the three matrices
Stakeholders appraisal
related to product
were extracted from the literature as well as our empirical and experimental
perception. findings. Further selection and refinement was accomplished in two designer
workshops, one organized at the University of Antwerp and the other at the
Technical University of Delft.
Attempts were made to standardize the way in which the 27 questions are
formulated. Each cell of each matrix contains a question that can be linked
to a specific part of the 3D model and its subsequent content. In certain cells
we added complementary questions that extend the scope or trigger specific
sensitivities related to the main question. As designers complete the matrices
it is possible that cetrain cells remain empty. Additionally, the questions do
overlap and a specific answer may be suited for several cells. It is not the
position of the answer in the matrix that matters, the fact that a specific
sensitivity did arise is more important.
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Chapter 4
PAMS Matrix configurations
There are several ways to construct the 3x3 matrices. Each of the layouts
represents a specific grouping of answers that has the potential to reveal
specific conflicts:
◦◦ The PAMS tool comprises of

◦◦ One tetrahedron containing the 27 questions. Each side-surface of the
tetrahedron holds 9 questions related to one of the 3 product stimulus
components.
◦◦ Two ‘jackets’ that reveal only 3 out of 9 questions on each side surface,
allowing for a focus of the attention towards appraisal assessment or
stakeholder assessment.
◦◦ 3 possible configurations of the PAMS matrices
Configuration 1: Matrix topics = Product stimulus components: perception,

use, and consequences of use
• X-axis = Stakeholders: user, groups, culture

• Y-axis = Appraisal types: standards, goals, and attitudes
These matrices group all questions for each product stimulus component. It
is our default configuration. The topics of the matrices switch from product
perception, over product use, to the consequences of product use. For each
product stimulus component, the appraisal types in relation to the different
stakeholders are assessed. These matrices will reveal conflicts or tensions
between the various stakeholders and their appraisals of a given human
product interaction.
Configuration 2: Matrix topics = Appraisal types: standards, goals, and

attitudes
• X-axis = Stakeholders: user, groups, culture

• Y-axis= Product stimulus components: product perception, use, and
consequences of use
These matrices group all questions for each type of appraisal. The topics
of the matrices switch from appraisal of standards, over appraisal of goals,
to the appraisal of attitudes. For each appraisal type, the product stimulus
components in relation to the different stakeholders are assessed. These
matrices will reveal conflicts or tensions between the various stakeholders
during the three stages of product interaction.
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Configuration 3: Matrix topics = Stakeholders: user, groups, culture
• X-axis= Product stimulus components: product perception, use, and

consequences of use
• Y-axis = Appraisal types: standards, goals, and attitudes
These matrices group all questions for each stakeholder. The topics of the
matrices switch from product user, over groups, to culture. For each stake-
holder, the product stimulus components in relation to their appraisals
are assessed. These matrices will reveal conflicts or tensions between the
appraisal types during the three stages of product interaction, for each specific
stakeholder.
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Chapter 4
4.4.2. How can designers assess human appraisals related to product perception?
In this matrix we assess how the stakeholders perceive a product and how this matches or contrasts
with their attitudes, goals and standards. Completing this matrix will reveal tensions between the
sensory product appreciations and the concerns of the three stakeholders. The questions in the
matrix address experiences related to the senses. These experiences happen fast and instinctively
and demand little or no cognitive effort. When addressing product perception, designers are typically
focused on visual appearance. To fully grasp the perceptual impact of a product on its stakeholders,
the focus needs to be extended to all of the human senses. Aspects such as tactility, scent, and sound
can play an important role in the appraisal of products: e.g. the tactile sensations when shaking hands
with a prosthetic hand, the olfactory sensations (smell) when wearing a dust mask, the disrupting
sound of a medical device. Norman (2004) has termed these product aspects the ‘visceral qualities’ of
a product. They entail the first instinctive reactions to a product stimulus, engendered by the sensory
system. These visceral qualities of a product precede product use and have no (immediate) connection
with possible reflections on the human-product interaction. In his pleasure theory, Jordan (2000)
distinguishes four different ‘pleasures’ in the human-product interaction. The perception component
matches with Jordan’s ‘physio-pleasure’ and relates to the body and all the pleasures derived from the
sensory organs. Applied to product-related stigma we suggest a shift to ‘physio-displeasure’, or all the
bodily displeasures derived from the sensory organs.
Attitudes appraisal related to product perception:
When assessing the attitude appraisal, the ‘looks’ of a product can please or displease our visual
attitudes. When stakeholders assess the sensory qualities of a product and its user, it passes through
sensory ‘attitude filters’ that will direct them towards liking or disliking. Additionally, they help the
stakeholder to make rapid judgments (good/bad, safe/dangerous). Products can be more than
sensory-repellant to their users; they can represent sensory discomfort to their surroundings and can
even go against cultural taste.
Goals appraisal related to product perception:
A question that deserves consideration when assessing the goal appraisal, is how the sensory aspects
of a product can motivate its user in wearing or using the product. Obliged product use, or the
dependence on a product has never been a rewarding motivation for product use. Additionally, the
perception of a product and its user might conflict with the goals of bystanders, possibly distracting
or influencing their behavior.
Standards appraisal related to product perception:
The sensory qualities of products may conflict with the stakeholders’ values and standards, as they
evaluate what is perceived or sensed. These standards can express personal or cultural value or
significance and are variable in time and place. On a basic level, product perception can turn off a user
because he evaluates certain materials, technological features, brands or institutional references as
unfavorable. When the other stakeholders perceive a product and its user, this can elicit feelings of
compassion, admiration, aversion, or jealousy in bystanders. It is up to the designer to decide which
of these is a desired interpretation.
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Product Perception (Sensing)
Perceiving, playing with or User Bystander Culture

caressing the product.
Human attention
Does the product exhibit Does the product exhibit Does product perception
sensory discomforting or a sensory discomforting violate social or cultural
repelling features for its or repelling impact on taste?
user? (Visual, noise, smell, bystanders?
tactile, taste)
A user experiences a The unsuspected Cultural attitudes
Attitudes Appraisal claustrophobic feel when tactile impact when an regarding mini-skirts or
The stakeholder’s wearing a dust mask. unsuspected bystander piercings can be in conflict
prevailing tendency to shakes hands with a user of with or violate cultural
like or dislike qualities an artificial hand. taste.
of objects, people or
activities.
Does product perception Does product perception Does product perception

obstruct the user in obstruct others in obstruct a culture in
obtaining his or her goals? obtaining their goals? obtaining its goals?
When a user perceives a Perceiving a user-product Certain political symbols/

pair of crutches for the combination can induce signs can obstruct or
first time, does the product avoidance/greater social undermine cultural and
Goals Appraisal
‘look’ reveal to its user distance in bystanders, societal goals.
‘Things’ that the
how to achieve the goal of conflicting with their goal
stakeholder wants
walking with crutches? of passing the user in a
to accomplish or see
conventional way.
happen. Goals provide
orientation and purpose
in human-product
interaction.
Does the user perceive Do bystanders perceive Does the perceived cultural
unacceptable products or products or product significance and value of
product aspects according aspects of users that the product or product
to his quality standards fail according to their aspects indicate change
(physical, ergonomical, quality standards: over time or in durability?
psychological, moral)? physically, ergonomically,
Standards Appraisal psychologically, morally?
The stakeholder’s
expectations and beliefs A product can be devalued When bystanders perceive Public views have changed
about how users, others through negative brand a wheelchair user, the on the way people with
and objects should associations or a negative encounter could elicit braces are perceived.
behave or act. Standards institutional identity. feelings of aversion,
refer to value. compassion, or admiration
in the bystander.
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4.4.3. How can designers assess human appraisals related to product use?
This matrix assesses the stakeholders’ intentions towards a physical interaction with the product,
and the question how that interaction may correspond or conflict with their standards, goals and
attitudes. It addresses usability aspects and their impacts on the stakeholders. This area corresponds
with Normans’ (2004) behavioral level and is all about getting products to function well. Additionally,
it is about making that functionality easily accessible and user-inclusive.
Users of assistive, protective or medical devices often depend on their devices and are therefor
confronted with a situation of obliged use. As designers, should we challenge this and question
technically sophisticated assistive, protective or medical devices that lack the impact or intent to
stimulate the user into operating it? From the perspective of the bystanders this matrix exposes
whether the ‘product in use’ is likely to negatively stereotype its user or obstruct the bystanders
from attaining their goals. The intention to interact with a product is also influenced by how the
stakeholders evaluate the product’s intended use. In order to achieve certain goals, the product
might need additional functionalities like being waterproof, dustproof, or adjustable. A typical conflict
arises from this matrix when the perceived intentional use of the product, the product use, or the
consequences of product use do not stroke with social values or obstruct other stakeholders from
attaining their goals and intentions.
Attitudes appraisal related to product use:
Products can be awkward or repellent to use. When observed by others, this discomforting interaction
can engender feelings of uneasiness or even pose a threat to them. On a cultural scale product use can
be disfavored by cultural values or standards or even forbidden.
Goals appraisal related to product use:
In this area we assess whether the product has all the functionalities and characteristics to accomplish
the user’s goals. Furthermore, that what is comfortable and efficient in achieving the goals of the
product user might be obstructing the goals or freedom of the bystanders or culture. A wheelchair,
for example, may increase the physical freedom of its user, while restricting the physical freedom of
bystanders in crowded public places. On a cultural scale, product use can indicate undesirable social
behavior and come into conflict with the societal orientation towards decent behavior.
Standards appraisal related to product use:
When users appraise whether a product in use meets their standards, they assess whether there
are uncomfortable moments while using the product and how using the product makes them feel.
Certain episodes in product use can make the user feel silly, uncertain or less capable. Additionally,
while in use a product can come into conflict with the expectations and beliefs of other stakeholders.
In the cell connecting ‘product in use’ to societal standards, we assess the cultural value of a product
changing over time or its familiarity of use. Is there cultural preference in product use and could a
more widespread use influence product acceptability?
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Product in Use (Acting)
Human intentions with User Bystander Culture

products: using, operating
or managing products.
Is the product Does using the product Does using the product
discomforting or repelling cause unease or a threat to conflict with cultural
during its use (in general or others? habits, rules or laws?
in specific situations)?
Applying and removing an Fitting an artificial limb in A tourist meets an old man
adhesive eye patch may be public may cause unease in in India who takes off his
Attitudes Appraisal uncomfortable and painful. bystanders. prosthetic leg. Although
The stakeholder’s When a user administers an this feels perfectly natural
prevailing tendency to insulin injection in public, to the old man, this action
like or dislike qualities the needle might alarm may offend the tourist,
of objects, people or bystanders. who wonders whether it
activities. is appropriate to do this in
the Indian culture.
Does the product fit its Does using the product Does using the product
purpose of use, physically, interfere negatively with indicate inappropriate
functionally, ergonomically, the behavior of others; cultural or societal
and morally? does it prevent others from behavior?
attaining their goals?
Are there functional A wheelchair may increase Using alcohol in public
inconveniences or ways the physical freedom of can be considered
Goals Appraisal
in which the product its user, while restricting as inappropriate in a
obstructs the physical the physical freedom of particular culture, thus
stakeholder wants
freedom of its user (not bystanders in crowded conflicting with the goal of
waterproof, dustproof, public places. proper social behavior.
adjustable, too heavy, ...)?
Is the product difficult to
in human-product
use in combination with
interaction.
other products?
Are there any dissonant Does using the product Does the introduction of
experiences (unbalances challenge the tolerance of the product still need to
between thinking/feeling bystanders? overcome thresholds in
and acting) when using the view of cultural or social
product? acceptability?
Standards Appraisal The use of a product E.g. parents of a child When more people use
The stakeholder’s can feel dissonant with in a wheelchair value an asthma inhaler in
expectations and beliefs somebody’s feelings/ big handles when giving public, this ritual becomes
about how users, others thoughts and behavior. assistance to their child. widespread, plausibly
and objects should This conflicts with the child’s influencing its cultural
behave or act. Standards values and aspirations to be acceptance.
refer to value. ‘seen as independent’.
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4.4.4. How can designers assess human appraisals related to the consequences of
product use?
This matrix represents the cognitive interpretation area in which the stakeholders evaluate how they
expect products and people to behave, and assess whether this meets their standards, goals and
attitudes. The questions address reasoning about the human-product interaction. To put it simply, it is
what the stakeholders ‘think’ of the product, the ‘meaning’ of things.
Krippendorff (2006) states that people do not see and act on the physical qualities of things, but on
what they mean to them. It’s the interpretation component that succeeds the physical interaction.
This area can be linked to what Norman (2004) calls the affective level of reflective design. Although
the product affects this level, it is strongly linked to the stakeholder’s past experiences, previous
knowledge and personal characteristics. On the collective side of the matrix we check whether the
product conflicts with societal and cultural norms and beliefs and how this harmony or tension has
evolved over time.
Attitudes appraisal related to the consequences of product use:
Products can match or mismatch with the personality and lifestyle of its user. Others may like or
dislike the user’s personal taste. A person with extreme piercings, expressing his true identity, can be
disapproved of or rejected by others or by a culture as a whole. To avoid this pitfall, it is important for
designers to evaluate the stereotypical cultural aspects that are revealed when people are asked to
think about and give their opinion about a certain product.
Goals appraisal related to product use:
Looking back on the interaction, users can reflect whether the product met their goals and whether
they tolerated the interaction out of necessity or because they actually enjoyed certain aspects. As
a consequence of product use, users can be stereotyped by cultural values, even when they are no
longer engaged with the product.
Standards appraisal related to product use:
Looking back on the interaction, a product can conflict with the user’s expectations and beliefs. How
do bystanders value our user after the interaction and does this affect them mentally? These values
can migrate to the cultural level and affect cultural beliefs, which may or may not be damaged as a
consequence of product use.
160
Consequences of Product Use (evaluation and meaning)
Fantasizing about, User Bystander Culture

remembering, or
anticipating usage or
consequences of usage
Does the look and feel of Does the look and feel of Does the look and feel
the product match with the the product and its user of the product and its
personality and lifestyle of match with the attitudes of user match with cultural
its user? the bystander? preferences?
Product semantics and A product that matches What are the stereotypical
Attitudes Appraisal product meaning need to its user’s personality can cultural habits associated
The stakeholder’s complement the attitudes refer to a subculture or with the product that
prevailing tendency to of the product user. group that is disapproved shape this cultural
like or dislike qualities of or rejected, e.g. extreme evaluation?
of objects, people or piercings.
activities.
Is the product tolerated Do the consequences of Cultural and societal goals

purely out of necessity or product use harm the should be met. Are the
physical dependency? physical or psychological product and its features
integrity of others? in compliance with these
goals and the supporting
regulations?
Goals Appraisal
Product tolerance is the Products in use can Individual aspirations
minimal acceptance level harm peoples’ integrity. are secondary to societal
stakeholder wants
when no higher level can Physically: noise, smoke; goals. Fake products are
be reached. Psychologically: personal ‘outlaws’.
space, freedom … A fake Rolex watch can
be linked to a lower social
in human-product
class, thus conflicting with
interaction.
the goal of its user to elicit
status.
Does the product Does the product conflict Does the product conflict
conflict with the user’s with the bystander’s with the cultural values,
expectations and beliefs expectations and beliefs expectations and beliefs
following product use? following product use? following product use?
People often carry out During or after their How can the avoidance of
Standards Appraisal ‘after sales checks’ of their encounter with a product conflict be turned into the
The stakeholder’s recently bought products. user, bystanders can be opposite - a hype? How can
expectations and beliefs E.g. a new car. confronted with their own it be turned into a product
about how users, others vulnerability. that is the result of a high
and objects should generative level of creation
behave or act. Standards and supported by the full
refer to value. blessing of culture and
society?
161
Chapter 4
Workshop 2: PAMS challenges revealed during the TU Delft workshops
Two months after the introductory workshop in Antwerp, we organized a

second designer workshop at the TU Delft. We introduced and tested a set
of stigma-relevant questions aimed at exploring the context and appraisal
issues that surround the use of assistive, protective and medical devices. The Figure 4.10. The four
participants were divided into four groups. Each group explored one of four imaginary product users of
imaginary product users (Figure 4.10). our second workshop.
Marc is 38 and he exercises Simon is 32 and needs Lisa is 74 and uses a Lee is 34 and steers his
daily with his prosthetic oxygen therapy. walking aid (rollator) to get wheelchair with a Tongue
leg. around town. Drive System.
This workshop consisted of two main exercises. For the first exercise,
participants were asked to assess the stigma-relevant issues for each product
user with the aid of improved checklists. The main goal of this exercise was to
explore and refine the questions that make up the PAMS. During the second
exercise, we explored the applicability and comprehensibility of our future
stigma-alleviating design interventions. The results of this second exercise
are presented at the end of Chapter 5.
In the matrices below we present some of the answers given in the stigma-
specific questionnaires that each group was asked to complete for their
specific user and his or her product. We did not test the tangible cardboard
model during the workshop.
162
We selected one specific product user to highlight the answers that came out
of the checklists.
Figure 4.11. Product user
Simon and his oxygen
therapy equipment.
Simon is a 32-year-old graphic designer who has a respiratory condition that

requires him to have oxygen therapy (Figure 4.11). Due to his condition,
Simon needs supplemental oxygen, for which he depends on an oxygen
dispenser. He uses a stand-alone unit during the night and the depicted
mobile dispenser during the day. The mobile oxygen dispenser is integrated
in a modern shoulder bag that contains the oxygen bottle and pump. The
oxygen flow is controlled with subtle buttons in the shoulder strap. The
oxygen travels through a nasal cannula, a lightweight translucent tube that is
placed underneath the nostrils.
After completing the checklists, participants were instructed to detect the

most relevant stigma-specific challenges. These were the five challenges that
were filtered for product user Simon:
• Make the tubes of the nasal cannula less repellent for bystanders.
• Reduce the medical look of the tubing.
• Make the product less inconvenient for Simon by addressing the practical
issues, especially those related to socially uncomfortable episodes in product
use.
• Avoid the effect that Simon feels ‘looked at’ because he is sitting in a chair
with a shoulder bag.
On the next 3 pages we positioned the various insights and answers for this
specific user in the appropriate matrices.
163
Chapter 4
Product Perception (Sensing)
User Bystander Culture
Does the product exhibit Does the product exhibit Does product perception
sensory discomforting or a sensory discomforting violate social or cultural
repelling features for its or repelling impact on taste?
user? bystanders?
The feel of the tubes In a crowded train, Having an object in the
behind the ear and the bystanders could be nostrils is not regarded as
Attitudes Appraisal irritating tubes in the annoyed by the noise of the an expression of beauty
The stakeholder’s nostrils bother Simon. oxygen flow. or style in most cultures.
prevailing tendency to A shoulder bag does feel In contrast, members
like or dislike qualities warm in summertime. of a remote tribe might
of objects, people or perceive the nasal cannula
activities. as an object of beauty.
Does product perception Does product perception Does product perception

obstruct the user in obstruct others in obstruct a culture in
obtaining his or her goals? obtaining their goals? obtaining its goals?
The buttons in the Simon’s looks do attract From a distance, Simon
shoulder strap have clear attention and bystanders looks like someone who
pictograms and their often interrupt their escaped from the hospital.
functions are instantly conversation to stare at In certain cultures people
Goals Appraisal
recognizable for Simon. him. might be tempted to
approach Simon and ask if
stakeholder wants
Bystanders often avoid he needs help.
sitting next to Simon on
the bus.
orientation and purpose.
Does the user perceive Do bystanders perceive Does the perceived cultural
unacceptable products or products or product significance and value of
product aspects according aspects of users that fail the product or product
to his quality standards? according to their quality aspects indicate change
standards? over time or in durability?
Simon does like the looks Simon sometimes has The nasal cannula has
Standards Appraisal of his shoulder bag; they the impression that been invented in 1949
The stakeholder’s definitely give him a his ‘shoulder bag look’ (by Wilfred Jones). Since
expectations and beliefs dynamic look. By adding a does not stroke with that time the product has
about how users, others trendy brand name or Nike- the standards of certain always been linked to
and objects should logo, the perceived value business clients that he medical use.
behave or act. Standards might increase for Simon. meets in his job.
refer to value. When the shoulder bag
When bystanders perceive was launched, it was
Simon, some might feel associated with a female
compassion. In contrast, user group.
a lot of people reported
that he elicits feelings
of admiration for being
so open and positive,
regardless of his condition.
164
Product in Use (Acting)
Is the product Does using the product Does using the product
discomforting or repelling cause unease or a threat to conflict with cultural
during its use (in general or others? habits, rules or laws?
in specific situations)? Fitting the nasal cannula Simon could be invited to
Fitting the nasal cannula may cause unease in remove his nasal cannula
can be uncomfortable. bystanders. when he interacts with
Attitudes Appraisal Simon often senses that children, because most
The stakeholder’s The straps behind the ears bystanders maintain a cultures tend to keep
prevailing tendency to are annoying. greater distance. The tubes their children away
like or dislike qualities tend to make him look like from uncomfortable
of objects, people or The shoulder bag can a sick person, resulting in confrontations.
activities. become heavy after a people maintaining a safe
while. distance.
Does the product fit its Does using the product Does using the product
purpose of use, physically, interfere negatively with indicate inappropriate
functionally, ergonomically, the behavior of others; cultural/societal behavior?
and morally? does it prevent others from Simon could be prompted
The adjustability of the attaining their goals? to remove his shoulder
strap can be cumbersome. Bystanders could be bag in shops were bags
The nasal cannula physically hindered by the are not allowed as a theft
Goals Appraisal
obstructs head movements. shoulder bag in crowded control measure. Although
The tubes can get tangled spaces. permission will be granted
stakeholder wants
up in clothing or a scarf. After Simon touched his in his case, the societal
Tubes are difficult to use in nasal cannula, bystanders safety goal conflicted with
combination with glasses. did not want to shake Simon’s goal of a smooth
Sitting on a chair with the hands with him. entrance.
in human-product
shoulder bag is a problem. Intended as a joke, a child The same will be true
interaction.
Not enough room left in pressed the buttons on the when he passes through
the shoulder bag shoulder strap. The child airport safety control. In
The shoulder bag is not thought they were linked to this instance safety goals
waterproof. a music player. conflict with his goal of a
discrete passage.
Are there any dissonant Does using the product Does the introduction of
experiences (unbalances challenge the tolerance of the product still need to
between thinking/feeling bystanders? overcome thresholds in
and acting) when using the view of cultural or social
product? acceptability?
Simon feels uncertain and Others see Simon as a sick When the nasal cannula
Standards Appraisal ‘looked at’ while engaged person. By altering the would find a widespread
The stakeholder’s with his nasal cannula. tubing, bystanders would application in oxygen bars,
expectations and beliefs perhaps suspect that its cultural value might
about how users, others Simon is an athlete on a alter. The public might
and objects should temporary oxygen cure. believe that the tubes are
behave or act. Standards associated with a person
refer to value. that enjoys a healthy
oxygen cure while walking.
165
Chapter 4
Consequences of Product Use (evaluation and meaning)
Does the look and feel of Does the look and feel of Does the look and feel
the product match with the the product and its user of the product and its
personality and lifestyle of match with the attitudes of user match with cultural
its user? the bystander? preferences?
The backpack is neatly Although the backpack When prompted to ‘make

Attitudes Appraisal styled compared to other does fit Simon’s himself comfortable’,
The stakeholder’s oxygen dispenser units. personality, it sends out Simon will need to keep
prevailing tendency to Simon would like to add a a ‘young’ image. Certain his backpack on. In certain
like or dislike qualities personal touch by adding business clients might cultures this could be
of objects, people or some patches. appreciate a more ‘classy’ considered as disrespectful.
activities. The tubes leave a mark on look.
his cheeks as soon as he
removes them.
Is the product tolerated Do the consequences of Cultural and societal goals

purely out of necessity or product use harm the should be met. Are the
physical dependency? physical or psychological product and its features
integrity of others? in compliance with these
goals and the supporting
regulations?
Simon tolerates the Some bystanders reported The product signals
Goals Appraisal
product out of physical that they felt anxious after societal integration
dependency. He does they met Simon. They felt capacity. Altough Simon
stakeholder wants
appreciate the freedom he slightly uncomfortable looks ‘different’ he is self-
gained as a consequence of because they were afraid reliant.
his usage. to hurt him.
Simon really likes the sober
in human-product
and subtle control buttons
interaction.
in the shoulder strap.
Does the product Does the product conflict Does the product conflict
conflict with the user’s with the bystander’s with the cultural values,
expectations and beliefs expectations and beliefs expectations and beliefs
following product use? following product use? following product use?
The product After their encounter The nasal cannula is

Standards Appraisal continuously supports with Simon, bystanders often associated with the
The stakeholder’s Simon in a vital physical reported that they were elderly and a hospital
expectations and beliefs function, while being confronted with their own environment. These
about how users, others totally independent from vulnerability. associations are shared by
and objects should others. many and could be tough
behave or act. Standards to alter.
refer to value.
166
4.5. Conclusions
This chapter outlined how the product-related stigma process unfolds, how the various stakeholders
contribute and the resulting challenges that arise. Two models supply the foundations for our designer
tool called the ‘Product appraisal model for Stigma’ (PAMS). Major’s ‘Identity Threat Model’ (2005)
was complemented with the Appraisal Theory of Desmet and Hekkert (2007). The encompassing
model depicts the complex interactions between three ‘dimensions’ that will impact a product
during its entire life cycle: three product stimulus components, three stakeholders, and three types
of appraisals aimed at human concerns. As such, the PAMS explains and reveals the context and
appraisal factors that influence the product-related stigma process. By alleviating the complexity of
surrounding products, people and cultures, the PAMS should manifest the stigma specific sensitivities,
conflicts, and challenges that designers need to take into account prior to their design effort. Failure
in addressing any of the issues brought up by the PAMS, could lead to product rejection by the
stakeholders. The PAMS can be interpreted as the ‘unveiler’ of product-related stigma, preparing the
designer for the next step where stigma-reducing design interventions seek to ‘heal’ the product of
its stigma content.
The PAMS is presented as a tangible designer tool that integrates three matrix checklists. A tangible
tool should appeal to designers and has the potential to facilitate group discussion.
This designer tool would benefit from additional testing with designers and design teams. Research
efforts can be directed towards an improved comprehensibility, assessing the effect of the tangible
aspects of the tool and the group dynamics during the completion of the tool. Ultimately it is our goal
to extend this model to other semantic challenges.
As a supplement to this thesis we provide a poster containing the PAMS and visual instructions on how
to build and use the model. Aditional models can be requested by contacting the author.
167
168
Chapter 4
ergonomical, psychological, moral)?

to his quality standards (physical,
products or product aspects according
Does the user perceive unacceptable
obtaining his or her goals?
obstruct the user in
Does product perception
for its user?
repelling features
discomforting or
exhibit sensory
product
Does the
and reflecting on product use.
their standards, goals and attitudes.
standards?
bystanders?
Product
obstruct others in
products or product
obtaining their goals?
or repelling impact on
Do bystanders perceive
a sensory discomforting
Perception
aspects of users that fail

Does the product exhibit
according to their quality

product’s look, feel, taste and sound.
the sensory component that contains the
ing, playing with or caressing the product. It is
The ‘non-instrumental interaction component’
function in operating a product, such as perceiv-

refers to interactions that do not directly serve a
s given human-product interaction in view of
various stakeholders and their appraisals of a
may reveal conflicts or tensions between the
the designer with a set of questions that
linked to product perception, products in use
such, each side of the model will challenge

placed and turned around tetrahedron A. As
Tetrahedron B, the appraisal jacket, can be
with a set of nine specific questions that are
Each side tetrahedron A provides the designer
SPIM - The Stigma in Product Appraisal Model
perception
T e
Does product
nce se ’
cultural taste?
eve he ‘i
the Usin
violate social or
w nt f nstr qu t u nent, or
an ith p ocus umen
pro g
obtaining its goals?

d m rod ed ta nse uc ompoeringne, -
obstruct a culture in
f a u a l
time or in durability?
capuncti nagi cts. E nd exintera
du
k
Is t ct Co prod teractit,ornemc aelmsobismibalegicnoennste

ab ona ng p xam pre ctio
dis he p le o l c ro p ss n loo e
the th
Does the perceived cultural

com rod f d omp duc les es h com of hysicazilnign a.bOonue bcaonut pisocsompoon.
du or fo uct oin on ts. are um p
g, t en Th us an one -p i a h ti es l of its
rin re rtin
e ‘ n on antas usage size n. T valua
f ta o e
Do d fee t and with
spe g i pe g D
ech t: w is a ing int nt ’
nic ha rea , op enti is Th rs to ating r fan eractiman an duc atch
cifi gen ts use lling cau oes u ally t th co era on e p t eel
c s era an e pr ntain ting s ref ntici ate, o of in es hu an
d f its pro er m l ? ls
product aspects indicate change over

itu l o (in se sing
D u d f od s , a cip es ess us ltura nces oa
pu oe
r s
ati r in
o ne the
a un uc the n ti e n c pr l o ok t and he
al g
significance and value of the product or

fun po th ns) ctio t is a qu e x h t cu fere
ctio se o e pr ? to se o pro
oth r a du na t e duc ith
o pre iet he n
ers th ct lly. o es e pr ch w the
f d soc Are t res i oals s?
u g
na f us odu
c ? rea D th at o an t. at on
lly, e, t t Do of er m udes der? ral me its fe these gulati
erg phy fit
o s i t e
the s us ok us attit stan ltu be
Are an nom ically s e lo he by
Cu ould t and with ng re
(un th d m ica , Do co pro ing e s th l of t ch o f s h d u c ce orti
n fs
b e ora lly, ith
the belie
an alan re an ne es u cu nflict duct Do fee mat e
d h ces pro mplia supp
d a ce lly? be gativ sing rul ltural with an duct ith t nd en he co d the t w and
ctin s be y diss hav ely the es
p r o w a s e qu rm t
a a n o nflic ons
ti
g) w tw ona it p ior int pr or habit
law s, lity r? con se h or ity ct c cta
he een nt e s? na use the ct u cal tegr du xpe ?
n u thi xp att reven of ot erfer oduc
ain t o he e w t rso ts pro , e use
sin nki erie i r pe e of i
l
Do rodu hysi al in
p t
g t ng / nc ng the s; d ith
t r o Do
s t y d
p gic rs?
l o e e s he alues uct
v o d
he e he s f
life te h
pro feelin s ir g rom es ind es us era r cho of ot Do ltural g pr
du g Do oa
ls? cul icate ing t tol ity o psy cu lowin
ct? tur in he uct ess cy? fol
cha es us
llen ing
al o app pro
p rod f nec nden d uct
g th
r so rop du he t o pe pro the
of e th e p cie riat ct Is t ly ou cal de the with ’s s
bys e t ro tal e
be re i es r lief
tan ole duc hav pu phys Do nflict ande d be se?
de ran t ior co byst s an ct u
rs? ce ? n u
Do
he o d
stil es th ht s ati ro
wit lief ? ect ng p
vie l nee e int ict be exp llowi
w o d t rod
co nfl and ct use fo
f cu o ov ucti
ltu erc on ct n s u
ral om of du atio rod
or t pro ect ing p
soc e thre he pr the exp w
Tetrahedron A
ial sh odu
acc old ct o
D us
es er ’s follo
ep s in
tab
ilit
Figure 4.12. SPAM
y?
Figure 4.13. SPAM
Tetrahedron A
and tetrahedron B
169
combined.
culture
metaphor of the compass, referring to the mental compass that humans
Standards refer to value, or the human evaluations of what is perceived.
They encompass the stakeholder’s expectations and beliefs about how
users, others and objects should behave or act. We used the visual
use to evaluate situations.

Standards
bystanders
user
use
r
s
ou
bys sci
ta nd con ings’
e , as h
rs ior as ‘t
hav d
be prete pen.
als an r
um inte e ha
p
Go
cul
tur in h n be or se
e se a
rpo als c plish
A pu o m
tti nd ed. G acco
sen tudes na t
si tio orien nts to
an ng, m an be
c nta -
de rie goal er wa
e a u n eo s d
x p lain ning ders vid lway ehol
s th , an to pro a ak
e s d ac od as als ior is he st
ele tin Go hav hat t
ure
the
c ti g. c be t t
cul
v W on
e
ten natu at th ditio
h Atti
de re e
ncy of h indi ed an
n
tud
to u
like man dual
or
vi
pe
d l
pe e-hi
i f es
dis rcep rceiv storic
like ti
Figure 4.14. SPAM
Tetrahedron B
es al c
q on in o rs
u aliti . Attit the nten de
es u
of des c resen belo
p t, tan
ob
jec an be t pas nging bys
t s s
, pe view es th to th
op
le o ed as rough e ind
ra t iv
ctiv he st these idual
i ti a ke ‘a ’s p
es. h tti r
o lde tud eviou r
r ’s e
pre -filter s use
vai s
ling ’
CHAPTER 5 PIMS
The Product Intervention
model for Stigma
Chapter 5
This chapter presents the ‘Product Intervention Model for Stigma’ (PIMS).
After the ‘Product Appraisal Model for Stigma’ (PAMS) that exposes vital
sensitivities and pitfalls, the PIMS is our second deliverable for designers. The
model comprises a set of 17 design interventions that enable designers to
take on their semantic responsibility and alleviate products of their stigma-
eliciting properties. By incorporating these interventions, designers can
aim for solutions that relieve product-users from the social stress related
to owning or using a protective, assistive or medical device in unwelcoming
contexts. Apart from the benefits for the individual user, additional benefits
can include increased user-product attachment and collective well-being.
The PIMS-interventions are specifically intended to meet the stigma-

relevant design requirements that arose during the application of the PAMS.
These requirements are only part of the total design brief and need to be
complemented by and balanced with vital design requirements that address
the functional (accessibility and inclusiveness), technical and economical
requirements of the future product. The PIMS is claimed to be an operational
and valid framework of design interventions. It complements existing design-
ideation tools and can be applied to a broad range of stigma-sensitive products.
The various interventions will be presented in a compact and consistent style,
facilitating overview and comparison. To address the requirements of the
creative process, the PIMS-interventions are also presented as a card set,
specifically aimed at designers.
Why 17 design interventions?
We limited our tool to 17 interventions after collecting and analyzing a

database of over 200 stigma-eliciting products and concepts. The database
comprises existing products, conceptual product proposals, as well as
concepts conceived during experimental and educational workshops. We
initiated our database analysis by grouping the design solutions in product
categories. Based on our own insights we separated the effective from the
less effective for each category. The stigma-alleviating aspects that arose in
the good examples were translated into an initial set of promising design
interventions. During the course of our research this set expanded until the
moment where all new stigma-alleviating product cases could be classified in
a specific strategy. The resulting set was compacted into 17 manageable and
promising interventions that we selected as relevant for our stigma-free design
approach. The comprehensibility and manageability of the interventions was
refined in two designer workshops at the University of Antwerp and the
Technical University of Delft.
All interventions are meant to suggest a general design direction and will be
exemplified with products from our database that will stick to the visual mind
of designers. The examples not only illustrate that a specific intervention is
viable, but they also provide instructional guidance for designers.
172
PIMS - The Product Intervention Model for Stigma
The examples portraying existing products were not conceived through

application of the described PIMS-interventions.
What is the impact of the interventions and how are they grouped?
The PIMS-interventions intend to have an impact on the context levels and

stakeholders that we distinguished earlier: products, users, bystanders
(groups) and culture. We grouped the two collective contexts (groups and
culture) into one strategic intervention domain, which influences cultural
factors. As such, The PIMS-interventions address three intervention domains,
and are grouped accordingly. In figure 5.1 we classify the interventions
according to their appropriate intervention domain and crystallize their
content into one visual and a header.
• Product: A first set of 13 interventions addresses the efforts that the

designer can direct towards reshaping the meaning of the product. The
product category is partitioned into 5 categories, with interventions focusing
on:
◦◦ User-product de-identification
◦◦ User-product identification
◦◦ Product use
◦◦ Product materialization & technology
◦◦ Product interaction
• User: A second set of 2 interventions groups all efforts towards empowe-
ring product-users, enabling them to cope with the effects of product-related
stigma.
• Culture: In a final set of 2 interventions, we situate efforts towards
reshaping the cultural or societal context in which products are launched and
perceived.
By addressing the collective context levels, the interventions suggested by

the PIMS strive beyond short-term relief and aim for design solutions that
deliver personal as well as social relevance. By involving stakeholders such as
policy makers, governmental agencies or companies, designers can initiate or
support social and cultural initiatives. Although these cultural interventions
will be dealt with, we primarily concentrate on the actions that can be taken
by designers. Their design interventions, and how they reduce a product’s
stigma-eliciting properties, remain our focus.
How can the designer apply the interventions?
The interventions are presented in a compact and consistent way, allowing

designers to compare, evaluate and combine them accordingly. The
interventions intend to be inspirational and instructional and are mainly
communicated through examples.
173
Chapter 5
A successful stigma-free product is often the result of several complementing

design interventions. Because the three intervention domains intertwine, a
successful set of interventions will often traverse more than one intervention
domain. We recommend designers to focus on each intervention domain.
Neglecting any of them will reduce the overall effect or lead to product
rejection. Conversely, a multiple focus will multiply the effect.
Certain combinations of interventions will produce strong outcomes, whereas

other combinations are impossible because they strive for opposite effects.
For example, concealing stigma-eliciting product features is opposed to the
strategy that endows products with a vibrant and individual look that matches
the user’s lifestyle. Matching the appropriate design interventions to a specific
stigma-relevant design challenge is a creative and generative effort.
By integrating and combining interventions from these three domains, the

designers will be able to physically assign new meaning to and reshape the
individual and collective image of a product.
Figure 5.1. Three
intervention
domains and 17
design interventions
countering product-
related stigma.
174
13 product interventions
De-identify
Camouflage or disguise Diversion of attention

stigma-sensitive product divert the bystander’s attention
features away from stigma-sensitive
product features
1 2
Strengthen the product’s Strengthen the product’s Strengthen the product’s Strengthen the product’s
individual identity in such a institutional identity group identity in such a way brand identity
Identify
way that users wish to associate Reinforce the link between that it enforces feelings of Avoid negative brand associations
themselves with that product, and products, their institutional belonging to a social group or and reinforce positive brand
value it as an extension of or context and roles people play in subculture. associations.
addition to their personality. those institutions.
3 4 5 6
Eliminate physically or Integrate additional Manage the frequency and Focus on the ultimate
Product use
mentally confronting benefits and experiences intensity of product use product goal
moments in product use Incorporate experiential benefits Adapt the product so users can By exclusively addressing this
Adapt the product’s functionality that pleasantly surprise the user limit the frequency or intensity of ultimate goal, the product could
or its usage rituals accordingly. beyond the strictly practical and product use and reduce social become obsolete in all other
functional product aspects. tension and exposure. situations.
7 8 9 10
Material & technology
Reshape product meaning Reshape product meaning Reflects on meaningful

Interaction
through advances in through advances in interaction with other

technology material technology products Strive for a semantic
Applying new technology can Applying new technology can cooperation between
make a product smaller, more make a product lighter, more complementary products / mimic
performing, cheaper to buy ecological, etc. the typology of a product that
and own, etc. 11 12 is accepted. 13
2 user interventions 2 culture interventions
Endow the product user Boost the user’s social Campaigns or inter- Increase positive social
with extra abilities skills ventions that educate or visibility / product
Instead of adding disabilities, try Make the user rise above the change public views endorsement
to increase the user’s abilities reactions of others by making him Also consider interventions in Increase the social ‘visibility’ of a
above those of ‘abled’ users. or her visually or verbally public space to promote product / product endorsement
Extra ability can also be suggested. more assertive. interaction or appropriate by influential political, sports
14 15 behavior 16 or media figures 17
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Chapter 5
5.1. Can the designer reshape the meaning of the product?
The designer is responsible for the semantic and user-experience qualities of

a product. To reduce the unfavorable effects of product-related stigma, the
PIMS suggests 13 design interventions aimed at reshaping the meaning of the
product. The interventions are assigned to 5 categories (figure 5.1).
FIgure 5.2 provides a quick and visual introduction to some of the inter-
ventions, and how they can complement each other. This table presents a
selection of 7 concept illustrations that were conceived by students Lola
Bladt and Jonathan De Clerq. All stigma-alleviating concepts are based on a
persona that wears an eye patch. We briefly describe each concept and link it Figure 5.2. Intro-
to the PIMS-interventions that were used and the PAMS challenges that were duction to the design
addressed. interventions.
Eye patches are used PAMS challenges related to the eye

to cover a lost or patch:
injured eye. The most Whatever its shape or color, the eye
stereotypical eye patches patch is a visually prominent feature
are skin-colored with that will attract the attention of
adhesive bandages. bystanders.
Product Concept Concept Description PIMS interventions/PAMS challenges

Concept A: The eye 1. Technological product
patch is integrated into a enhancements
fake reality-augmenting 2. User empowerment: the new look
headpiece. A firm fit is suggests a user with extra abilities.
achieved by integrating 3. Eliminating discomforting
a headphone. The social moments in product use: fitting
image of the wearer has the eye patch is like putting on a
moved from a one-eyed headphone.
“disabled” to a high-tech 4. Meaningful interaction with
early adopter. another product: the headphone.
Reference to the original product is
gone.
Concept B: This concept 1. Camouflaging stigmatizing product
attempts to restore features: the 3D-shaped patch
facial symmetry with a restores the facial looks.
molded patch, based 2. Increased user-product
on a digital scan of the identification by adding a custom fit
wearer’s face. From a and color.
distance, bystanders can 3. Boosting the user’s social-skills:
distinguish the product this patch makes the user stand out,
as an eye patch, up close wearing it gives evidence of strong
the patch will engender a self-esteem.
more harmonious facial
look.
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Concept C: This 1. User-product de-identification /

skin-colored patch is camouflage: skin-colored patch.
complemented with 2. User-product identification:
a fake monocle with the monocle delivers a dandy-like
a reflective lens. The identity for those that have the guts
monocle was an article of to wear it. By using camouflage
gentlemen's apparel until and identification, two seemingly
the nineteenth century opposite strategies are integrated
and was used to correct into one concept.
or enhance the vision in 3. Meaningful interaction with
only one eye. another product: a monocle.
Concept D: In this 1. Meaningful interaction with
concept, the eye patch another product: the functional and
is integrated in a sporty semantic qualities of a sweatband.
sweatband with a visible 2. Increasing user-product
brand association. identification by applying a respected
and favored brand identity.
3. Product use: social exposure with
the patch can be limited by turning
the wider part of the headband to
the back of the head.
Concept E: The child can 1. User-product identification: the

configure his personalized eye patches can be personalized to
eye patch: images can be match the wearer’s identity on the
uploaded and printed on Patch-iD website.
the eye patch; colors can
be combined as pleased.
Concept F: The patch 1. Meaningful interaction with other

is integrated in a product: functional and semantic
fashionable headpiece. qualities of the particular headpiece.
Sewn on the inside of 2. User-product identification:
a personalized hat, the through looks that reflects the user’s
patch can be employed identity or through brand identity.
when needed. 3. User-product de-identification:
the bystander’s attention is diverted
towards more appealing features.
4. Product use: social exposure is
limited. The patch can flip away.
Concept G: The patch is 1. Meaningful interaction with other

presented as an add-on product: integration of the functional
for glasses. Glasses have and semantic qualities of glasses.
cast off their stigma- 2. Product identification: through
eliciting image and are looks that reflects the user’s identity
now called eyewear. As or through brand identity.
such the eye patch can 3. Eliminating discomforting
become part of a persons’ moments in product use: putting
fashion statement. on glasses is a fast and unsuspicious
routine.
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Chapter 5
5.1.1. Can the designer make the user not identify with the product?
Users can identify with products. Product identification can be viewed as

the psychological orientation towards an object, with a resulting feeling of
close emotional association. When users de-identify with a product, they do
not wish to be identified with that particular product. There is an emotional
de-association between the user and the product.
We suggest two de-identification interventions that relate to ‘concealment

of’ or ‘turning attention away from’ stigmatizing features. These interventions
can be seen as reactive or flight interventions and involve defensive attempts
to artfully dodge, avoid or reduce the impact of product-related stigma,
without actively challenging it. By promoting a user escape, the design
solutions that result from these interventions often send out the signal that
impairment is something to hide (Pullin, 2009).
As suggested earlier, assistive devices are often rejected by their users for
other reasons than their technical function or a lack of skill or confidence in
using the product. Occupational therapist Clare Hocking (1999) argues that
abandonment also “relates to people’s perception of themselves as disabled,
and to broader issues of identity.” Product users often choose to de-identify
themselves with their assistive or medical device, specifically because they
are perceived as being sick or disabled.
Pullin (2009) also asserts that for the design of assistive or protective devices,
by tradition, priority is given to enablement (or protection), while attracting
as little attention as possible. Despite the apparent advantages of covering or
hiding stigma-sensitive product features, it can also promote social unease,
putting the user under the enduring stress of being ’revealed’. De-identification
interventions are the counterpart of the user-empowerment interventions
that are treated later in this chapter.
178
Intervention 1: Can the designer camouflage or disguise stigma-sensitive

product features?
Short description: The aim of this intervention is to camouflage or disguise the

entire product or its most prominent stigma-sensitive features. It challenges
designers to conceive products that make the user happy without feelings of
emotional attachment. The use of translucent or skin-colored materials to hide
the obtrusiveness of certain design features is exemplary of this intervention.
Taken to its extreme, this intervention should render a product invisible.
The camouflage intervention applies to all sensory levels. Discomforting

product odours, noises or tactile features are all elements that may require
camouflage. Therefore, prior to applying this intervention, the designer needs
to consider all sensory incongruities that might upset others or cultural norms
or values. A product can be camouflaged or disguised at all times or at specific
moments when the disguise is considered necessary.
Prostheses are often made from flesh colored material in an attempt to

camouflage them against the skin. Matching a product to a specific skin
tone is to be handled with great precision. When tones do not correspond,
bystanders might be confronted with a visual incongruence between what
they see and the mental and visual image they hold of a certain body part.
Apart from translucent or skin-colored solutions, other objects or accessories

can also hide stigmatizing features. One option is to fully cover the stigma-
eliciting product itself, the other option is to partly cover it and hide the most
prominent stigma-eliciting features. In figure 5.6 Ruben Hekkens attempts to
cover a bike helmet with different types of fashionable headwear.
Disguising or camouflaging interventions are not an option when:
• The user’s disability and/or the stigma-sensitive product cannot be

concealed adequately.
• The stigma-sensitive product has a signal function that safeguards the
user, e.g. a blind cane.
• The user feels confident and self-assured and does not want to hide his or
her stigma-eliciting product.
Overall, as designers, we do not endorse this intervention. Camouflaging or

hiding a product sends out signals of product-undesirability. By going great
lengths to hide an assistive, protective or medical device, a user increases his
vulnerability and reduces his assertiveness in social life. And, projecting this
strategy onto the dimensions of social identity, it possibly reduces the user’s
competence.
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Chapter 5
Examples of camouflage and disguise:
The evolution of the hearing aid illustrates the transition from visible, over
camouflaged (translucent and skin-coloured) to invisible (figure 5.3). This
evolution has been made possible through significant advances in technology
that we will treat later in this chapter.
A prosthetic hand that strongly resembles a real hand, can introduce additional
sensory incongruities (figure 5.4). When shaking hands, a bystander can
become confused and shocked by the ‘frigid’ sensation of a plastic prosthetic
hand. When applying the camouflage technique, it is important to consider
that the unconscious and unprepared bystanders expect a complete ‘human
image’ that lives up to their expectations, on all sensory levels. Product
camouflage is often applied in a static manner that does no stroke with a
dynamic ‘human image’. When bystanders perceive a realistic ‘fake’ limb, they
also expect it to behave as a natural limb, with all the accompanying nuances.
As such, slightly unnatural movements or the sustained immobility of an
artificial limb will not stroke with the bystander’s expectations and could elicit
discomfort. To avoid this emotional unease, users of prosthetic limbs often
avoid the use of their prosthetics or choose a device that clearly contrasts with
their body. Materials such as wood, metal, and features eliciting a technical,
athletic or functional look are often preferred over the ‘fake skin’ options.
The same can be said for translucent solutions. A facial mask that is
completely translucent can be visually awkward. From a distance, bystanders
can possibly interpret the ‘translucent blur’ or invisible object as an awkward
facial feature. As observed in our mask explorations it is often wiser to retain
the stereotypical semantic characteristics of a product. If, for example, a
transparent facemask is visually recognizable by solidly coloured edges, it
will be recognized as a facemask. Conversely, the translucent front of the
mask can become a social asset. As bystanders approach, they can detect the
mask wearer’s mouth and facial expression, elements that can vitalize human
communication (see figure 5.5).
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Figure 5.3. (Left)
The Zon-hearing
aid invisibly hides
behind the ear and
uses a translucent
miniature
headphone.
Figure 5.4. (Right)
Skin-coloured
products.
Figure 5.5. An early

prototype of our
fine dust mask. A
good example of the
use of translucency.
Figure 5.6. Rubens
Hekkens -
camouflaging
bike helmets with
headwear.
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Chapter 5
Intervention 2: Can the designer divert the bystander’s attention away

from stigma-sensitive product features?
Short description: This intervention suggests that the designer should aim
for a diversion of the bystander’s attention, away from the stigma-sensitive
features, towards more appealing or eye-catching features. The bystander’s
attention can also be lured away from the stigma-sensitive product as a whole,
towards a more accepted product within the visual scope of the bystander.
The diversion of attention can be realized in the product itself, by diverting

attention away from the awkward features towards its more appealing
features, or by diverting attention away from the stigma-sensitive product
as a whole, towards a more accepted product within the visual scope of the
bystander. For example, instead of focusing on the dust mask, a designer
can concentrate his efforts on the conception of a conspicuous scarf or hat
which accompanies it. The bystander’s attention can also be lured away by
integrating brightly colored features or accessories.
In a consideration of this intervention, it is vital to evaluate how the product

of interest relates to other objects on the body: clothing, accessories, etc. A
white dust mask attracts a lot of attention because it is placed outside of its
medical context, but also because its color contrasts with the user’s clothing.
When are de-identification interventions appropriate?
The previous two design interventions relate to user-product de-identification.

From the perspective of the product user, these interventions are especially
important on the levels of product perception and product value. The value of
a product may be low if a user does not wish to identify himself with a product
and opts for discretion, diversion or concealment.
The de-identification interventions are mainly useful to reduce the impact

of the initial product perception by others, on all sensory levels. By hiding
or drawing attention away from stigmatizing product features, product
users attempt to reduce social tension. Their ultimate goal is to sustain
the spontaneity of the social interaction, even while wearing an assistive,
protective or medical device. Without ignoring the importance of these
interventions, we would like to invite designers to challenge the more
traditional option of de-identification and explore ways for users to feel good
while interacting and exposing themselves with their product.
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Figure 5.7. The
‘Hearing Aid
Charms’ designed by
Hayleigh Scott
Example of diversion of attention
American teenager Hayleigh Scott came up with the idea of the ‘Hearing
Aid Charms’. When she was little she attended a school for hearing impaired
children, where she noticed that a lot of her classmates tried to hide their
hearing aids behind their hair. Hayleigh however wanted to make her hearing
aids shine, be fancy and be proud of them. She turned her designs into charms
that she hung from her over-the-ear hearing aids and wore them to school.
Soon her classmates and their parents were begging her to design hearing
aid charms for them. Hayleigh patented the idea and now runs her own little
business with her family. What is especially brave and striking about Hayleigh’s
designs is that she dared to decorate them with large and conspicuous jewelry.
Although she diverts the attention away from the hearing aids, the overall
design radiates pride and teenage fanciness.
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Chapter 5
5.1.2. Can the designer make the user identify with the product?
‘Identifying with a product’ entails that users wish to associate themselves

with a product, and possibly value it as an extension of or addition to their
personality. Certain human-product combinations are difficult to conceal,
due to the product’s visual impact or the users physical or medical condition.
Instead of opting for the previous de-identification interventions, where
the aim is to attract as little attention as possible, designers can also opt for
interventions that attract attention to the user and his product in a more
positive way.
Users of assistive devices are often expected to use a specific device,

selected by a medical team, and to be grateful for the improved function or
support they receive despite any stigma, embarrassment, or negative image
generated by the device. Because the product user does not always select
the product, competitive marketing is rarely an issue. Consequently, little or
no attention is paid to the aesthetics of most assistive or medical devices.
Product adaptation is primarily geared at the ergonomic and functional needs
of users and seldomly addresses their personal preferences. By neglecting
these preferences, users are often forced to use products that emphasize their
fragility or disability. This is a situation which has negative consequences for
their emotional well-being and social integration. By conceiving products that
complement the user’s preferences and lifestyle, the user may feel inclined to
identify with the product.
Product identification can be achieved through product personalization,

a technique commonly used in many areas of product design. Product
personalization has been defined as “a process that changes the functionality,
interface, information content, or distinctiveness of a system to increase its
personal relevance to an individual” (Blom, 2000). Product personalization
can enable users to obtain products that are unique and match or express
their identity. If properly integrated, these interventions may provide extrinsic
value or meaning and can imply feelings of pride, joy, status and a sense
of belonging, instead of shame and stigma. Products can also express and
enforce feelings of belonging to a social group, culture, gender, profession,
race or nationality.
Design interventions can therefore be directed towards redefining or

strengthening the identity of the product in one or more of these domains.
• Designers can strengthen the product’s individual identity.

• Designers can strengthen the product’s institutional identity.
• Designers can strengthen the product’s group identity.
• Designers can strengthen the product’s brand identity.
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A general example to illustrate the strategy
The polycarbonate pressure masks in figure 5.8 are used for the treatment of
hypertrophic facial scars which can be the result of a burn tragedy. Although
the pressure method for treating hypertrophic scars has been demonstrated
to be effective, the pressure must be applied constantly for as long as six to
12 months. During that period, the wearer is not only confronted with elastic
fabric pressure garments that are uncomfortable, he also faces psychological
challenges related to the extreme visual and social impact of the mask.
Figure 5.8. Pressure
Master student Gert van Laer (2012) suggested interventions to reduce the
mask concepts:on social impact of these masks. Although the original mask is made translucent,
the left we find the this does not suffice to reduce its visual impact and presence. Instead, Gert
original masks, on explored solutions to personalize the mask and make the visual experience
the right the design
improvements
less impacting for its surroundings. The upsetting latches and straps are
suggested by Gert replaced with more subtle and friendly looking ones. As the custom mask was
van Laer. produced each user had the option to choose his personal print.
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Chapter 5
Intervention 3: Can the designer strengthen the product’s individual

identity?
Short description: In this intervention the designer aims to reshape the

product in such a way that users wish to associate themselves with that
product, and possibly value it as an extension of or addition to their personality.
Most people are attracted to products that are somehow related to them
or how they envision themselves. In addition to the self-awareness and
individuality of a person, all objects that are semantically linked to that
individual become significant and have the potential to intertwine with the
personality or self. Communicating individuality or personality through design
involves the use of aesthetics to communicate both an emotion and personality
that the user finds attractive. By incorporating aesthetic individuality through
mass customization or personalization, users are enabled to incorporate their
own ‘creative mark’. This ‘creative mark’ can be achieved in many ways. (see
figures 5.10, 5.11, 5.12 and 5.13).
Creating or selecting a product that matches the user’s identity is primarily

beneficial for the user. An observing bystander might not notice or is not
necessarily pleased with another person’s individual choices. What does
touch and possibly influence bystanders is the perception of a pleased and
confident user. By personalizing a product’s appearance or by selecting
the matching product, the user puts time, effort into the product. In other
words, the user invests energy in a product. Scholars have argued that
product attachment is related to the effort invested in a product (Belk 1988,
Csikszentmihalyi et. al, 1981).
In her thesis project ‘Proaesthetics’, designer Francesca Lanzavecchia shows

concepts that neatly illustrate the levels on which a product may address and
appeal to the personal or situation-dependent identity of its user. Walking
canes are very common assistive devices and are used by many people.
Regardless of ability or injury we will all use them at a certain point in our
lives. Figure 5.9 shows three walking cane concepts by Lanzavecchia:
• Brittle: This aid manifests the symptoms that afflict sufferers of brittle
bone. A delicate-looking cane but at the same time strong enough to support
body weight.
• Exo-Hip: The beauty of a replacement hip joint is repurposed as a walking
aid. An iconic symbol of a man-made cure becomes a portrayal of the body
condition.
• Bone: A bone-shaped cane to make up for the one not functioning
properly. A symbolic expression in form, for its user to come to terms with,
and for the public-at-large to recognize the fortitude of human frailty.
186
Figure 5.9. Pro-
aesthetics canes &
crutches, Francesca
Lanzavecchia 2008
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Chapter 5
Examples on how to strengthen the product’s personal identity:
• By selecting a matching product from a wide array of product options

(figure 5.10).
• By means of a configurator, generating a product that is presumably
unique, although it is the result of a finite selection process (figure 5.11)
• By adding a personal touch in a DIY (do it yourself) way
◦◦ Example 1. A child with a classic white brace can express his or her
individual and social identity through personal messages (figure 5.12)
◦◦ Example 2. For the people at the Burning Man Festival in the desert
of Arizona, respiratory protection is a common necessity, turning the dust
mask into an extra accessory used to express one’s identity (figure 5.12)
• Through individual product customization.
Example: Bespoke (3D-Systems) - custom-made prosthetics resulting from a
detailed and individual briefing with clients.(figure 5.13 - images courtesy 3D
systems)
Figure 5.10.
Nutcase helmets.
Figure 5.11.
Left: Nike ID –
Right: Student
concept: prosthetics
configurator
Figure 5.12.
Left: White cast
brace – Right: Mask
at Burning Man,
Arizona
188
Figure 5.13. Bespoke:
custom-made
prosthetics
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Chapter 5
Intervention 4: Can the designer strengthen the product’s institutional

identity?
Short description: In this intervention the link between products, their

institutional context and the roles people play in that intitution is reinforced.
The designer should attempt to incorporate and emphasize positive
institutional traits into the product.
By incorporating and emphasizing positive institutional traits into a product,

an individual will identify more strongly with that product and the institute
or organization that uses it. This link can offer the product user social and
emotional support.
Hygienic masks in a hospital environment are part of the obliged uniform

when entering a patients’ room. They have a strong institutional identity and
connect the user with the appropriate status that is linked to this identity.
The facial masks, worn by nurses, doctors, and medical staff, are deliberately
associated with hygiene and serenity. Because of this institutional identity,
many medical products are colored in shades of white, grey, and light brown.
It links them to the sterile context of the institution.
In an army context, protective masks intentionally radiate aggressiveness,

imposing an image of dominance and threat on its surroundings (figure 5.14).
By integrating dark colors and visual elements derived from power tools,
masks of fire fighters or construction workers often radiate competence,
sending out the message of being equipped and qualified.
Figure 5.14. Military
masks.
190
Intervention 5: Can the designer strengthen the product’s group identity?

product in such a way that it enforces feelings of belonging to a social group
or subculture. Groups can provide the user with emotional support, social
validation for their perceptions, and a sense of belonging
A product user’s individual identity can be or become part of a group identity,

and enable a closer identification with that group (Allport, 1954). Products
can strengthen this sense of belonging to and identification with a group.
This process can be valuable for product users and their attempts to cope
with the social stress of product-related stigma. Groups can provide them
with emotional support, social validation for their perceptions, and a sense of
belonging. For example, customers in a piercing salon who read that prejudice
existed against body piercings, subsequently identified more strongly with
that group than did customers who read that prejudice against body piercings
had decreased (Jetten et al. 2001).
Exemplifying this intervention, we propose two examples. Figure 5.15 depicts

a student concept in which the undesirable wrist protection is visually
transformed into a ‘tattoo wrist protector’, matching the desired look and
attitude of the skater population.
The D.O.C. reversible safety vest for bikers, a group often characterized by
their strong communal ties and rules. The vest in figure 5.16 relieves bikers
from some of the image-damaging issues related to wearing an obliged
fluorescent safety vest. The product neatly integrates two seemingly opposed
Figure 5.15. Student goals, visibility in traffic and credibility in the bar. Once the biker takes off his
concept: Wrist
protection for
fluorescent vest, it can be turned inside out, transforming it into a leather
skaters that mimics vest. Both sides of the vest can be personalized with the necessary patches
the look of a tattoo. and group-identifying elements.
191
Chapter 5
Figure 5.16. The
D.O.C. reversible
safety vest, designed
to make the
‘toughest’ riders
more visible.
192
Intervention 6: Can the designer strengthen the product’s brand identity?
Short description: This design intervention focuses on the alleviation

of negative brand associations and the reinforcement of positive brand
associations. The designer should attempt to reinforce the positive emotions
and experiences that this brand evokes in the user.
Brands deliver their products and services in a consistent way, according

to set standards. Products reflect the identity of a company or brand and the
emotions and experiences that this brand evokes in the user. Regardless of
their stigma-eliciting properties, certain products are burdened with negative
associations due to their brand identity. Certain stigma-eliciting products carry
brands that strongly link them to medical or assistive products. Although most
of these products have a reputation for being well-engineered, their style is
often conservative and they elicit associations with physical vulnerability.
Other brands produce low-priced products that potentially link their users
to the image of a financially poor lifestyle. In both cases the designer is
left with three options. First, the designer can disconnect the product from
any negative brand affiliation. Second, public perception of the brand can
be altered, increasing its social or cultural status and/or value. And third,
the status of a product or brand can be enhanced by integrating positively
perceived brand values or features. By reinforcing the positive brand traits
that radiate onto its customers and by addressing the loyalty of these
customers, designers may reinforce user-product identity through brands.
An active introduction of or emphasis on positively perceived brand values
can be an efficient intervention, given that the brand in question knows and
understands its newly targeted user group, and that brand characteristics are
successfully transferred onto the product.
The full-faced dust masks by Studio Diddo are attractively designed artist
Figure 5.17. Masks statements (figure 5.17). The concepts share many qualities with other
designed by Studio
products that are developed in conjunction with high fashion brands such as
Diddo: Gucci,
Channel, and Gucci, Channel or Versace. The affiliation with such major brands can send out
Versace. positive signals related to product quality, and self-image.
193
Chapter 5
Figure 5.18. A series

of gas masks by
Freehand Profit, a
Los Angeles based
artist. All masks are
re-imagined and
transformed from a
pair of Nike shoes.
194
When are identification interventions appropriate?
The previous four interventions are all connected to the product’s identity
and strongly relate to the value aspects that are addressed in the PAMS
model. If a designer manages to alter the product’s meaning in such a way
that it expresses and possibly strengthens the user’s identity, their concepts
can engender:
• Pride – linked to the user’s individual identity

• Joy – linked to the user’s individual identity
• Status – linked to the user’s institutional identity
• A sense of belonging – linked to the user’s group or cultural identity
Adapting a product to match the user’s identity is a rewarding intervention,

but designers should be careful that their interventions do not engender
sensory discomfort on other levels. An aspect that is highly personal and
rewarding for its user may be disapproved by surrounding people. Personal
taste often conflicts with cultural taste or beauty ideals.
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Chapter 5
5.1.3. Can the designer reshape the meaning of products in use?
Owning or using a product is a dynamic process with sequences of both

pleasant and unpleasant experiences. Next to being ‘unwanted’, products can
also be irritating, cumbersome or impractical. And, when developing assistive
or medical devices, designers have to address certain special needs that the
target group might share, due to impairment or limited abilities.
Ability versus disability in assistive products and technology
In design there is a tendency to make a positive-negative distinction between

ability and disability. Pullin (2009) asserts that it is important to note that
contextual factors are important in this debate. Defining somebody as
disabled or able-bodied somehow implies that this is a constant: we are all
either always disabled or always able-bodied. Pullin rightfully states that
abilities change depending on the context. Environments themselves may
render us more or less capable, and the same holds for activities or states
of mind. In this view we can accept the idea that disabled and nondisabled
people may nonetheless have shared needs in particular circumstances,
despite their differing abilities. In our future argumentation and in order
to avoid stereotyping a population, we will not look at our product users
as a group that shares a particular disability. We will look at our users as a
population that is as diverse as the population of a particular culture as a
whole. Aspects related to adjustability and modularity will not be addressed
in great detail. However, the following interventions will invite the designer
to attend to functional challenges and balance them into a concept that is
not overburdened with features or visual complexity. A product that suits
everyone everywhere might sound tempting, but often results in solutions
that are intimidating and confusing for the user. In our research, we do not
wish to elaborate on specific clinical challenges related to product use, but
rather focus on the semantic and social aspects of product use.
Product use is dynamic and the relationship to the product changes over time
Products are in constant ‘motion’ and their meanings not only change over
time, but also in their modalities of use. By interacting with them, users
gradually learn more about their products. They may for example progressively
understand and appreciate them better. In the literature this is described as
the systematic change of experience or use over time.
As individuals use a product, their perception of the qualities of the product

will change. Over time people get used to a product, which eventually
changes their perception of its usability. At the same time this process may
result in users that are less excited about their product than they initially
were. Even more interestingly, in different phases of use they will evidently
attach different appreciations to different qualities. In their first interactions
with a product they may focus on its usability and stimulation.
196
After they have used it for some time, they might become less concerned about
its usability, and other aspects of the product such as novel functionality or
communication of a desired identity towards others become more important
(Karapanos, 2010).
In addition, as people age, they have a clear preference for products that
require little thought, are easy to maintain, and which accommodate to them,
not vice versa.
Let’s exemplify this with the case of a dust mask that needs to be worn in
public as a protection against pollution. Initially the dust masks are ‘hated’,
they are unwanted and users often find them uncomfortable. After some
time they become more tolerated, because users can experience the positive
effects on their health. Ultimately the dust mask may becomes a part of
everyday life, wearing it can become a routine and the user’s sensitivity for
remarks and discriminating behavior of bystanders diminishes or disappears.
In the next paragraphs we list four ways in which designers can enhance
product acceptance through altering product use.
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Intervention 7: Can the designer eliminate physically or mentally

confronting moments in product use?
Short description: In this intervention the designer adapts the product’s

functionality or its usage rituals in such a way that physically or mentally
confronting moments in product use can be avoided.
The acceptability of an assistive, protective or medical device depends not just

on its functionality or usability but also on how using it makes an individual
feel. On a sensory level, the product may be discomforting or even repellant
to operate. These discomforting moments can be linked to certain phases
in use or specific locations were the sensory discomfort is more present. As
designers address these instances they should consider the effects of their
interventions on others. Bystanders may be offended or threatened when a
user performs certain use-rituals. Additionally those rituals may conflict with
cultural values or standards. By reshaping usage rituals or by copying usage
rituals from other more tolerated products, designers can generate a big
impact on the social wellbeing of the product user.
Figure 5.19. The
Certain stigma-eliciting products, such as protective or medical devices, will Echo Novo pen is
also be used in stressful or dangerous situations. It is important to realize that used to administer
insulin in a
these instances command more cognitive, emotional and physical resources. discrete manner.
Because the user’s capacity to process information will be reduced, stressful By integrating
circumstances require more usable products (Norman, 2004). An added the mainstream
benefit of a product that is easy to use may be that it results in a product that characteristics of
a pen this product
is made suitable for a larger audience. Simple products are often the most takes a great leap
cognitively and culturally inclusive. Sometimes it is better to deny the user from the traditional
a feature that could have been useful, in favor of a better overall experience insulin needle.
(Pullin, 2009).
The example of the insulin pen is suitable to explain

the impact of certain usage-rituals (figure 5.19).
Injecting insulin with a medical needle used to
be an impacting experience for the user and the
observing bystanders. The exposed flesh and the
threatening look of the needle can be avoided by
using insulin pens. Styled like colorful pens, their
appearance is nowhere near as threatening as that
of a medical needle. By allowing injections into
most body parts and if necessary through clothes
they eliminate nearly all the physically and mentally
confronting moments in product use.
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Intervention 8: Can the designer integrate additional benefits and

experiences in product use?
Short description: In this intervention the designer aims to integrate

additional functional benefits into the product concept. Apart from strictly
practical or functional aspects designers could also incorporate experiential
benefits that pleasantly surprise the user as he operates the product.
Considering weight, compactness and adjustability are all aspects that will
benefit the product user. Additionally these aspects could also benefit others.
A compact wheelchair will be valued in a crowded area and a light prosthetic
leg will enable its user to walk for longer periods of time.
When the practical issues of a product concept are addressed, designers

should strive beyond the fulfillment of these basic needs and goals. Designers
may consider the following additional benefits:
• Product handling could be difficult in certain unusual situation, were

additional specifications such as being water or dust-proof are vital.
• Products may be extremely cumbersome when they are not in use, using
too much of our precious storage space for example.
• Products could serve different functions at different times, or several
functions at the same time. Integrated lighting will endow a bike helmet with
an extra and useful function.
• Plain and boring product manipulations can be replaced with challenging
and experiential sequences that delight the user and those around him.
By endowing products with additional benefits that extend beyond their

functional scope, designers can ‘create’ product experiences that take the
user away from its physical dependency of the product.
In figure 5.20 designers have presented three ways to solve the cumbersome
usability aspect of a bike helmet that is not in use: use it as a lock, as a shopping
bag, or just fold it in half and put it in your bag. The folding solution manages
to reduce the helmet’s volume, making it more practical to store away. The
two first concepts however managed to transform the function of the helmet,
adding unexpected and rewarding benefits for its users.
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Figure 5.20. From left to right: , The Head-lock designed by Lim Seokjoong, Kim Younghye, Kwon Zion, and Na Hyesook
/ Bohème bike helmet from the Helmet Design Competion from Intramuros magazine (France) / The Overade foldable
helmet by Philippe Arrouart and Patrick Jouffret, of agency 360.
In figure 5.21 designers Lanzavecchia and Wai present their interpretation

of an indoor walking cane. The ‘Tea-Time Cane’ can be perceived as a cane
with furniture properties or furniture with body-supporting capabilities. The
boundaries are blurred in this tripod cane that supports the little daily break
in life, returning independence and the pleasure of small rituals to its user.
Figure 5.21. Tea
Time by
Lanzavecchia and
Wai.
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Intervention 9: Can the designer manage the frequency and intensity of

product use?
Short description: In this intervention the designer aims to adapt the product
in such a way that users can limit the frequency or intensity of product use in
order to reduce social tension and exposure.
Another important aspect connected to product use is the frequency or

intensity of use. By limiting the frequency or intensity of use, social exposure
with the product may be reduced. This reduced social exposure could provide
temporary mental alleviation or physical freedom. Certain products do not
require a continuous use. A bike courier will only use a dust mask when the air
is polluted, thus avoiding reactions in periods when the mask is not required.
Optimizing the frequency or intensity of use may be a matter of providing the
proper instructions or information to users. In a more technical solution, the
product itself may be capable to process and analyze information and reduce
its visibility.
The Airwaves Connected mask (figure 5.22) is a design concept developed by

Mingmin Wang and Azure Yang (Frog Design). The mask uses a particle sensor
to measure air quality and shares the data via Bluetooth. A smartphone
app collects, visualizes and shares the data with the community. Users can
benefit from this publicly shared pollution data and adjust their product use
accordingly.
Apart from its impact on the frequency of use, this product solution has the
potential to introduce a powerful ‘competence’ aspect. If extra warning lights
were added to alert for pollution, users would be able to visually share their
pollution data with others.
Figure 5.22. The
Airwaves Connected
mask (Frog Design)
uses a particle
sensor to measure
air quality and
share the data via
Bluetooth, allowing
the user to wear
the mask only when
necessary.
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Intervention 10: Can the designer limit PRS by focusing on the ultimate
product goals?
Short description: In this intervention the designer places an extreme focus

on the actual or ultimate product goal. By exclusively addressing this ultimate
goal, the product could become obsolete in all other situations.
This intervention can be interpreted as an extreme variation on the

intervention that addresses the frequency or intensity of product use. We
do mention it as a separate strategy because we believe that it can result
in strong design outcomes. Many protective or assistive devices serve one
specific goal at one specific moment. Protective devices such as helmets will
only serve their ultimate goal on impact and can only serve their use once.
The airbag in a car is another example of a product that cleverly mixes its
invisible looks with a great efficiency upon impact.
In an extreme scenario a designer could envision that dust masks are only
required when polluted air is inhaled. As such the design concept should
primarily solve this challenge, thus eliminating all other functional or social
consequences. The main quest of this intervention is simple: do not make
the product larger or more functional than is really necessary. The dust mask
should only be visible when air is inhaled, the helmet only upon impact. This
extreme focus on the product’s ultimate goal can reduce expenses and social
tension at the same time.
Every cyclist recognizes wisdom in wearing a helmet to prevent severe head

injuries. In an attempt to provide protection while avoiding the self-esteem
issues connected to wearing a helmet, two Swedish scientists (Haupt & Alstin)
came up with the ‘Hövding’ helmet (Figure 5.23). This airbag collar, aimed at
cyclists, is worn around the neck as a scarf and inflates to enclose the rider's
head in the event of an accident. It is only then, upon impact, that the true Figure 5.23. The
motive or goal for wearing a bike helmet is revealed. ‘Hövding’ Helmet.
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5.1.4. Can the designer reshape product meaning through advances

in material and technology?
Design is a continuous circular process of further developing products.

New technologies or advances in material technology strongly influence
this progression and offer many opportunities to designers. Applying
new technology and materials can send a product trough an important
Figure 5.24. Top: transformation and positively or negatively influence its acceptance in many
The $25 Prosthetic
ways. From one life cycle to the next, evolutions in technology and materials
by Dana Badeen
Bottom: The C-leg can make a product substantially smaller and/or lighter, more performing,
by Otto Bock more ecological, cheaper to buy and own, etc.
An example of a product that virtually disappeared due to

technological advances is the hearing aid. It evolved from
being a visible, often skin colored, product into a discrete
and nearly invisible in-ear device. The same holds for
the invention of eye lenses and laser eye surgery, which
allowed many people to give up their glasses.
In the field of prosthetics we see a lot of experimenting

with the relationship between technology, material and
body. Materials such as carbon fiber have allowed artificial
limbs to be stronger and lighter, limiting the energy
needed to operate them. Material technology cannot only
make prosthetics lighter and stronger; it can also make
them cheaper and more widely accessible to users. Dana
Badeen came up with a $25 prosthetic arm (figure 5.24),
making prosthetics affordable. Cut from of a sheet of high
impact resistant polycarbonate and flat packed, it can be
efficiently shipped to the location where it is needed.
On a technological level, prosthetics has seen the

evolution from basic primeval devices into technology-
laden products. The integration of electronics has become
common practice in the production of artificial limbs. In
1964, we saw the development of the first myoelectric
prosthesis. This prosthesis uses the potentials from
voluntarily contracted muscles in a person's residual limb,
which are detected on the surface of the skin, to control
the movements of the prosthesis. Robotic prostheses
even go further and integrate biosensors, which detect
signals from the user’s nervous or muscular systems. The
most recent evolutions capture signals from the brain
and translate these into motion in the artificial limb.
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A more radical direction in this field explores the possibilities of providing

‘extra ability’, i.e. augmenting the body’s abilities through technology. Special
limbs are developed to aid in the participation of sports and recreational
activities, for example. Currently, there is much debate within the scientific
community about using advanced prostheses to replace healthy body parts
with artificial devices and systems to improve function. Later on in this
chapter we will discuss this ‘extra ability’ as an intervention to increase user
empowerment, by endowing the user with abilities that exceed those of the
average human being.
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Intervention 11: Can the designer reshape product meaning through

advances in technology?

meaning of the product by applying new technology. Applying new technology
can make a product smaller, more performing, cheaper to buy and own, etc.
Figure 5.25. Top: The ‘Supersonic Stick’ (figure 5.25 – top), is a wrist-worn accessory that
‘Supersonic Stick’ proclaims to escort the blind, while eliminating the blind cane and its social
(by Minhye Kim) /
Bottom: the ‘Eye
stigma. The ‘Supersonic Stick’ sends out ultrasonic pulses, and with the spatial
Stick’ (by Wonjune information it receives in return, it communicates oncoming obstacles to the
Song) wearer in the form of resonant or vibrating messages. Although the use of
ultrasonic technology may seem to be a promising design
direction in this respect, this particular concept introduces
some important flaws. With regard to its appearance, the
almost invisible ‘Supersonic Stick’ differs drastically from
the highly contrasting and uniformly recognized white
cane. The white cane has important semantic qualities,
sending out vital information about the vulnerability of
its user. Passers-by and other traffic users will assist or
adjust their behaviour in the presence of a blind person
and his cane, which they will not do in the presence of
someone using the ‘Supersonic Stick’. The ‘Eye Stick’
(figure 5.2. – bottom) integrates technology in a better
and more subtle way. Situational information is captured
with a lens at the end of the ‘Eye Stick’ and sent to its
user through haptic feedback. Although both products
aim for the same goal, the ‘Eye Stick’ still embodies the
semantic qualities of a classic white cane.
Figure 5.26. PURE-
breathe breathing
filter. (Available at:
An example of a recent evolution in mask design that
www.purebreathe.
com - Accessed on marks a transition through changes in technology is the
august 13, 2013) PUREBreathe mask (figure 5.26). This mask is often used
by athletes and is designed specifically keeping exercise
in mind. When exercising heavily, most breathing is done
through the mouth (nose clip provided with the mask).
As such, this personal air-filter can be held in the mouth
like a snorkel, eliminating the hot and sweaty feel of a
classic facemask. Additionally, by using electrostatic
filtering material that provides low resistance to the
airflow, breathing comfort is greatly improved.
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Intervention 12: Can the designer reshape product meaning through

advances in material technology?

meaning of the product by applying new materials or material technology.
Implementing new materials can make a product lighter, stronger, more
ecological, cheaper and more widely accessible to users.
The two concepts below illustrate that cardboard can be a surprisingly

versatile manufacturing material in the hands of designers. Although most
cyclists may not feel protected by something as fragile as cardboard, both of
these helmets prove to be efficient in absorbing impact during a collision. The
paper pulp helmet (figure 5.27) sets a beautiful example of recyclability and
the Kranium helmet (figure 5.28) proves that cardboard can be lighter but at
the same time also stronger than the standard materials that are now used
for bike helmets.
The paper pulp helmet is a low Figure 5.27. The

cost, recyclable bicycle helmet ‘paper pulp helmet'
by T. Gottelier, B.
for use in conjunction with the Petersen, and E.
London Bicycle Hire Scheme. The Thomas.
helmet is manufactured from waste
newspapers that circulate the
London transport network. They
are intended for short periods of
use and are water-resistant for up
to 6 hours. The helmet and strap
are fully recyclable and can be
re-pulped into a new helmet without
any degradation of the material.
Kranium is a bicycle helmet

constructed from cardboard and
designed by Anirudha Surabhi. The
helmet is made from a honeycomb
cardboard structure. Instead of Figure 5.28. Bike
remaining rigid, the helmet is helmet Kranium by
Anirudha Surabhi
designed to allow a degree of flexing
in order to absorb the impact. As
such, and while remaining 15%
lighter, the helmet can withstand a
force up to three times higher than
the force which a typical bicycle
helmet made from expended
polystyrene (EPS) is designed to
withstand.
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Intervention 13: Can the designer reshape product meaning through the
product’s meaningful interaction with other products?

meaning of the product by reflecting on its possible interaction with other
products. The designers can generate a product that mimics the typology of a
product that is accepted or even celebrated.
The interventions we discussed so far are all connected through meaning and
human involvement. This intervention addresses how products relate to each
other in a meaningful way. There are several ways to look at how products
interact.
A first aspect is product quantity, or the number of products in relation to

the number of existing reference products. Large numbers of a particular
product circulating in public can have a positive influence on the product’s
acceptance. By introducing an improved dust mask that is accepted and worn
by a large section of the population, it becomes more ‘visible’ and will slowly
find its accepted position among the collective representations of a culture.
The term ‘mainstream product’ is often used for products that have found
their way to the masses. Their adoption by the public can be related to quality,
popularity or because they possess mainstream looks or characteristics. The
application of such characteristics can be achieved on both a functional and
semantic level.
A second way to achieve a meaningful interaction between products

is to promote a semantic cooperation. Krippendorff (2006:193) states
that interactions between products can be cooperative, competitive or
independent. When two or more products interact in a cooperative manner,
positive traits from both can be united to improve the acceptance of a new
concept. Products can also mimic the archetypical shape of an object that is
accepted or even celebrated. Products that copy or complement each other’s
typology can produce strong design outcomes.
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Products that copy each other’s typology can exemplify parallels between
products. Several years ago, when Bluetooth headsets were hyped, we
noticed that hearing aids (B in figure 5.31) imitated the look and feel of these
headsets (A in figure 5.31). A more recent evolution involves the integration of
the hearing aid into eyeglasses (C in figure 5.31). This transition was enabled
by miniaturized technology and reinforced by its cooperation with accepted
and fashionable eyewear. The meaningful interactions with complementary
products that are used often or worn at all times are not our only inspiration.
Also products with occasional use can be inspirational and can provide the
basis for a meaningful interaction with a stigma-eliciting product. Although
the depicted hearing aid crayon is only an artist’s impression, it could be
inspirational as a concept direction (D in figure 5.31).
A dust mask that is integrated in a scarf or sweater is yet another example of

how products can complement each other (figure 5.29).
The concepts in figure 5.32 illustrate three cases in which a stigma-eliciting

product is coupled with the typology of another product that is either present
in the usage situation or might be complementary to the product in the actual
Figure 5.29. Student
interaction. concept: a dust
mask integrated in a
sweater.
208
Figure 5.30.
Hearing aids and
their parallels –
Hearing aid coupled
with glasses /
Bluetooth headset /
crayon hearing aid
Figure 5.31. ski
helmets that refer
to existing and
more fashionable
headpieces (Ribcap).
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Chapter 5
Present situation Improved design concepts Description

The integration
of a dust mask
in a ‘bike helmet
mask’. The
helmet on the
right contains an
air filter.
Student
concepts by O.
Thysbaert (left)
and K. Soete
(right).
Student concept
(T. Janssens - J.
Van Hulle): A
combination of
nose protection
and glasses.
Student concept
(M. Sayevitch
M. - S. Van
Brusselen):
Mobile oxygen
dispenser –
through tubes in
glasses.
concepts that apply
the intervention of
reshaped product
meaning through
meaningful
interaction with
other products.
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5.2. Can the designer empower the user against stigma?
A second option for a designer to cope with product-related stigma is by

empowering the user. In this intervention, which refers back to the personal
characteristics in Major’s model, the designer can develop ammunition for
users to cope with stigma. ‘Empowering products’ should deliver intrinsic
value and meaning and make a product user feel stronger or more capable.
Empowerment has to boost the user’s self-esteem and general feelings of
self-worth, self-regard, or self-acceptance, which are the aspects Rosenfield
(1997) mentions as being central to our psychological well-being, as they
color the affective tone of our daily experience.
When properly integrated, the outcomes of the empowerment intervention

can actively involve the user in the anti-stigma intervention and can convert him
or her from a passive victim into an active challenger of stigma. Empowerment
has the potential of boosting user involvement and increasing user abilities to
exceed the abilities of those who do not own or use the product. Whereas
the intervention that aims to integrate user-product identification in the final
product not necessarily enhances empowerment, empowerment will always
strengthen user-product identification.
A strong focus on the user and his desires remains key in incorporating
these ingredients into a specific product proposal. In addition to the user-
experience ingredients, this intervention should inspire the user to exceed
his ‘limitations’ and engage in meaningful and stigma-challenging activities.
Next to being an integral part of a product, extra ability can also be suggested.
Suggestion is often powerful enough to elevate the expectations of the user
and the bystanders. Features that deliver or express physical performance,
speed, assertiveness, and sexiness suggest the opposite of vulnerability and
stigma.
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Chapter 5
Curious about the potential of this intervention, we organized a one-week

workshop (February 2012) in which we challenged students to design a dust
mask for kids that realized some degree of empowerment for them. Figure
5.33 shows three results in reaction to which children openly expressed their
acceptance and joyfulness. Figure 5.33. Three
student concepts
Concept 1 is a Spy Mask that is aimed at that resulted from
adventurous boys and empowers them the empowerment
workshop.
with spy qualities such as a digital spy
camera with visor. The batteries and
electrostatic air filter are incorporated in
a rugged backpack that leaves plenty of
room for personal belongings.
Concept 2: The electrostatic filter of

concept 2 is situated in a ‘cool’ and
customizable ‘shoulder-friend’ that
accompanies the child wherever it goes.
Concept 3 has a pressure sensor that

accompanies the dust mask. This sensor
can be worn around the arms or legs
and changes the mask’s colour when it is
touched. This simple device enables kids
to play and develop a virtually endless
number of games. As in the previous
concept, concept 3 uses transparent
material to make the dust mask more
acceptable and friendly looking. By
allowing the mouth to be visible, kids can
detect their friends’ facial expressions.
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Intervention 14: Can the designer endow the product user with extra
abilities?
Short description: In this intervention the designer aims to develop a product

that will endow the product user with extra abilities. Extra ability can also be
suggested.
Instead of adding disabilities, an assistive device or prostheses can also

increase the user’s abilities above those of ‘abled’ users. An example of this
intervention can be found in the high-tech prostheses that turn disability into
super-ability. By associating Olympic sport performances and model looks
with a disabled person, some of the preconceived conceptions of disability
are shattered. Images of fragility and dependence are replaced with speed
and grace, generating an improved social image for this specific user and for
people with disabilities in general.
The American award-winning athlete Aimee Mullins, who had both of her
legs amputated below the knee as an infant, provides us with an inspirational
example. To quote her own words: “A prosthetic limb does not represent the
need to replace loss any more. It can stand as a symbol that the wearer has
the power to create whatever it is that they want to create in that space.
So people that society once considered to be disabled, can now become
the architects of their own identities and indeed continue to change those
identities by designing their bodies from a place of empowerment.” As
such Mullins has introduced interesting perspectives on how to conceive of
prosthetic limbs and how to combine elements of function, sports, art, and
fashion. Aimee has sixteen pairs of legs, some of which are functional, for
sprinting, cycling, or swimming. Other legs are made in different lengths, to
accommodate high heels. For special occasions she has the option to choose
legs that are wearable sculptures, hand-carved out of wood, or made from
porcelain or glass. The extra abilities are obvious: the Cheetah Flex legs will
Figure 5.34. Aimee
Mullins and a few make her run faster than most abled athletes, a set of extra long legs will
of her remarkable make her shine as a model, and her hand-carved wooden legs will make her
prosthetic legs. the center of attention wherever she appears (see figure 5.34).
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Chapter 5
Another remarkable example of an extra ability is found in a common product Figure 5.35. The
for children (figure 5.35). Training wheels have been a necessary commodity ‘Gyrowheel’ or
‘Gyroscopic Training
for many children and their parents. The ‘Gyrowheel’ or ‘Gyroscopic Training Wheel’.
Wheel’ replaces a bike’s standard front wheel and features a battery powered
spinning disc inside that creates a “gyroscopic precession” force. This force
stabilizes the bike and prevents it from wobbling or falling over. Not only does
this product make the lives of parents easier, it provides a more rewarding
training process for children and, according to the company, it empowers
them with better riding techniques.
A concept in which the extra Figure 5.36. Student

ability is merely suggested Concept (Heesters
- Sinnaeve): a boy
is illustrated by the student
with walking stick
concept in figure 5.36. The gets a stick from
boy on the left depends on his Stark Industries.
crutches for most of his daily
routine. The crutches from
‘Stark Industries’ (referring to
the ‘Iron Man’ movies) endow
him with virtual powers that
will be recognized and valued
by his friends.
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Intervention 15: Can the designer boost the user’s social skills?

meaning of the product so that it delivers a boost to the user’s social skills.
This intervention can make the user rise above the reactions of others by
making him or her visually or verbally more assertive.
An alternative way of challenging stigma is to compensate, or strive even

harder to overcome obstacles (Allport, 1954, Miller & Myers, 1998). If a user
believes that a stigma may have a negative impact on an interaction, he can
compensate by bolstering his social skills. By being visually or verbally more
assertive, users can compensate and anticipate negative remarks. By rising
above the reactions of others, the user not only protects, but also enhances
his self-esteem.
Stigma-reduction interventions in this category often involve protest and

advocacy. By using ambiguity, humor, or even irony, a user can undermine
the reactions of others. A benefit of social activism over individualistic
interventions such as concealment and avoidance/withdrawal is that any
improved treatment by others will spill over across a variety of situations and
improve the lives of other similarly stigmatized persons (Major et al. 2000).
Figure 5.37. By
adding a print or
Proactive interventions such as social activism involve confronting the stigma
slogan to a mask or by challenging its validity.
brace these users
may feel socially The braces in figure 5.37 depict the actual instances that caused the
empowered and
more capable of
temporary condition. Instead of having to explain the story over and over,
responding to these amusing braces provide enough background information to amuse
reactions. bystanders and avoid social discomfort.
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5.3. Can the designer reshape the social and cultural context?
This group of interventions is not primarily focused on a manipulation of

the stigma-eliciting product. As a response to product-related stigma, these
interventions aim to produce fundamental changes in cultural attitudes
and beliefs or change the power relations that underlie the ability to act on
them. These interventions will not engender change overnight, but they may
be valuable in preceding or supporting the design effort. To change public
views and to have a lasting impact, more coordinated and structural anti-
stigma interventions, including legal and policy initiatives, are needed. In his
attempts, the designer should try to achieve impact through the manipulation
of collectively grouped stakeholders. By influencing collective stakeholders,
such as government, political parties, consumer groups, trade unions, activist
groups, and media groups, designers can activate the leverage necessary to
change social and cultural attitudes and beliefs.
To change the public view on certain user-product combinations, the designer

needs to focus on two types of discriminatory reactions. Reactions shaped by
associative processes (instant and unconscious) typically develop over time as
one is exposed to media and other culture-related forms of communication.
For example, television and movies often portray people with dust masks in
disaster situations which are linked to outbreaks of contagious diseases. This
portrayal can condition the general public to be irrationally fearful of people
who use dust masks to protect them from smog. To prevent the formation
of these stigmatizing images and associations, design efforts can be geared
at preventing the formation of the stigmatizing images in the first place or
geared at overcoming the damage that is already done.
The anti-interventions should also address the rule-based processes that

shape the conscious and overt behavior of the stigmatizing bystanders. Social
psychology suggests three main stigma strategies (Corrigan and Penn, 1999)
that can easily be assigned to their design counterparts:
• Protest: Protest can involve public rallies and campaigns that push
the message that discrimination against a certain user-groups will not be
tolerated. For example, by making issues visible and tangible, critical design
can provoke public debate.
• Education: Education can dispel myths and replace them with facts.
De-stigmatization through education can be powerful. If applied throughout
childhood, as individuals develop, it can make lasting impressions.
• Interpersonal contact: Contact with members of a stigmatized group can
help to overcome stigma. By exposing people to users of a stigma-eliciting
product, feelings of empathy can produce positive changes in attitudes.
Getting in contact with a stigmatized user will both increase knowledge (a
rule-based process) about the user and create empathic or emotional bonds
(an associative process).
216
This chapter will address the above-mentioned interventions from a

designer’s perspective.
Critical design
There is an increasing recognition that controversy can be employed to

challenge and change attitudes. Just as art can challenge our preconceptions
and open up our awareness towards broader social issues. In industry, design
is increasingly valued not as much for solving problems, but also for making
issues visible and tangible, thereby facilitating discussion and decision-
making. Critical design is one of those emerging approaches which provoke
public debate about the social and ethical implications of new products and
technologies, rather than attempt to provide solutions (Pullin, 2009:115).
'Critical design' is all about using design to explore issues and ask questions,
rather than to directly provide solutions to problems. In doing so it can
promote new ways of thinking about the design of assistive, protective or
medical devices that have come to provoke traditional responses. Critical
design often relies on creating uncomfortableness or employing dark humor
and might be viewed as wasteful in a world that still needs so many solutions.
However, as a potential tool to influence societal and cultural values, critical
design can supply a healthy challenge to current interests and tacit values in
mainstream business. The combination of provocative and sensitive elements
into campaigns or social design interventions can also exert a positive influence
on social attitudes towards protective, assistive or medical products.
Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby (2006) are pioneers in critical design, which
they define as “design that asks carefully crafted questions and makes us
think,” as opposed to “design that solves problems or finds answers.”
As with critical design, most of the design interventions suggested below

have to be viewed as activities that are complementary to the reshaping of
product meaning. They can increase public awareness and influence product
stereotypes or acceptance by informing or challenging public views.
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Intervention 16: Can the designer reshape the product’s cultural meaning
through campaigns or interventions that educate or change public views?
Short description: By considering the public view or debate surrounding a

product, this intervention challenges the designer to reshape the product’s
cultural meaning through campaigns or interventions that educate or change
public views. Designers can also consider design interventions in public space
to promote interaction or promote appropriate behaviour.
One way to integrate ‘undesirable’ products in public life is by campaigns or

interventions that educate or change public views. By considering the public
view or debate surrounding a product, the designer can influence a valuable
source of information. A common way of educating or changing public views
is by campaigning. Campaigns can range from educational or promotional
campaigns to organized efforts that intend to influence the decision making
process in specific groups. Campaigns can be dispersed through flyers,
posters, word of mouth, and mass media such as magazines, newspapers, TV,
social media and the internet.
Educational campaigns
Educational campaigns can be effective because the impact can be

realized as the individual develops. The values that are delivered through
education can have a lasting impact on the individual’s future beliefs and
attitudes. Examples of educational campaigns have been known to address
childhood obesity, exposure to the sun, appropriate traffic behavior and
other topics. Obesity in children is a prominent and controversial topic
that concerns many western countries. Obesity is viewed as a stigmatizing
condition that is changeable and controllable and subconsciously interpreted
as a person’s choice. Even children fall prey to this negative way of thinking.
In a study by DeJong (1980), children who are shown drawings of other
children with different “handicaps”, are reported to like the drawings of
obese children a lot less than drawings of children with facial disfigurements,
children in wheelchairs, or children with other types of handicaps. However,
when subjects were told that the overweight kids suffered from weight
issues because of a health problem, the photos of overweight kids were liked
much more. Once children find out that many of the assumptions they have
about obese children are not true, they display altered behavior. Educational
campaigns, often accompanied by brochures, toys or games, can increase this
awareness in a playful manner.
Guerrilla campaigns
Guerrilla marketing or campaigns, referring to the atypical tactics used in

guerrilla warfare, can also be considered. By using low-cost and unconventional
means (graffiti, stickering, flash mobs, through social media, etc.) these
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Figure 5.38. Guerilla
campaign: “Don’t
drink and drive this
festive season”,
Paraquad SA 2008,
Australia.
interventions can generate thought-provoking content at unforeseen

moments and in unexpected places. They are typically aimed at specific and
smaller groups. In some cases the risks have to be assessed and considered
worthwhile as some of these campaigns may irritate local authorities. By
generating a buzz or spreading like a virus, these campaigns can effectively
promote products or ideas.
These campaigns are often on the borderline of public acceptance and are
generally not tolerated if they serve commercial purposes. In figure 5.38 we
see an interactive campaign against drunk driving which urges young people
not to drink and drive by making their pub seats look like wheelchairs. The
message is even repeated in the restrooms.
Interventions in public space to promote interaction or promote appropriate

behavior
This intervention can involve the adaptation of existing products or the

strategic integration of new products to promote social interaction or
Figure 5.39. The
appropriate social behavior. The ‘Vivanti senior bench’ motivates seniors to
‘Vivanti senior discretely ‘park’ their walker in the middle of the bench, allowing them to
bench’ by Velopa. participate in social life in an effortless and spontaneous way (figure 5.39)
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Chapter 5
Concept (L. Dewulf -
J. Syen): One of the
team.
Next to public furniture or other public facilities, design efforts can also be
directed at clothing or other visible bodily accessories. In the student concept
‘One of the team’, the entire sports team expresses its solidarity with one
player who has a prosthetic leg (figure 5.40).
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Intervention 17: Can the designer change the product’s cultural meaning
by increasing its positive social visibility or through product endorsement?
Short description: This intervention challenges the designer to reshape the

product’s cultural meaning by increasing its social visibility in a positive way or
through product endorsement by influential political, sports or media figures.
Increasing social visibility
A clear example of a product that gradually changed meaning because of

increased social visibility and through word of mouth is the dental brace for
children. The American Association of Orthodontists reported that seven out
of ten mothers say that wearing braces actually made their children feel ‘cool’.
Braces today are considered ‘cool’ for a number of reasons. Since braces are
more affordable, more kids have them. Contrary to becoming a member of
a minority, most children nowadays expect to have to wear braces one day.
Thus, even the ‘cool’ kids are going to have them at some point. Additionally,
braces are seen as a sign of maturity. When influential figures started wearing
them, the word spread and the product was talked about in a different way.
The walker or the walking frame is an assistive device for disabled or elderly
people who need additional support to maintain balance or stability while
walking. By organizing events such as ‘Walker Races’ or ‘Walker Pimping
Contests’ the social stress surrounding the product is releived, both for the
user and the audience at the events (figure 5.41).
Figure 5.41. Positive
social visibility
for the walker
through the German
initiative called
“Pimp My Rolli”.
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Endorsement by influential figures
Next to the sheer ‘visibility’ of a product in the streets or in the media, product
use or endorsement by influential political, sports or media figures also has a
great impact on its acceptance.
The German Worishofer sandals (figure 5.42) were primarily worn by

European women as medical sandals and shunned by European trendsetters.
Suddenly they hipped in the US among the under 40 and sartorially inclined.
It all started with a mention in an influential shopping magazine that called
them “chic” and “ridiculously comfortable”. After the mention, mainstream
media outlets began covering the shoe. Soon they were spotted on the feet
of celebrity icons.
Figure 5.42. The
German Worishofer
sandal worn by
celebrity icons.
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5.4. Conclusions
After the PAMS had revealed the most prominent stigma-sensitive design
challenges, this chapter guided us to 17 interventions in three domains to
alleviate the effects of product-related stigma. In applying these interventions,
designers attempt to strive beyond short-term relief and aim for design
solutions that deliver personal as well as social relevance.
The interventions were formed by the integration of findings from literature,

experiments, and empirical findings. The ‘what’ and ‘how’ questions related to
the usefulness of the interventions and their application were simultaneously
answered through carefully selected examples. The comprehension and
operationalization of the interventions were improved during designer
workshops in Antwerp and Delft.
The de-stigmatizing design interventions address the three areas: the context
of the product itself, the context of the individual user experiencing the stigma,
and the context of the observing bystanders, together with the cultural context
in which the product is launched. The primary objective of the interventions is
to be inspirational. To reduce product-related stigma, designers can consider
combinations of these interventions. A properly designed stigma-free product
can be the result of several and often overlapping interventions. We conclude
this chapter by analyzing the relevance and prospects of the suggested design
interventions.
Reshaping the ‘meaning’ of the product
A first set of 13 interventions suggests that designer could reshape the

meaning of the product and remove it from negative associations. Most of the
existing design interventions can be classified in this domain. By considering
physical interventions on the product, the designer may engender new
product meaning through user-product de-identification or identification,
in product use, through advances in material and technology and through
meaningful interaction with other products.
Camouflaging or concealing stigmatizing product features is a first intervention,

aimed at reshaping product meaning through user-product de-identification.
Many stigma-eliciting products still feature elements that characterize this
intervention. A light brown color, intended to mimic skin color, is still used for
many of today’s assistive and medical devices. Although often implemented,
we do not endorse this intervention. The felt need to camouflage or hide a
product can be interpreted as an escape from reality and will be associated
with undesirability.
The diversion of attention towards more appealing products is a variation that

may impose a similar moral dilemma. If a product is properly designed, it is
unnecessary to divert attention away from it. The intervention could be more
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Chapter 5
useful to solve attention issues within the product itself. Due to technical or
functional restrictions it is often impossible to make a product appealing from
every angle. Designers should have the capability to divert the bystander’s
attention towards the positive product features and away from less appealing
ones. Regardless of the appropriateness of the intervention it will be useful to
evaluate which product features deserve more visual attention than others.
In conclusion, de-identification interventions may increase the user’s mental

vulnerability and oppose a forceful social presence. We believe that it is more
appropriate to invest in interventions that promote social confidence and
optimism and increase the user’s competence in the presence of others.
A second set of interventions aims to reshape the meaning of the product in

such a way that the user feels comfortable and even excited while interacting
with the product. With the suggested identification interventions, the
designer can match a product proposal with individual, group, institutional
or brand identities, which can reinforce product attachment. Redefining or
strengthening the appropriate product identity can replace social stigma with
feelings of pride, joy, status and a sense of belonging.
To increase the personal relevance of a product for its user, designers can tailor
stigma-eliciting products to the user’s preferences and lifestyle. This process
extends beyond ‘cosmetic’ or visual product mending and should integrate
changes in functionality, interface, user-experience and distinctiveness that
increase user attachment. Techniques that are commonly used include:
product personalization, mass customization, and individual customization.
We found many product examples that reinforce individual, group and

brand identities. Examples range from protective devices that are styled and
branded to suit skaters and snowboarders to the embodiments of bicycle
helmets by brands like Lacoste, Paul Smith, and Gucci. Individual, brand and
group identities are often combined and reinforced within one and the same
product.
An identity that was not often observed was the institutional identity.
Although noticeably present in the design of protective devices for military
and construction applications, we did not find strong institutional semantics
in the field of medical design. Even if their discrete colors link many medical
products, they often do not send out comforting or pleasurable signals.
Masks and accessories of military staff and construction workers do display
competence and authority.
However effective, caution is required. The previous four identification

interventions may aim for ‘extrinsic’ identification by adding ego-enhancing
features that do not necessarily make users stronger. If a user is dependent
on these features for his well-being, he can become more vulnerable in their
absence.
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After the interventions related to user-product de-identification and

identification, a third set of interventions suggests that the designer could
reshape the meaning of products in use. Every product delivers both pleasant
and unpleasant moments in its usage cycle. The resulting meaning and
experience for its user will alter according to these dynamics. Protective,
assistive or medical devices are often obligatory and many users depend
on them for basic safety, health or well-being. The acceptability of these
devices does not solely depend on their functionality, but strongly relies on
how using them makes the user feel. To alleviate the stress related to obliged
or undesired use, it is critical for designers to eliminate the physically and
mentally confronting moments in product use.
To encourage product use and make it a more enjoyable experience, designers

can choose to provide their concepts with additional benefits. Apart from
being obliged and socially undesired, the bicycle helmet is often bulky
and cumbersome when it is not in use. Designers came up with additional
functions that transformed bicycle helmets into bicycle locks and shopping
bags.
Another important aspect to consider when assessing product use is the

frequency or intensity of use. It is often possible to reduce the social tension
engendered by a stigma-eliciting product, by reducing the user’s public
exposure with the product. A dust mask only needs to be worn when necessary,
while all other instances have the potential to create unnecessary tension. In
its most extreme application, this strategy advocates that products are only
needed in the instance that they need to provide protection or assistance.
By focusing on the ultimate goal of a bicycle helmet, scientists came up with

a bicycle helmet that inflates milliseconds prior to impact. The other ninety-
nine percent of its life the bicycle helmet is camouflaged in a scarf, creating
little or no social impact. This strategy also captured a lot of interest during
the designer workshops. Although the technical execution is sometimes
challenging, many designers came up with rewarding ideas that eliminated
cumbersome issues or even made the product obsolete for long stretches
of time. Imagine dust masks that only appear when breathing in, or wrist
protectors that pop out prior to impact.
A fourth set of interventions suggests that the designer could reshape the
meaning of products by considering the application of new materials and/
or technology. Evolutions in technology and material technology can send
products through drastic progressions. Technology rendered hearing aids
invisible and new materials can generate lighter, stronger, more ecological,
and cheaper design solutions. This intervention may benefit from an analysis
of existing as well as future technologies. Trends like miniaturization, nano-
technology, robotics, additive manufacturing, and memory and other
implants are going to have a profound effect on the future of protective,
assistive and medical devices. Technology and material evolution will facilitate
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Chapter 5
the exploration of design solutions that augment the body’s abilities, allowing
users to exchange disability with extra ability.
The final intervention in the product context relates to the positive design
outcomes of product combinations that interact in a meaningful way. For
example, the sheer number of products visible in public life will influence
product acceptance. An increase in numbers can result in increased
acceptance.
A more relevant interaction between products is found in the semantic

merging between two or more product typologies. During the workshops,
many students and designers embraced this intervention and felt inspired by
it. Semantic features of products that are often used in parallel for longer or
shorter periods of time can deliver complementing elements that substantially
improve product acceptance. For example, the less accepted product can
borrow elements from or mimic the entire typology of a more celebrated
product. We presented a hearing aid incorporated in glasses, a snowboard
helmet with the looks of a bonnet, and hearing aids that mimicked the looks
of a Bluetooth headset. We emphasize that the meaningful interaction
between products can extend beyond the product’s appearance. Products
can also mimic usage rituals or other functional traits.
Empowering the product user
In a second domain we proposed two interventions that may stretch the

concept of acceptability towards user empowerment. The interventions
propose that the designer could search for means to empower the user and
emancipate him from a passive victim to an active challenger.
The extra ability intervention suggests that the designer could alter the
product so it delivers an actual increase of ability over abled people. By
integrating elements of speed, agility, sexiness and assertiveness, users will
feel stronger and more capable. If not physically integrated in the product,
the suggestion of extra ability may suffice to elevate the expectations of the
user and his surroundings. Stigma-free design through the integration of extra
ability can be an effective intervention, as it truly breaks down the negative
associations between the stigmatized user and the assistive, protective or
medical device they require.
A second empowerment intervention proposes that the designer could

integrate elements that can boost the user’s social skills. By being visually
or verbally more assertive, the user can compensate, strive harder, and
overcome his product-related stigma challenges. By applying an visible slogan
on a dust mask, the user may protect and boost his self-esteem, rising above
the negative reactions of others. Stigma-reduction interventions in this
category often involve protest and advocacy, using ambiguity, humor or even
irony to undermine the reactions of others.
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A benefit of this strategy is that any improved treatment can spill over across
a variety of situations and improve the lives of other similarly stigmatized
people.
Striving for user-empowerment to contain the effects of product-related

stigma gives evidence of higher product integrity and has the potential to
intrinsically reinforce the user’s capacities.
Reshaping the product’s cultural meaning
In a final domain, we situate two interventions that may support the designer
to reshape the cultural context in which products are launched and perceived.
Both interventions are not primarily focused on the product, but group all
efforts that produce fundamental changes in cultural attitudes and beliefs.
Campaigns, structural interventions in public space, and product endorsement

can be valuable in preceding or supporting the design effort. In addition, by
influencing collective stakeholders, such as the government, political parties,
consumer groups, trade unions, activist groups, and media groups, designers
can activate the leverage which is necessary in order to change social and
cultural attitudes and beliefs towards product-related stigma issues.
The insights and strategies employed in critical design can prove to be valuable
by provoking public debate. Combining provocative and sensitive design
elements into campaigns or social design interventions can exert a positive
influence on social attitudes towards protective assistive or medical products.
Educating and changing public views can also be accomplished through

educational or promotional campaigns, dispersed by mass media such as
magazines, newspapers, TV, social media and the internet. These interventions
present a world on its own and we limited ourselves to some well-executed
examples displaying guerrilla campaigns and structural interventions in public
space. Humorous events such as ‘walker races’ or ‘walker pimping’ can be
effective in releasing the social stress surrounding the use of assistive walking
frames.
Next to the sheer ‘visibility’ of a product in the streets or in the media, we

suggested that the endorsement of products by influential political, sports or
media figures can enhance product acceptance.
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Chapter 5
Figure 5.43. The 17
PIMS interventions
Camouflage or disguise Diversion of attention

stigma-sensitive product divert the bystander’s attention
features away from stigma-sensitive
product features
1 2
Strengthen the product’s Strengthen the product’s Strengthen the product’s

individual identity in such a institutional identity group identity in such a way
way that users wish to associate Reinforce the link between that it enforces feelings of
themselves with that product, and products, their institutional belonging to a social group or
value it as an extension of or context and roles people play in subculture.
addition to their personality. those institutions.
3 4 5
Strengthen the product’s Eliminate physically or Integrate additional

brand identity mentally confronting benefits and experiences
Avoid negative brand associations moments in product use Incorporate experiential benefits
and reinforce positive brand Adapt the product’s functionality that pleasantly surprise the user
associations. or its usage rituals accordingly. beyond the strictly practical and
functional product aspects.
6 7 8
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Manage the frequency and Focus on the ultimate Reshape product meaning
intensity of product use product goal through advances in
Adapt the product so users can By exclusively addressing this technology
limit the frequency or intensity of ultimate goal, the product could Applying new technology can
product use and reduce social become obsolete in all other make a product smaller, more
tension and exposure. situations. performing, cheaper to buy
9 10 and own, etc. 11
Reshape product meaning Reflects on meaningful Endow the product user

through advances in interaction with other with extra abilities
material technology products Strive for a semantic Instead of adding disabilities, try
Applying new technology can cooperation between to increase the user’s abilities
make a product lighter, more complementary products / mimic above those of ‘abled’ users.
ecological, etc. the typology of a product that Extra ability can also be suggested.
12 is accepted. 13 14
Boost the user’s social Campaigns or inter- Increase positive social

skills ventions that educate or visibility / product
Make the user rise above the change public views endorsement
reactions of others by making him Also consider interventions in Increase the social ‘visibility’ of a
or her visually or verbally public space to promote product / product endorsement
more assertive. interaction or appropriate by influential political, sports
15 behavior 16 or media figures 17
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CHAPTER 6 Discussion &
conclusion
Chapter 6
Reflecting back on the research, we feel confident to state that we have

explored the topic of product-related stigma from many angles. We have
delineated its roots in social psychology and transferred and applied this
knowledge on validated models from the field of human-centered design
and design and emotion. Our theoretical insights were complemented with
empirical research explorations and experiments, aimed at tools that can
benefit designers in their quest to design products that are alleviated from
stigma associations.
The methods that were used throughout the research strongly reflect my
personal way of exploring. As a designer I enjoyed the constant mix of theory,
explorations and the confrontation with design education and practice. In
an area in which theory is vast and prevailing, a ‘classic’ research approach
may be desirable. However, in our study of product-related stigma, an area
which has few theoretical handles, it was up to us to find a way to deal with
the phenomenon. In entering this new area, we have learned from our
experiences and from the intense encounters and challenges that product-
related stigma posed to designers, as well as from our observations and
reflections on the process.
To alleviate the effects of the product-related stigma process, our research

had three fundamental aspirations or goals: to understand, to measure,
and to manage product-related stigma (PRS). To achieve these goals, our
research was driven by three methods that continuously complemented and
influenced each other: the literature review, experimental explorations and
empirical research. In retrospect, this turned out to be one of the strengths
of our research.
6.1. Understanding PRS

Literature review
The literature review provided a strong basis for our research. As in any other
discipline, product design is embedded in theory and fueled by the expanding
insights and knowledge of design practice. In my research I tried to combine
both. The literature review became the red thread that ran through our
experimental explorations and the various design workshops. The insights
gathered from the literature continually influenced the conception of our
experiments and provided the foundation for our designer tools.
Product Appraisal Model for Stigma (PAMS)
Instead of reinventing yet another framework, we decided to position our

Product Appraisal Model for Stigma as a partner of complementing and
validated models from social psychology and design research. Our stigma-
related insights from social psychology were fitted into the identity threat
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Discussion and Conclusion
model of Major (2005) and applied to the appraisal model of Desmet and
Hekkert (2007). The identity threat model inspired us to add two additional
stakeholders. To extend beyond the sensitivities and pitfalls encountered by
product users, the PAMS adds the concerns of bystanders and the culture in
which the product is used. The Product Appraisal Model for Stigma (PAMS) is
a tangible questionnaire in the shape of a tetrahedron that is related to three
matrices and 27 questions. We believe that this set of questions addresses
the most vital stigma-sensitive issues that designers should consider prior to
their design effort. As such the PAMS is a counterpart of many models in the
world of design and emotion that aim for ‘pleasurable design’.
We positioned this first designer tool in two specific moments in the design
process. The tool can support efforts in the fuzzy front end or analyzing
phase, aimed at writing the project brief or receiving encompassing
product specifications. The PAMS can also be used to validate the impact of
de-stigmatizing design efforts after the product is launched. We trust that
the PAMS will provide a solid basis for designers to explore the phenomena
of PRS.
We do hope that the insights engendered by our model may in return inspire
social psychologists. Many of the theories that apply to human relationships
also apply to human-product relationships. The impact of products on human
behavior is an area of common interest that is in full expansion. Insights in
these processes will benefit the individual product user and broader cultural
challenges.
The PAMS has already proven its relevance in my lectures on Product

Semantics at the faculty of Design Sciences at the University of Antwerp.
Students value the model and will continue to assist its further development.
At first, it could prove difficult to apply the tool, but practice and experience
will increase its speed of use and accuracy. We would like to monitor and
evaluate this process to further improve the tool.
Reflections on the literature review
The literature review has been a continuous effort, but it was marked by two
important moments. At the start of our research, we gathered our principal
insights on the phenomenon of stigma from social psychology. After the first
experimental explorations we increased the intensity of our literature review
and explored design models that could reinforce our designer tools. As such
our literature review resulted in a rewarding collaboration between both
fields.
One of the contributions of this work is that it has brought the field of social
psychology to the attention of designers. Although the topic of product-
related stigma hasn’t been addressed in-depth in design research, we found
many parallels between the fields of design research and social psychology.
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Chapter 6
6.2. Measuring PRS
In our second research challenge we explored several techniques to measure

and quantify how ‘burdened’ products and design concepts are with product-
related stigma. Prior to our exploration in behavioral research we considered
the use of questionnaires, self-report and physiological measurement
techniques. We adapted behavioral research techniques because they
permitted us to approach and observe the real phenomenon.
We focused our explorations on the public and unprepared encounter with

users of stigma-eliciting products. We attempted to quantify the PRS-potential
of these products by studying the behavioral reactions of bystanders. By
averaging the behavioral reactions of a large sample of random bystanders
or passers-by, we attempted to obtain an objective measure. While assessing
the behavioral reactions of bystanders, we focused on two specific moments
in the interaction: the initial confrontation with its reflex reactions and the
more deliberate and thoughtful reactions that follow.
We initiated our explorations with a study of the avoidance-related reflex

reactions to dust masks. The experiment was set in a lab environment and it
captured our subjects’ reflex reactions to pictures of people with and without
dust masks, presented on a screen. Although the reflex reaction measure did
present potential for future exploration, the experiment did not provide the
necessary insightful results.
During the four experimental explorations that followed, we shifted our

focus away from the lab and towards real-life encounters between mask
users and bystanders. We gradually expanded our insights and systematically
progressed towards a limited and relevant set of parameters. The parameter
of interpersonal distance proved to be a promising measure to quantify the
avoidant behavior of bystanders around users of stigma-eliciting products.
We primarily focused on the walking paths of passers-by and observed and
measured their behavioral deviations. This resulted in focusing on one specific
moment in this unprepared encounter, the moment in which the passer-by
passes our product user. By measuring this distance (the shortest distance
between user and passer-by) for a large sample of passers-by varying in age,
gender and ethnicity, we were able to introduce a degree of objectivity. The
final two experiments represent the current state of the art. The ‘Dyadic
Distance Experiment’ measures exact distances, whereas the ‘Stain Dilemma
Experiment’ presents the passer-by with a choice in his walking path. Both
experimental techniques are straightforward and have proven fruitful for
assessing the reactions that are engendered by PRS processes.
We do not claim that our experiments are validated techniques. Further

analysis is needed to improve their robustness and reliability. We consider
our final two techniques to be predominantly suited as comparison tools,
able to compare products or prototypes on their PRS-eliciting potential.
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To designers who want to explore the stigma-eliciting potential of their

concepts, we suggest they take the following steps:
• Take a walk around and get public exposure with the product: The
second exploration in Chapter 3 (The Immersive Mask Experience)
introduced the concept of the ‘social experience prototype’. By
experiencing exposure in public with a visually resembling prototype,
designers can experience a powerful confrontation with the phenomenon
of product-related stigma. It can make them aware of the stigma-relevant
challenges ahead and endow them with an empathic awareness of the
future product users’ concerns.
• Measure and rank the product proposals: If required, the final two
techniques in Chapter 3 will enable designers to rank their design
proposals according to their PRS-eliciting potential.
◦◦ The Stain Dilemma: This straightforward technique is time-efficient

and requires a limited experimental setup. We would recommend this
exploration to gather initial quantitative data that should suffice to enable
designers to analyze initial design iterations.
◦◦ The Dyadic Distance experiment: If the ranking turns out to be
ambiguous, a more thorough exploration may be required. The Dyadic
Distance experiment will deliver more rigorous data. The data resulting
from this technique generally correspond with the data from the Stain
Dilemma experiment, but it does deliver a more precise representation.
• Adapt the product proposals and repeat steps 1 and/or 2.
Reflections on the experimental techniques
The experimental track proved to be the area in which we could thoroughly

investigate the phenomenon. In all of our explorations, we mainly focused
on the relevance and appropriateness of the experimental techniques for
designers. The actual results of the experiments are of less importance than
are the techniques that will allow designers to observe and understand the
phenomenon of PRS in a structured and objective way.
We also want to emphasize that our experimental explorations were focused

on one specific product type (dust masks) and on one specific manifestation
of product-related stigma, the behavioral reactions of bystanders. The dust
mask was a valuable stimulus and we maintained this stimulus throughout
the various explorations. A remarkable find that re-emerged in every
experimental technique was the fact that white medical masks engendered
the most attention and the most avoidant behavior in bystanders. This is an
outcome which our designerly assumptions had not predicted.
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Chapter 6
6.3. Managing PRS
Our second designer tool, the Product Intervention Model (PIMS) for Stigma
targets the conception phase of the design process. This tool comprises a set
of 17 stigma-alleviating design interventions that have grown and matured
as our research progressed. The de-stigmatizing design interventions address
three areas: the context of the product itself, the context of the individual
user experiencing the stigma, and the context of the observing bystanders,
together with the cultural context in which the product is launched. It is likely
that designers will value these interventions as the most hands-on aspect of
the research. We believe that they will prove their effectiveness in design
practice and more specifically in the fields of Inclusive (Universal) Design,
Human-Centered Design, and Design and Emotion.
The various interventions are presented in a compact and consistent style,

facilitating overview and comparison. Additionally, they intend to inspire
designers and suggest a general design direction. In Chapter 5 we chose to
exemplify the various interventions with product examples that will stick to
the visual mind of designers. We opted for examples that appeal to a large
audience and reveal the many angles from which the phenomenon of PRS
can be addressed. Apart from illustrating that an intervention is viable, these
examples may also provide instructional guidance for designers.
In reality, designers will often apply combinations of interventions to produce

strong design outcomes. Applying the appropriate intervention is a creative
and generative process that requires both expertise and practice. We trust
that, in the hands of a trained designer, these interventions will alleviate the
effects of PRS and increase both user-product attachment and collective well-
being.
Reflections on the empirical research and designer workshops
During the course of my research I organized several design projects and

designer workshops that subjected our insights, techniques and models to
the designer viewpoint. The ‘Pleasurable Mask Experience’, a design exercise
that ran in the first semester of 2009, proved to be a valuable confrontation
with the phenomenon. The project resulted in 60 student concepts of dust
masks that provided a wealth of information and insights. The integration
of empathy enhancing activities and co-creation sessions proved that direct
contact with the target group and their social surroundings is an essential
part of the learning process.
During my theoretical lectures on product semantics (3rd Bachelor year

Product design – Univ. of Antwerp – Design Sciences), I presented and
challenged the preliminary designer frameworks that resulted in the PAMS
and the PIMS. As a deliverable of this theoretical course, students were
challenged to apply our conceptual PRS theories on a specific product group.
236
They had to detect PRS pitfalls and produce a series of stigma-free quick
designs. Although these were rough ideas, they did give us the confidence
that the tool was insightful for design students.
In January 2013 we organized two workshops on more refined versions of

our tools, in which students and design professionals participated. These
workshops taught us to change the way in which the tool was presented.
In the development of the PAMS we shifted from plain questionnaires to
a cardboard tetrahedron model that allows for a tangible and teamwork-
oriented interaction. Each side of the tetrahedron model provides the designer
with a set of nine specific questions that are linked to product perception,
products in use and reflecting on product use. This results in 27 questions to
which the answers are gathered in three matrices. These matrices allow for
an overview that increases the likelihood of detecting stigma-relevant pitfalls
or conflicts between the various stakeholders.
During the workshops, the PIMS interventions progressed into a set of

intervention cards. We noticed how designers match these cards with the
design challenges that arose through the application of the PAMS. They also
browsed through them for inspiration or to challenge existing ideas. During
all of these empirical research confrontations, we observed, analyzed and
reflected on the behavior of students as well as designers. These insights
provided challenges as well as possibilities and inspired our research
237
Chapter 6
6.4. Recommendations for further research
Our research has explored, structured and demarcated the phenomenon

of product-related stigma. By opting for this broad exploration, we allowed
open endings and ample opportunity for further explorations. To indicate
the broadness of the topic we introduced the term ‘product stigmaticity’
to encompass the investigation of stigma elicited by products. We see this
dissertation as an introduction into an exciting area that merits further
research.
Understanding product-related stigma attribution:
• Product-related stigma attribution: In this study I looked primarily at

the visual impact of products in use. It may be worthwhile to explore
whether other sensory modalities play a role in the PRS process.
Measuring product-related stigma:
• During our experimental explorations, we focused on the reactions

engendered by existing dust masks as well as early prototypes. In future
iterations, we would like to explore the relevance of our experimental
techniques for other stigma-eliciting products. Apart from measuring
the stigma related to protective, medical and assistive devices, the
techniques probably have a wide range of additional applications, e.g.
in fashion, for wearable technology, and for law enforcement products.
Even the Google glasses can be considered to be assistive devices that
will have a substantial impact on the social landscape. Although people
do not depend on them and therefore are not forced or obliged to use
them, they do deliver important assistive qualities. As such it is our aim
to broaden the scope of our experimental techniques and adjust them
appropriately.
• Reactions to product-related stigma: So far, we have concentrated

our focus on the behavioral reactions of bystanders, specifically on the
parameter of interpersonal distance. It may be valuable to consider
studing other behavioral or emotional reactions.
• Rich data: Further research could focus on innovating ways to capture

and analyze the rich information that is present in the human-product
encounters that we investigated.
• Empathy through social experience prototyping: Our explorations

in the immersive techniques that enable designers to feel the actual
social consequences of their design iterations were real eye-openers.
We consider this to be a promising technique that deserves further
exploration.
238
• Making the experimental techniques more intuitive and efficient for

designers. The techniques could be presented as do-it-yourself packages
that allow for fast and easy exploration. The techniques may benefit
from a simple software tool or app that performs the necessary analysis
and statistical calculations in the background and presents the designer
with visual indications on how well his or her prototypes scored.
Managing product-related stigma:
• Product-related stigma appraisal: We foresaw two useful applications

for the PAMS in the design process, during the analysis phase and as
a verification or validation tool at the end of the design process. We
wonder whether the model needs adaptation towards these two distinct
application purposes.
• Outcomes of product-related stigma: Our research focused on the PRS

process from the stigma-relevant input variables up to the appraisal of
users, bystanders and the cultural context. It was our attempt to halt
the PRS process at the appraisal phase, to eliminate negative reactions
and unfavorable long-term outcomes. It may be interesting to study the
long-term outcomes of the PRS process. For which product groups do
the outcomes justify additional research efforts?
• The evolution of product-related stigma over time: How does the PRS
process for a specific product change over time? It would be interesting
to study products that have gone through significant cultural appraisal
phases during their evolution. The factors that influence these changes
may prove to be inspirational for additional design interventions, or
could reinforce existing interventions in the PIMS.
239
Chapter 6
6.5. Personal reflections on the research
In January 2008, I started my PhD research as a product designer with little

experience in design research. Naively unaware of the impact a PhD may
have, I entered the research with a clear product-oriented goal. I eagerly
accepted the challenge to develop a dust mask that would protect asthmatic
children from the negative effects of smog and fine dust.
During the first four years of my research I attempted to address the

technical challenges in a complementary research track that encompassed
studies and projects in cooperation with both students and industry. Prior
to the PhD research, I executed a preliminary and multidisciplinary analysis
that inventoried the requirements of the future respiratory protection. In
2009 we found a suitable technological partner who had a mutual interest
in the development of the filtering mask. Together with Genano Benelux,
a specialist in domestic and industrial fine dust filtering techniques, we
pursued an IWT (Flemish Agency for Innovation by Science and Technology)
feasibility study. The technical and economical feasibility of the product
proposal was assessed and two preliminary concepts were presented for
further development. During the IWT feasibility study we briefly explored the
technical miniaturization of the Genano filtering technique. At the end of the
study we complemented the technical information with the semantic insights
of our PhD research. Although the study revealed the appropriateness and
feasibility of the project, the absence of further financial support has forced
us to halt our quest, for now.
As the project progressed I felt how my own interest gradually shifted away
from the product-oriented goal towards more generally applicable insights
and methods. I increasingly became aware of the human and social pitfalls
of the project. What would happen if children reject our skillfully engineered
solution because it makes them feel silly? Together with the actual birth of
my second son in 2010, I experienced the re-birth of my PhD topic. I was
captivated by unraveling the dualities between social acceptance versus
rejection and pleasure versus stigma. From then on, our project aimed to
benefit designers who want to make ‘unwanted’ products more accepted
and pleasurable.
240
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Summary
Samenvatting
Summary / Samenvatting
Summary
Imagine that you are walking through the local shopping mall wearing a dust
mask. Apart from your own discomfort, you might also experience social
unease in the people around you. As they approach, you might observe their
anxiety, laughs, or frowns. As they pass, you might feel how they keep their
distance from you.
Many of the products intended to relieve us from discomforting or unsafe

conditions and many medical and assistive devices are experienced as
unpleasant and uncomfortable. In addition, use of these products often
results in negative, judgmental reactions from bystanders. This dissertation
focuses on those instances in which a product is the causal factor of social
rejection or stigma. We label this process “product-related stigma”. Product-
related stigma has negative effects on the product user, ranging from stress
to lowered self-esteem and social isolation. This is interesting for designers
because they are in a position to shape the product appearance and
experience in such a way that these reactions and effects may be reduced or
avoided altogether.
In the project on which this thesis reports, we hoped to provide insight in

and a better understanding of the factors that shape the experiences of users
and those who surround them. Furthermore, we have developed a set of
tools that support designers to relieve users of the social stress related to
using these products. These tools strive to go beyond the physical adaptation
between user and product to inspire products that support the user’s
personal and social well-being.
To alleviate the effects of the product-related stigma process, our research

has three fundamental aspirations or goals: to understand, to measure, and
to manage product-related stigma (PRS).
254
Understanding product-related stigma
In order to come to understand PRS, we have explored its causes and the
various stakeholders that are involved in the human-product interactions
with stigma-eliciting products. During the literature review we collected
theoretical insights regarding the factors that are responsible for eliciting
positive and negative experiences in people’s encounters with products.
Because product-related stigma occurs in social contexts involving a stigma-

eliciting product, its user and those who surround him or her, we reviewed
literature in design research as well as social psychology. Both fields have
contributed vital insights into what influences stigma, as well as factors and
models for our stigma-free design approach. As it is our aim to contribute
to the design literature on products and stigma, we initiated our search in
design literature, more specifically in Inclusive Design, Product Semantics
and Human Centered Design. In the second part of the literature review we
explained why we chose the term ‘stigma’ and how we have delineated it in
our research. Everybody has experienced some degree of stigmatization at
some point in their lives, be it a feeling of isolation, alienation, exclusion, or
embarrassment resulting from being different in some way. Just like people
may be rejected because of traits they may or may not have control over, a
product can also be the causal factor of rejection or stigma.
We found that the effects and impact of product-related stigma experiences

are the result of the aesthetic and functional aspects of the product itself, the
individual experiencing the stigma, the observing bystanders and the cultural
context in which the situation is set.
In answer to our first research question (understanding

PRS), we introduce the Product AppraisalModel for Stigma
(PAMS). Applied to a certain product, the PAMS will
manifest the stigma-specific sensitivities, conflicts, and
challenges that designers need to take into account during
their design effort. Instead of reinventing yet another
framework, we have decided to position our model as a
partner of complementing and validated models from social
psychology and design research. Our stigma-related insights
from social psychology are fitted into the identity threat
model of Major (2005) and applied to the appraisal model
of Desmet and Hekkert (2007). The identity threat model
inspired us to add two additional stakeholders. To extend
beyond the sensitivities and pitfalls encountered by product
users, the PAMS adds the concerns of bystanders and the
culture in which the product is used.
255
As such, the PAMS can be interpreted as the ‘unveiler’ of product-related

stigma, preparing the designer for the next step, in which PRS can be
measured and stigma-reducing design interventions seek to ‘heal’ the
product of its stigmatizing content.
The Product Appraisal Model for Stigma (PAMS) is presented as a tangible

designer tool. The cardboard tetrahedron model allows for a focused and
teamwork-oriented interaction. Each side of the tetrahedron model provides
the designer with a set of nine specific questions that are linked to product
perception, products in use and reflecting on product use. This results in
27 questions to which the answers are gathered in three matrices. These
matrices allow for an overview that increases the likelihood of detecting
stigma-relevant pitfalls or conflicts between the various stakeholders.
Measuring product-related stigma:
In our effort to measure PRS, we first had to establish that the use of
protective, assistive, or medical devices in fact does engender unfavorable
reactions in bystanders. Additionally, we tried to quantify the ‘degree’ of
product-related stigma. We explored several techniques to measure and
quantify how ‘burdened’ products and design concepts are with product-
related stigma. Designers will not only value this insight during their creative
process, it can also help them to justify design decisions with quantitative
data. Quantitative measuring of PRS can assist in assessing which product
properties have influenced certain reactions and to what extent subsequent
improvements have been successful.
During our experimental explorations we focused on the reactions engendered

by existing dust masks as well as early prototypes. In future iterations, we
would like to explore the relevance of our experimental techniques for other
stigma-eliciting products. Apart from measuring product-related stigma
elicited by protective, medical and assistive devices, the techniques we
have applied probably have a wider range of applications, e.g. in fashion, for
wearable technology and law enforcement products.
We have adapted behavioral research techniques because they allowed us to

approach and observe the real phenomenon. We have attempted to quantify
the PRS-potential of products by studying the behavioral reactions of
bystanders during a public and unprepared encounter with users of stigma-
eliciting products. This unprepared encounter proved to be a good instance
for measuring behavior, because passers-by are unable to ‘mask’ their
reactions in these instances. By averaging the behavioral reactions of a large
sample of random bystanders and passers-by, we were able to obtain a more
objective measure. We focused on two specific moments in the interaction:
the initial confrontation with its reflex reactions and the more deliberate and
thoughtful reactions that follow.
256
We initiated our explorations in Italy with a study of the avoidance-related
reflex reactions of bystanders to dust masks. The ‘Approach and Avoidance
experiment’ was set in a lab environment and captured reflex reactions to
pictures of people with and without dust masks, presented on a screen.
During the four experimental explorations that followed, we shifted our focus
away from the lab and towards the real-life encounter between mask users
and bystanders. We measured avoidance behavior of passers-by around
users of stigma-eliciting products. We gradually progressed towards the
parameter of interpersonal distance as a promising measure. Our explorations
systematically progressed towards one specific moment in this unprepared
encounter, the moment in which the passer-by passes our product user. By
measuring the shortest distance between these two for a large sample of
passers-by varying in age, gender and ethnicity, we were able to introduce a
degree of objectivity.
To designers who want to explore the stigma-eliciting potential of their

concepts, our thesis provides ample suggestions.
By experiencing public exposure with a visually resembling prototype of the

stigma-eliciting product, designers can experience a powerful confrontation
with the phenomenon of product-related stigma (The Immersive Mask
Experience). It can make them aware of the stigma-relevant challenges
ahead and endow them with an empathic awareness of the future product
users’ concerns.
If required, the final two techniques in our experimental chapter will enable
designers to rank their design proposals according to their PRS-eliciting
potential.
The ‘Dyadic Distance Experiment’ measures exact interpersonal distances,

whereas the ‘Stain Dilemma Experiment’ presents the passer-by with a
choice in his walking path. Both experimental techniques are straightforward
and can be insightful for assessing the reactions that are engendered by PRS
processes. We do not claim that our experiments are validated techniques.
Further analysis is needed to improve their robustness and reliability. We
consider these techniques to be predominantly suited as comparison tools,
able to compare products or prototypes on their PRS-eliciting potential.
257
Managing product-related stigma
Our final goal was to deliver tools for designers to manage the product-
related stigma process. In our research the most essential emotional desire
is the avoidance of negative emotions and reactions during a human-product
interaction. However, we aimed for tools that strive to surpass this scope
in favor of products that engender positive meanings for their users, elicit
positive feedback from bystanders and complement and support cultural
values.
After the PAMS or the experimental explorations have exposed the

stigma-specific design challenges, designers can be inspired with design
recommendations to alleviate the effects of product-related stigma. Our
second designer tool, the Product Intervention Model for Stigma (PIMS),
targets the conception phase of the design process. It complements existing
design-ideation tools and can be applied to a broad range of stigma-
sensitive products. The PIMS comprises a set of 17 stigma-alleviating design
interventions that have grown and matured as our research progressed. The
design interventions not only impact the product, but also empower the user
or reshape societal and cultural factors.
It is very likely that designers will value these interventions as the most
hands-on aspect of the research. The various interventions are presented
in a compact and consistent style, facilitating overview and comparison.
Additionally, they intend to inspire designers and suggest a general design
direction. We chose to exemplify the various interventions with product
examples that will stick to the visual mind of designers. Apart from illustrating
that an intervention is viable, these examples may also provide instructional
guidance for designers. In reality, designers will often apply combinations
of interventions in order to produce strong design outcomes. Applying the
appropriate intervention is a creative and generative process that requires
both expertise and practice. To address the requirements
of the creative process, the PIMS interventions are
presented as a card set, specifically aimed at designers.
A first set of 13 interventions encourages the designer to

reshape the meaning of a product away from negative
associations. A second set of interventions stretches
the solution space towards user empowerment. Two
interventions inspire designers to emancipate users from
their position of passive victims to active challengers. In
a final area, we situate two interventions that enable
the designer to reshape the social and cultural contexts
in which products are launched and perceived. The two
interventions are not primarily focused on the product,
but they group all efforts that produce fundamental
changes in cultural attitudes and beliefs.
258
We believe that these interventions will prove their effectiveness in design
practice and more specifically in the fields of Inclusive (Universal) Design,
Human-Centered Design, and Design and Emotion. We trust that, in the
hands of a trained designer, these interventions will alleviate the effects of
PRS and increase both user-product attachment and collective well-being.
Our research has explored, structured and demarcated the phenomenon of

product-related stigma. To indicate the broadness of the topic we introduced
the term ‘product stigmaticity’, in order to encompass the investigation of
stigma elicited by products. We regard this dissertation to be an introduction
into an exciting area that merits further research.
259
Samenvatting
Beeld u in: u wandelt door een plaatselijk winkelcentrum en u draagt een

stofmasker. Naast de eigen hinder ervan zou u ook sociaal ongemak kunnen
vaststellen bij de mensen rondom u. Terwijl ze u tegemoet wandelen, merkt
u enige paniek, gelach of gefrons van de wenkbrauwen en wanneer ze u
kruisen houden ze enige afstand.
Tal van producten die bedoeld zijn voor ons comfort of onze veiligheid
(denk aan medische en fysische ondersteuningsmiddelen) kunnen we als
onaangenaam en oncomfortabel ervaren. Bovendien gaat het gebruik van
deze producten gepaard met beoordelingen van mensen rondom ons. De
focus van onze thesis richt zich op die situaties waarin een product de oorzaak
is van sociale afkeuring of stigma.
Wij noemen dit proces product-gerelateerd stigma (PRS). Het heeft negatieve
effecten op de productgebruiker, variërend van ervaren stress tot een
verminderd zelfvertrouwen en sociale isolatie. Dit wekt belangstelling bij
ontwerpers, omdat zij producten en productervaringen zodanig kunnen
vormgeven dat deze reacties en effecten gereduceerd blijven, zoniet zelfs
geheel vermeden worden.
In het project waarover deze thesis rapporteert, willen wij inzichten in en

een begrip van de factoren aanreiken die de ervaringen van gebruikers en
omstanders kunnen modelleren. Daartoe ontwikkelden wij een aantal
instrumenten die ontwerpers de mogelijkheid bieden om sociale stress
bij gebruikers van de hierboven genoemde producten te milderen. De
instrumenten beogen een stap verder te gaan dan de fysische aanpassing
tussen gebruiker en product; zij inspireren tot productontwerpen die gericht
zijn op persoonlijk en sociaal welbevinden.
Om de effecten van het product-gerelateerd stigmaproces te milderen richt

ons onderzoek zich op drie fundamentele doelstellingen: product-gerelateerd
stigma (PRS) begrijpen, meten en beheren.
260
Begrijpen van product-gerelateerd stigma (PRS)
Met het oog op het begrijpen van PRS, onderzochten wij de oorzaken ervan,
alsook de diverse belanghebbenden bij de mens-product interactie van
stigmaveroorzakende producten. Tijdens de literatuurstudie verzamelden
wij theoretische inzichten aangaande factoren die verantwoordelijk zijn
voor het uitlokken van positieve of negatieve belevingen bij het omgaan met
producten.
Omdat PRS voorkomt in sociale contexten waarin stigmaveroorzakende

producten aanwezig zijn, naast de gebruiker ervan en de omstaanders,
onderzochten wij literatuur zowel uit de wereld van de design research als
uit de sociale psychologie. Beide domeinen bieden belangrijke inzichten in
de werking van stigma en tonen factoren en modellen voor een stigma-vrije
ontwerpbenadering.
Vermits het onze bedoeling is om een bijdrage te leveren tot de

ontwerpliteratuur aangaande producten en stigma, startte ons zoekwerk
in de ontwerpliteratuur meer specifiek in de domeinen ‘Inclusive Design’,
‘Product Semantics’ en ‘Human-Centered Design’. In het tweede deel van de
literatuurstudie leggen wij uit waarom we de term ‘stigma’ kozen en welke
definitie wij eraan geven.
Iedereen heeft wel eens een stigmatiserende ervaring gehad in zijn leven, zij
het in de vorm van een gevoel van geïsoleerd zijn, vervreemding, uitsluiting
of verlegenheid omwille van het enigszins anders zijn. Net zoals mensen
afkeuring kennen wegens bepaalde eigenschappen die ze misschien zelf niet
onder controle hebben, zo kan een product ook de oorzaak zijn van afkeuring
of stigma.
Wij hebben gevonden dat de effecten en impact van PRS-ervaringen het

gevolg zijn van meerdere factoren, namelijk de esthetische en functionele
aspecten van het product zelf, het individu dat het stigma ervaart, de
toekijkende omstaanders en tenslotte de culturele context waarin de situatie
zich afspeelt.
Als antwoord op onze eerste onderzoeksdoelstelling (PRS begrijpen)

introduceerden wij het ‘Product Appraisal Model for Stigma’ (PAMS). Het
model toont specifieke stigmagevoeligheden, conflicten en uitdagingen
die ontwerpers in acht dienen te nemen bij hun ontwerpinspanningen. In
plaats van nog een bijkomend schematisch kader te ontwikkelen, besloten
we om ons model te positioneren als een ‘partner’ van reeds bestaande
en gevalideerde modellen uit de sociale psychologie en de design research.
Onze inzichten ten aanzien van stigma passen goed in het ‘Identity Threat
Model ‘ (ITM) van Major (2005) uit de sociale psychologie. Vervolgens
hebben we deze inzichten toegepast in het waarderingsmodel van Desmet
en Hekkert (2007). Het ITM inspireerde ons tot het toevoegen van twee
261
belanghebbenden (‘stakeholders’). Naast de gevoeligheid

en de obstakels die de productgebruiker kan tegenkomen,
voegt PAMS hier ook nog de noden van de omstaanders en
de cultuur toe waarin het product wordt aangewend.
PAMS kan beschouwd worden als een ‘ontsluiering’ van

product-gerelateerd stigma; het geeft de ontwerper een
handig instrument om PRS in te schatten en interventies te
overwegen die het product ontdoen van zijn stigmatiserende
inhoud.
Het ‘Product Appraisal Model for Stigma’ (PAMS) is een

hanteerbaar ontwerpinstrument. Het kartonnen tetraëder
model is specifiek ontwikkeld voor teamwerk. Iedere zijde
van de tetraëder toont de ontwerper negen specifieke vragen
die verband houden met productperceptie, productgebruik
en de reflectie op productgebruik. Dit resulteert in 27 vragen
waarvan de antwoorden weergegeven kunnen worden in
drie matrices. Door te kijken naar deze matrices, verhoogt
de kans dat stigmarelevante valkuilen of conflicten tussen
diverse belanghebbenden tijdig worden opgemerkt.
Meten van product-gerelateerd stigma
In onze poging om PRS te meten hebben we eerst vastgesteld dat het gebruik
van beschermings-, ondersteunings- en medische producten ongunstige
reacties uitlokken bij omstaanders. Daarenboven probeerden we de ‘graad’
van dit product-gerelateerd stigma te kwantificeren.
Wij hebben meettechnieken uitgeprobeerd die kwantificeren in welke mate

producten en ontwerpconcepten ‘beladen’ zijn met product-gerelateerd
stigma. Ontwerpers zouden hiermee niet alleen hun voordeel kunnen
doen tijdens het creatieproces, het zou hen ook kunnen helpen om
ontwerpbeslissingen kwantitatief te beoordelen. Kwantitatieve metingen
van PRS kunnen nuttig zijn om te onderzoeken welke producteigenschappen
deze reacties beïnvloeden en in welke mate de daaruit voortvloeiende
ontwerpverbeteringen succesvol blijken.
Tijdens onze experimentele onderzoeken hebben wij onze aandacht vooral

gericht op de reacties die stofmaskers uitlokken, zowel de bestaande types als
nieuwe prototypes. Bij toekomstig onderzoek zouden we het belang van onze
experimentele technieken willen testen voor andere stigmaveroorzakende
producten. Naast beschermings-, ondersteunings- en medische producten,
mogen we aannemen dat deze technieken een brede waaier van toepassingen
kunnen hebben, zoals in de modewereld, voor de draagbare technologie en
bij wet opgelegde producten.
262
Wij hebben ook onderzoek op gedrag uitgevoerd omdat het ons toeliet
het reële fenomeen te benaderen en te observeren. Wij probeerden het
PRS-potentieel van producten te kwantificeren door de gedragsreacties
te bestuderen van omstaanders tijdens een publieke en onverwachte
ontmoeting met gebruikers van stigmaveroorzakende producten. Deze
onverwachte ontmoetingen bleken geschikt te zijn om het gedrag van
voorbijgangers te meten omdat deze hun reacties dan nauwelijks kunnen
‘maskeren’. Door het gemiddelde te berekenen van de gedragsreacties op
een uitgebreide steekproef van toevallige voorbijgangers, probeerden we een
objectieve meting te bekomen. We hebben ons gericht op twee specifieke
momenten in deze onverwachte ontmoeting: de initiële confrontatie met
de reflexreacties enerzijds, en de meer overwogen en bedachte reacties die
daarop volgen anderzijds.
Wij begonnen onze experimenten in Italië met een studie over

‘reflexvermijdingsreacties’ ten aanzien van stofmaskers. Het ‘Toenadering- en
Vermijdingsexperiment’ verliep in een labo en registreerde de reflexreacties
ten aanzien van foto’s van gebruikers met en zonder stofmaskers op een
beeldscherm.
In de vier daaropvolgende experimenten verlieten we de labo-omgeving en

bestudeerden we ontmoetingen tussen maskerdragers en omstaanders in de
werkelijkheid.
Wij maten het vermijdingsgedrag van voorbijgangers in de omgeving van

gebruikers van stigmaveroorzakende producten. Geleidelijk kwamen we tot
de parameter van interpersoonlijke afstand als een beloftevolle meetmaat.
Uiteindelijk spitste onze aandacht zich toe op een specifiek moment in de
onverwachte ontmoeting, namelijk het moment waarop de voorbijganger de
productgebruiker passeert. Door de kortste afstand te meten tussen beiden
bij een uitgebreide steekproef van voorbijgangers die variëren in leeftijd,
geslacht en etniciteit, konden we een zekere objectiviteit bereiken.
Ons onderzoek biedt ontwerpers meerdere suggesties aan om het

stigmaveroorzakend potentieel van hun concepten te meten.
Met een visueel gelijkend prototype van het stigmaveroorzakend product,

kunnen ontwerpers een publieke blootstelling reëel beleven en een sterke
confrontatie aangaan met het fenomeen van product-gerelateerd stigma
(The Immersive Mask Experience). Het kan hen bewust maken van belangrijke
stigma-uitdagingen en hen empathie bijbrengen voor de bezorgdheden van
de toekomstige gebruikers.
Met behulp van de twee laatste meettechnieken uit ons experimenteel

hoofdstuk kunnen ontwerpers hun ontwerpen rangschikken volgens hun
PRS-veroorzakend potentieel.
263
Het ‘Dyadic Distance Experiment’ meet de exacte interpersoonlijke afstanden

tijdens het passeren, terwijl het ‘Stain Dilemma Experiment’ de voorbijganger
de mogelijkheid biedt zijn wandelpad zelf te kiezen. Beide experimentele
technieken zijn eenduidig en kunnen inzicht verschaffen in de reacties die
uitgelokt worden tijdens het PRS-proces. Wij beschouwen deze technieken
als zinvolle instrumenten om productconcepten te vergelijken; ze zijn in
staat om producten of prototypes af te wegen op hun PRS-veroorzakend
potentieel.
Wij stellen echter niet dat onze experimenten reeds gevalideerde technieken
zijn. Er is zeker nog verdere analyse nodig om hun betrouwbaarheid en
degelijkheid te verhogen.
Beheren van product-gerelateerd stigma
Ons uiteindelijk doel was om ontwerpers van instrumenten te voorzien

waarmee zij het product-gerelateerd stigmaproces zouden kunnen beheren.
In ons onderzoek is de overheersende gevoelsgeladen wens het vermijden
van negatieve emoties en ervaringen tijdens de mens-productinteractie.
Nochtans streefden we naar instrumenten die voorbij dit oogmerk konden
reiken. Wij richtten ons op producten die positieve betekenissen uitlokken bij
de gebruikers, positieve reacties krijgen van de omstaanders en die culturele
waarden kunnen toevoegen en versterken.
Nadat PAMS of de experimentele exploraties de stigmaspecifieke

ontwerpuitdagingen in beeld hebben gebracht, kunnen ontwerpers
beginnen denken aan interventies om de effecten van product-gerelateerd
stigma te milderen. Hiervoor is ons tweede instrument, het ‘Product
Intervention Model for Stigma’ (PIMS) nuttig in de conceptfase van het
ontwerpproces. Het model kan een aanvulling betekenen van bestaande
ideegenererende instrumenten en het is van toepassing op een breed
gamma van stigmagevoelige producten. PIMS omschrijft een verzameling
van 17 stigmamilderende ontwerpinterventies die ontwikkelden en tot
rijping kwamen naarmate ons onderzoek vorderde. De ontwerpinterventies
hebben niet alleen een impact op het product, maar ze ondersteunen ook
de gebruiker en bovendien herkaderen ze maatschappelijke en culturele
factoren.
Heel waarschijnlijk zullen ontwerpers deze interventies als het meest praktische
aspect van ons onderzoek beschouwen. De verschillende interventies worden
in een compacte en gelijkvormige stijl voorgesteld, waardoor ze overzichtelijk
blijven en makkelijk te vergelijken zijn. Verder willen ze ontwerpers inspireren
en een algemene ontwerprichting suggereren. Wij hebben ervoor gekozen
om de verschillende interventies te illustreren met voorbeelden die de eerder
visueel ingestelde ontwerper zullen bijblijven. Deze voorbeelden illustreren
niet alleen de haalbaarheid van een interventie, ze bieden ook instruerende
264
begeleiding aan ontwerpers. Vaak zullen ontwerpers
combinaties van interventies toepassen om tot sterke
ontwerpresultaten te komen. Het toepassen van de
gepaste interventie is een creatief en generatief proces
dat zowel expertise als praktijkervaring vereist. Om de
vereisten van het creatief proces te onderbouwen,
worden de PIMS-interventies voorgesteld als een set
kaarten.
Een eerste set van 13 interventies stimuleert de

ontwerper om de betekenis van zijn product vrij van
negatieve associaties te houden.
Een tweede set van interventies breidt de

oplossingsruimte uit naar de emancipatie van de
gebruiker. Beide interventies kunnen de gebruiker
inspireren om zich vanuit zijn of haar slachtofferpositie te emanciperen en
zichzelf een actieve en zelfondersteunende rol aan te meten.
In het laatste deel situeren we twee interventies die de ontwerper toelaten

de sociale en culturele context, waarin producten worden gebruikt en
waargenomen, te stroomlijnen. Beide interventies zijn niet zozeer op het
product gericht, dan wel op inspanningen die fundamentele veranderingen
in de culturele attitudes en opvattingen kunnen teweegbrengen.
Wij geloven dat deze interventies hun nut zullen bewijzen in de

ontwerppraktijk; voornamelijk in het domein van ‘Inclusive(Universal)
Design’, ‘Human Centered Design’, en ‘Design and Emotion’. Wij zijn ervan
overtuigd dat ze in de handen van een geoefende ontwerper de effecten van
PRS kunnen milderen. Bovendien kunnen ze zowel de band tussen product
en gebruiker, alsook het collectief welzijn bevorderen.
Ons onderzoek heeft het fenomeen van product-gerelateerd stigma

uitgediept, gestructureerd en afgebakend. Om de breedte van het onderwerp
aan te duiden hebben wij de term ‘product stigmaticity’ geïntroduceerd om
het volledige onderzoek rond stigma veroorzaakt door producten te kunnen
omvatten.
Wij beschouwen deze thesis als een introductie in dit interessante domein
dat zeker verdere exploratie verdient.
265
Acknowledgments
publications
about the author
Acknowledgments
This research journey became such a pleasurable experience through the

kind guidance, support and help of many people.
I owe much gratitude to Pieter Jan, my loyal and enthusiastic TU Delft

supervisor. Your encouragements and insights have been essential for my
survival in this PhD adventure. You gave me the time to explore my topic
and the confidence to explore the brave new world of design research. I
especially want to thank you for your confidence and support in the final
months. It really meant a lot to my family and me.
I also want to thank my daily supervisors from the University of Antwerp.

Achiel, as a psychologist and usability expert, you inspired me with your vision
and supported me with valuable feedback whenever I asked for it. Kristine,
thank you for taking so much interest in my research topic. I do hope that we
get the chance to finish the dust mask for asthmatic children someday.
I also enjoyed the pleasurable company of my design research colleagues

in Antwerp: Dries, Ann, Elli, Els, Sarah, Daniël, Alexis, Ivo, Stijn, Ingrid, and
Lukas. It has been great to working with you all and it really feels as if we
kicked off some powerful research initiatives.
I feel very lucky that I could execute my research in cooperation with

the IDE faculty of the TU Delft and its ID-Studiolab. Thanks to all of the
design researchers who have inspired and supported me: Froukje, Helma,
Annemieke, Mathieu, Pieter, Stella and many more. I do hope that we can
continue to collaborate in the future.
I was fortunate to be able to supervise several master projects in design

research that contributed significant insights to my research. I would like to
thank all of these master students for their enthusiasm and research rigor:
Mientje Buytaert, Eline Wouters, Dennis Boghemans (Spy Pack Exploration),
and Tom Verbist (Dyadic Distance and Stain Dilemma Experiment).
I would like to express my gratitude to all of the design practitioners,

colleagues and students who participated in the different studies of this
research. Thanks to: Chris, Ann, Elie, Frank, Dirk, Frank VDS, Ingrid, Els and
Linda. I would also like to thank all participants of the TU Delft workshop: Job,
Anna, Andry, Santiago, Shannon, Seng Gi, Fleur, Josje and Ilona.
Furthermore, I would like to thank Vincent, Frank, Carlo and Dries for their
material support with the prototypes and experimental setups.
I’m grateful to Seppe and Rik from Genano Benelux. I truly enjoyed our
cooperation and I hope that we can continue our mutual mask quest.
268
Thank you Liesbet for proofreading my thesis and Wim for those vital
InDesign tips.
Apart from the colleagues who were directly involved in my research, there
are many colleagues who indirectly supported me along this PhD journey.
Thanks you all for encouraging me and for providing me with so many
product cases. I’m excited that, next to my research activities, I can execute
my education tasks with such a great team of fellow teachers. I do hope that I
can continue to contribute to our education program at the faculty of Design
Sciences in the next years.
I take great pleasure in thanking my parents Marie-Jeanne and Guido, my

sister Liesbet and my brother Jeroen. A special thanks to my younger brother
Jeroen, the Italian psychology professor. In the early days of my research
you managed to give me proper guidance on the relevant literature in social
psychology. It was thanks to you that I managed to setup and successfully
complete my first real experiment (the Approach and Avoidance Experiment).
I also want to express my gratitude to my father, Guido. Thank you for your
valuable feedback and all the time you have spent on reading the preceding
versions of this thesis. During our often-intense discussions we experienced
both challenging and ‘magical’ moments.
Furthermore, my gratitude goes out to my graduation committee for

assessing this thesis, providing feedback and being part of the PhD defense
ceremony.
I would like to thank my paranymphs Werner Coppieters (my statistical hero)

and Dries Vrelust (the Johnny Cash amongst all usability-lab operators).
Finally, and most important of all I want to thank my lovely wife Jona and my
two sons Viktor and Roman. Jona, thanks for putting up with me. This thesis
has not only challenged me, it has also tested our relationship. At the end of
those six years - two sons and many demanding and exciting projects later -
we can truly say that we’ve survived. I love you!
269
Publications
Journal articles about the ‘Product Appraisal Model for Stigma’ (PAMS) and
‘Product Intervention Model for Stigma’ (PIMS) are in preparation.
2014
Vaes K., Stappers P.J., Standaert A., Desager K. (2012). Contending Stigma in
Product Design - Using Insights from Social Psychology as a Stepping Stone
2012
for Design Strategies, In: J. Brassett, P. Hekkert, G. Ludden, M. Malpass & J.
McDonnell (eds.), Out of control, Proceedings of the 8th International Design
and Emotion Conference; Central Saint Martins College of the Art & Design,
London, UK; 11-14 September 2012; Central Saint Martins College of the Arts
and the Design and Emotion Society, London; ISBN 978-0-9570719-2-6
Vaes K., Stappers P.J., Standaert A. (2012). Stigma-Free Product Design: An

Exploration in Dust Mask Design, In: Design education for future wellbeing:
Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Engineering and
Product Design Education; Antwerp University College, 6-7 September 2012;
Institution of Engineering Designers & The Design Society, Glasgow; ISBN:
978-1-904670-36-0, pp.141-146
Vaes K., Stappers P. J., Standaert A., Coppieters W. (2012). Masked Aversion
– Walking and Staring Behavior towards Stigmatizing Products, In: P.
Insrasena, J. Tangsantikul, D. Durling (eds.), Design Research Society 2012
Conference Proceedings Vol. 4, Chulalongkorn University Bankok, Thailand,
1-4 July 2012; Department of Industrial Design, Faculty of Architecture,
Chulalongkorn University & the Design Research Society; ISBN 978-616-551-
569-6, pp.1908-1919
Vaes K., Corremans J., Moons I. (2011). Educational model for improved
empathy “The Pleasurable Mask experience”. In: Kovacevic, A. Ion, W.
2011
McMahon, C. Buck, L. and Hogarth, P. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 13th
International Conference on Engineering and Product Design Education; City
University London; pp. 227-232; 8-9 September 2011; The Design Society;
ISBN: 978-1-904670-33-9.
Vaes K., Stappers P.J., Standaert A., Vaes J. (2010). "Masked Emotions" -
Measuring Implicit and Explicit Attitudes towards stigmatizing products
2010
(dust masks). In: Gregory, J. Sato, K. Desmet, P. et al. (eds.) Proceedings of the
7th Design and Emotion Conference 2010; Spertus Institute (Chicago, USA);
4-7 October 2010; IIT Institute of Design, Chicago, pp.001-014
Vaes K., (2009). Design directions and recommendations within the new
product development process for the development of non-stigmatising,
2009
bodily-near products, In: Pauwels S., Research Lounge # 1: an annual
publication on engineering and developing tomorrow’s technology and new
product for new markets; University Press Antwerp; Brussels, ISBN: 978 90
5487 557 4, pp.28
270
About the author
Kristof Vaes was born in Leuven in 1972. After finishing secondary school
at the Sint Pieters College in Leuven, he studied one year at Aragon High
School in San Mateo, California, as an AFS exchange student. He obtained
his Master’s degree in product development (with distinction) from the
University College of Antwerp in 1996. The following year he entered a
postgraduate training in multimedia technology at the Group T International
University College of Leuven.
From 1997 onwards, he has worked for several design teams and offices
in Flanders, such as Bulo office furniture (Mechelen), Achilles design
(Mechelen), and Studio Dot (Antwerp). Most of his design practice is
focused on human-centered design, concept development and engineering
design. Since 2006, he combines his activities as a product designer with an
academic career at the University of Antwerp, Faculty of Design Sciences,
Product Development (previously known as the Artesis University College of
Antwerp). His teaching tasks have included lecturing on the topic of Product
Semantics and tutoring design projects such as ‘User Experience Design’,
‘Exploring Interactions’, ‘Mechanical Design’ and ‘Furniture Design’. For the
last six years, he has combined his freelance and teaching activities with PhD
research in cooperation with the TU Delft and the University of Antwerp.
His research interests include human-product relations, product semantics,

product usability and inclusive design. Kristof is currently complementing his
educational activities with new freelance design adventures.
Next to a fond passion for the

human side of design, he enjoys
swimming, surfing, building,
motorcycle adventures and a
good laugh. Kristof is happily
married to Jona den Aantrekker
and they have two sons, Viktor (6)
and Roman (3).
[email protected]
[email protected]
www.kristofvaes.be
Let’s keep this topic alive on:

www.productstigmaticity.com
271

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PRODUCT

ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor

Kristof Romain Viktor VAES

Vaes K. (2014). Product Stigmaticity - Understanding, Measuring and Managing Product-

Let’s keep this topic alive on:

Copyright © Kristof Vaes, 2014

Cover picture: courtesy of 3D systems

CHAPTER 3 Experimental Studies 69

CHAPTER 4 PAMS - The Product Appraisal Model for Stigma 133

The ‘Innovation by Design competition’, organized by Fast Company

“Many well-meaning inventions fail – not because they aren’t

Many of the products intended to relieve us from discomforting or unsafe

In other words, this disertation hopes to assist designers in making better

1.1. The phenomenon: product-related stigma

Distressing experiences can arise during an unprepared encounter between,

1.1.1. What is product-related stigma?

In social psychology there is a large body of work on stigma. Although much

1.1.2. What is product stigmaticity?

We introduce the term ‘product stigmaticity’, in order to encompass the

1.1.3. What are stigma-eliciting products?

Some stigma-sensitive products carry a long history of rejection while

As well as the two fundamental categories that we explore in this dissertation,

1.1.4. How can the designer contribute beyond functionality?

Designers are in a position to conceive products that can balance tech-

When designing products, many aspects have to be taken into account:

focused on the user’s urgent and objective needs, such as functionality,

The users targeted by our research often face temporary or permanent

In their interaction with products, today’s consumers seek more than

1.2. The aim of this work – Questions and methods

Our research has three fundamental aspirations or goals: to understand,

Our research questions were answered through efforts in three intertwining

Experimental Research PhD

Goals & questions Methods Covered in

Measuring Collecting and analyzing theory and literature Chapter 3

Managing Collecting and analyzing theory and literature Chapter 5

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Empirical Research Mask W-shops

1.2.1. Understanding product-related stigma (Chapters 2 & 4)

The research challenge

What causes product-related stigma and how can it be explained? In answer

The resulting ‘Product Appraisal Model for Stigma’ (PAMS) deconstructs

The PAMS can be interpreted as the ‘unveiler’ of product-related stigma,

An empathic mindset is needed to successfully apply the PAMS. This state

We selected the Appraisal Theory of Desmet and Hekkert (2007) to provide

1.2.2. Measuring product-related stigma (Chapter 3)

The research challenge

• Does the use of protective, assistive, or medical devices engender

In answer to these questions we searched for techniques that could

that would enable designers to objectively evaluate their design interventions.

To decide which techniques are appropriate for our research, we specified

• The technique has to register and quantify the reactions of bystanders

Early on in our research it became apparent that a focus on the thoughts

As we progressed in our explorations and experiments we moved from

In our search for a straightforward technique that could be used by designers,

Experimental explorations and experiments

• Our first exploration was executed at the social psychology department of

• The second exploration was aimed at investigating the actual

• The previous exploration evidenced that the reactions of bystanders

1.2.3. Managing product-related stigma (Chapter 5)

The research challenge