(re)natured / part 2

(re)natured part 2

(re)natured part 2

June 2020 Berlin Central Saint Martins BA Graphic Communication Design Text: Leila Wallisser Design: Leila Wallisser Print: Solid Earth Binding: Leila Wallisser Typefaces: Ogg Light Aktiv Grotesk Founders Grotesk Paper: Recycled 110 g/m2

(re)natured part 2

aesthetics as a form of nudging against our current climate crisis

leila wallisser

how Libertarian Paternalists and designers can work together to use aesthetic seduction as a catalyst for change in the Anthropocene

(re)natured / part 2

content

introduction

man vs. nature

8

12

how has our relationship to nature changed?

nudge theory

30

how can design manipulate behaviour?

aesthetics

42

how can we use design principles to combat our current climate crisis?

my practice

52

conclusion

64

bibliography

66

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critical report

march 16th 2020

By the time I walked through the gates to enter university it was 13:27. I realised I had forgotten to look at the time before I left home, and now I was standing in front of the 3D workshop spaces right in the middle of the technicians lunch break. I decided it wouldn’t hurt to give the casting workshop door a little nudge.

To my surprise, it opened up for me. “They must have forgotten to lock it” I thought to myself whilst I entered to find a spot to stash my belongings. Not needing the technicians guidance for the day, I took the plaster creation I had left to dry overnight from the shelf and started removing its mould. The silence in the room only became noticeable as it was interrupted by a plopping noise that emerged somewhere from the back left corner. “Someone must have forgotten their phone here when leaving for lunch.”

I thought subconsciously as I continued working.

“Plop! .. Plop!” By the third time I heard the sound I let it fully occupy my mind. “Seems someone is popular today.” I smiled to myself whilst noticing the sporadic intervals between the otherwise regular tone. As it continued for a few minutes, it started to bother me. “Why can’t people turn their phone on silent?” I thought to myself, as I was reminded why I had my notifications turned off in the first place. “Plop!” I started scanning the corner I could locate the sound from, until I finally found the culprit. The sound I had been hearing was that of a small drop falling into a larger body of water.

I had mistaken the sound of a drip for that of a notification on a phone.

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This small and otherwise insignificant situation is an attempt at displaying how our relationship to the natural has changed. We have reached a stage where human impact on the planet is not only becoming noticeably evident, but irreversible. Our traces are everywhere, untouched nature is a scarcity. Born and made are becoming indistinguishable, leaving that which we previously perceived to be natural – an uncontrollable entity – to be no longer opposed to the technologically influenced environment we have created for ourselves today. Studies show that children are better at identifying Pokémon characters, than they are real animals and plants1. When hearing the sound of a drip, I am reminded of a notification on an iPhone before I recognise it as water. As the artist Koert van Mensvoort expressed in his concept Next Nature: “Our natural environment is being replaced by a world of design.2” So how can we use design to rejuvinate the natural world?

A world of design equals design is everywhere. From a product and its packaging, to the environment it is chosen in, everything has been meticulously placed for a reason.

Images, typefaces and colours are carefully selected to communicate messages, ideas and values and invoke certain emotions in the audience it is intended for.

Through constant evaluation, our choices and behaviour are inevitably affected by this game of conscious and subconscious response. From the beginning of my studies, I have been interested in the effect that design can have on peoples behaviour, particularly the form of non-verbal communication that happens on a subconscious level. Questions that shape my practice surround the impact of this influence and effect.

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To what extent can design really manipulate behaviour?

Are we aware of this / do we let ourselves be seduced?

What is the power of visual seduction? What areas can these design functions be applied to? Are these aesthetics capable of changing our relationship to nature?

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“We are plunging, headlong, into an epoch of global environmental change at an unpredictable scale and pace. How we learn to live with that change is the central challenge for the next half-century of design.3”

In their essay Design with Nature Now, landscape architects Richard Weller and Karen M’Closkey highlight their vision of regional planning solutions to combat our current natural crisis. Wanting to explore the extent to which other areas of design and aesthetics can contribute in the fight against our global climate emergency, the following pages are an investigation into an alternative approach based on functions of graphic design.

1 / Balmford, A., Clegg, L., Coulson, T. and Taylor, J., 2002.

Why conservationists should heed Pokémon. Science, 295(5564), pp.2367-2367.

2 / Van Mensvoort, K., Grievink, H.J, 2011 3 / Steiner, F., Weller, R., McCloskey K., Fleming, B. eds., 2019.

Design With Nature Now. Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.

man

how has our relationship to nature changed?

vs. nature

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“We always thought that a sudden disaster would come from outside (a comet, a power plant explosion), but in the end we are the ones to cause the disaster, gradually deepening its inevitability.�

introduction

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Lynx magazine / 2019

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Over the course of history, our relationship to the earth has radically changed. Between ancient beliefs and modern politics, nature has become an abstract paradox that combines the idea of unforgiving and uncontrollable wilderness with the sentiment of a nurturing, harmonious ideal. The following paragraphs highlight a few key events of this evolution in the western world.

5 / White, L., 1967. The historical roots of our ecologic crisis. Science, 155(3767), pp.1203-1207.

6 / Solère, J.L., 1995. The ancient and medieval conception of nature. The concept of nature in science and theology; 1, pp.40-45.

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4 / Cooper, B., Smith, T.W., Hughes, G., Moschella, M., Geddert, J.S., Covington, J., Stoner Jr, J.R., Tollefsen, C.O., Shell, S.M., Vaughan, G.M. and Rubin, C.T., 2016. Concepts of Nature: Ancient and Modern. Rowman & Littlefield.

“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”(Genesis 1:26 - 28)

The word ‘nature’ is a philosophical term derived from the verb for birth, and can be traced back to its roots in Ancient Greece4. Already in classical times, it described a state which things happened by themselves ‘naturally’ or without interference from human deliberation or divine intervention. Christianity partially took on this belief, yet having a long tradition of seeing nature as a human responsibility, additionally introduced a form of domestication. With a tendency towards anthropocentrism – the belief that human beings are the most important thing in the universe – it has been widely debated by historians that christianity has encouraged natural exploitation5.

Nature in itself is seen as a right of God, in which the created artefacts can constantly be interrupted or altered.

Humans however are responsible for its contemporary state. Christianity found its peak in the Medieval Era (476 AD – 1453), in which large parts of nature, specifically European woodland, were restructured due to an increase in population size. The resulting natural disasters were seen as a wrath or punishment for other actions, rather than a direct consequence6.

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Along with modern science came an evident change in mindset towards our relationship to nature. Following a series of scientific discoveries and geographical explorations, the eighteenth century characterises a shift in thinking known as the Enlightenment (1715 – 1789). This intellectual movement was centred on reason being the primary source of knowledge and used this as an attempt to demystify biblical ‘miracles’ and other phenomena previously considered supernatural. Human beings were understood to be purely a creation of nature, and nature itself was regarded as an object of investigation7. Scientists, landscape painters and garden designers found satisfaction in the human attempt to harness its powers.

To the enlightened, wilderness was often a source of discomfort and a force sought to be controlled. Contrastingly, amongst artists and in other theoretical contexts, nature was seen to be an authoritative guide or ideal that described a state of affairs to which one should strive8.

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As a reactionary response to the scientific rationalisation of nature in the age of Enlightenment, a new artistic movement grew in the second half of the 18th century, known as Romanticism (approx. 1800 – 1890). Parallel to the emerging industrial capitalism in which expanding cities came to be the centres of pollution, arose the idea of nature being a pure and spiritual source of renewal. Whilst the idea of the First Industrial Revolution (1760 – 1840) understood earths recourses to be contributors to economically efficient production methods, Romantics saw the pollution to the environment as undesirable9. Words such as as Sublime and Delight were used to describe untouched landscapes; Ideas that have led the way for conservation and environmentalism today.

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In contemporary Anglo-European culture, nature as a word has four principle meanings10:

1. External Nature: The nonhuman world, untouched or barely affected by humans (“the natural environment") 2. Universal Nature: The physical world in its entirety, including human beings as both products of natural history and as biological organisms 3. Intrinsic Nature: The essential quality or defining property of something 4. Superordinate Nature: The power or force governing some or all living things

The common denominator is that regardless of it being able to be applied to humans, nature is defined by the absence of human effect. In modern society however, the concept of nature as external and beyond the realms of human influence is called into question by the force of human intervention. It suggests the human mindset is to be shifted from that of an external spectator to natural drama, to one in which humankind itself has become a natural force11. In other words, that which we previously understood to be nature, is now made by humans.

7 / Rudwick, M., 2005. Picturing nature in the Age of Enlightenment. Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, 149(3), pp.279-303.

8 / Walsh, L., Lentin, T. 2016. The Enlightenment. The Open University. Alden Group.

9 / Oosthoek, J. 2015. Romanticism in Nature. Environmental History Recources. viewed 29 April 2020. <https://www. eh-resources.org/romanticism-and-nature/> 10 / Castree, N., 2013. Making sense of nature. Routledge.

11/ Hager, M. 2018. Textures of the Anthropocene: Grain Vapor Ray. The MIT Press

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"The 21st century is marked by the fact that humanity has directly or indirectly modified every habitat on the planet, and much of it deleteriously so. With the unintended consequences of global warming, species extinction, and resource depletion, it is now possible that our extraordinary success as a species could also become our demise.â&#x20AC;?

chapter 1 / man vs. nature

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Richard Weller, Karen Mâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Closkey / 2019

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Invented two decades ago, the term Anthropocene is an attempt at defining the increasingly apparent change of our Earths geological state. Coined by the atmospheric chemist Paul J. Crutzen, the theory of the Anthropocene encapsulates the contrasting shift from the past 12,000 years of relative climate stability – known as the Holocene – to a new unstable one as a result of human activity.

Emerging from the standards of modern civilisation, the hypothesis states that this irreversible human imprint on the natural system has demonstrated accelerating and profound transformations to the Earth’s biosphere and its environment12.

12 / Biermann, F. and Lövbrand, E. eds., 2019. Anthropocene encounters: new directions in green political thinking.

Cambridge University Press.

13 / Biermann, F. and Lövbrand, 2019

15 / National Geographic Society. 2019. Anthropocene.

National Geographic. viewed 20 April 2020. < https://www. nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/anthropocene/>

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14 / Zalasiewicz, J., Waters, C.N., Williams, M., Barnosky, A.D., Cearreta, A., Crutzen, P., Ellis, E., Ellis, M.A., Fairchild, I.J., Grinevald, J. and Haff, P.K., 2015. When did the Anthropocene begin? A mid-twentieth century boundary level is stratigraphically optimal. Quaternary International, 383, pp.196-203.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;This phase of planetary history marks a stage at which natural and human forces are so intertwined, that the fate of one determines that of the other.13â&#x20AC;?

chapter 1 / man vs. nature

There are many ongoing discussions between scientists about the exact moment in which the Holocene may have ended and the Anthropocene started14. Possible dates range between the early Middle Ages to the Industrial Revolution. Whilst the evidence for the epochal change is not disputed, the speculation of the onset date varies depending on whether early global signals of human impact are taken into account, as oppose to starting from a time only when measurable changes to the earths system are apparent. Those that mark earlier dates are accused of alleviating the gravity of accelerated human disturbances and the impact of its inevitable repercussion15. This continuous discussion effectively highlights the fact that many facets of human evolution have been involved in the development of this new geological epoch. For us to be able to alter natures complex and interconnected system, an equally complex series of human interventions have had to be required to entangle ourselves into this ongoing cycle of cause and effect.

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mass extinction

mass extinction

mass extinction

mass extinction

Data Source: Burtynsky, E., Baichwal, J. and De Pencier, N., 2018. Anthropocene. Steidl GmbH & Company OHG.

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mass extinction

anthropocene (pending) -70 years ago cenozoic

holocene 11,000 pleistocene 2,600,000 pliocene 5,300,000 miocene 23,000,000 oligocene 33,900,000 eocene 56,000,000 paleocene 66,000,000

mesozoic

cretaceous 145,000,000 jurassic 201,000,000 triassic 252,000,000

paleozoic

permian 299,000,000 carboniferous 359,000,000 devonian 419,000,000 silurian 443,000,000 ordovician 485,000,000 cambrian 541,000,000

proterozoic archean hadean

2,500,000,000 4,000,000,000 4,600,000,000

visual example of landscape that has been heavily manipulated by humans

“With all this doom and gloom, it would be easy to throw up one’s hands in despair and feel there’s nothing to be done – or that the best thing to do is nothing at all.

In other words, to stop designing, producing, and consuming. That seem at once both defeatist and rather uncourageous.”

Amara Holstein / 2010

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The impact of our activity are becoming increasingly visible through effects such as global warming. Since 2016, over 1400 governments in 28 countries have made climate emergency declarations, admitting that measures taken up to this point are not enough to limit the changes brought by it16. Our planet is on the verge of an inevitable climate catastrophe17, with only limited time to dampen its impact. Seeing the urgency in the need for a change in our behaviour, my investigation focusses on bringing back a sense of respect towards nature through means of graphic design.

How can we use design principles as an attempt to combat our current climate crisis?

16 / Centre for Climate Safety. Climate Emergency Declaration. Climate Emergency Declaration. viewed 05 May 2020. <https://climateemergencydeclaration.org> 17 / McKie, R. 2018. Portrait on the Verge of a Climate Catastrophe. The Guardian. viewed 06 May 2020. <https:// www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/dec/02/worldverge-climate-catastophe>

nudge theory

how can design manipulate behaviour?

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Large-scale efforts are being made, often with impressive success, to channel our unthinking habits, our purchasing decisions, and our thought processes by the use of insights gleaned from psychiatry and social sciences. Typically these efforts take place beneath our level of awareness; so that the appeals which move us are often, in a sense, hidden.â&#x20AC;?

chapter 2 / nudge theory

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Vance Packard / 1980

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For more than a century, it has been a central task for cognitive scientists to understand the way we think and act. Branches such as cognitive, experimental, and social psychology, have been systematically analysing internal thought processes, behaviour and influences â&#x20AC;&#x201C; contributing largely to the contemporary application of behavioural psychology today18. Areas such as commercial advertising have benefited greatly from this knowledge, learning to cleverly incorporate psychological principles in an attempt to manipulate desired consumers behaviours19. Corporate scientists have become a vital part to advertising firms and mass psychoanalysis the basis of the campaign industry. The incentive is often their own economic benefit.

But is there a way to use these same behavioural principles to benefit the â&#x20AC;&#x153;greater goodâ&#x20AC;?? Is it possible to create a change from within this corporate system with its own means?

18 / Packard, V. and Payne, R., 1957. The hidden persuaders. New York: McKay. 19 / Roberts, R., 2015. Psychology and capitalism: The manipulation of mind. John Hunt Publishing.

20 / Leonard, T.C., 2008. Richard H. Thaler, Cass R. Sunstein, Nudge: Improving decisions about health, wealth, and happiness. Penguin.

21 / Hansen, P.G., 2016. The definition of nudge and libertarian paternalism: Does the hand fit the glove?. European Journal of Risk Regulation, 7(1), pp.155-174.

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First published in 2008, the book Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth and Happiness introduced the concept ‘nudging’. Coined by the behavioural economist Richard Thaler and Harvard academic lawyer Cass Sunstein, the term is used to describe “any aspect of the choice architecture that alters peoples behaviour in a predictable way without forbidding any options or significantly changing their economic incentives 20”. Concerned with the design of choices, the theory is an attempt at understanding the exact factors that influence human behaviour, proposing it to be more instinctive and irrational than previously believed to be. These cognitive predictions are subsequently used to implement indirect encouragements, whilst avoiding any form of instruction or enforcement to maintain the freedom of choice.

There are many disputes surrounding Nudge Theory.

Some concerned with the application, implications and the acceptability of nudges – claiming that conceptual inconsistencies make nudging vulnerable to misuse, and raise questions regarding motive and reason21. Others insisting that any kind of intervention can easily seem to qualify as a nudge, making it seem like there is little new to nudging. Either way, nudges have become part of our daily experiences.

Can we apply nudges as a catalyst

chapter 2 / nudge theory

to change our relationship to nature?

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case study 1 the aesthetic toll of nudging

In his paper The Aesthetic Toll of Nudging22 professor of moral philosophy Nicolas Cornell discusses the manipulative, even deceptive behaviour of these cues due to their subliminal nature. He argues that they circumvent rational choice by operating through subconscious processes and raises the ethical question around these “suggestions”. “Are we still acting out of free will if the environment of our choice has been carefully designed around behavioural predictions?”

Another issue is raised encompassing the impact these cues have on our aesthetic experiences. Cornell argues that as these nudges insert themselves into our perceptual experience, they interrupt our aesthetic appreciation and impair its value, preventing us to experience the world as we might otherwise. Terming it pollution, he identifies five different types of impairments, ranging from non-intrusive to intrusive:

22 / Cornell, N., 2016. The Aesthetic Toll of Nudging. Geo. JL & Pub. Pol’y, 14, p.841.

23 / Urwin, B. and Venter, M., 2014. Shock advertising: Not so shocking anymore. An investigation among Generation Y. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 5(21), pp.203-203.

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1. Contamination: Corrupting aesthetic value by adding unfitting elements 2. Clutter: Creating aesthetic disvalue by adding an overwhelming amount of elements 3. Displacement: Prioritising placement to generate better choices over aesthetic consideration 4. Distraction: Diverting cognitive resources from the pure experience 5. Disturbance: Impairing experience through emotional agitation / haunting

He poses the question: “Shouldn’t the people inevitably charged with constructing our everyday environment be considered partly with making that a nice environment, not simply the one that yields the best choices?”

In answer to this question I am suggesting that placement and aesthetic consideration do not have to contradict each other if nudging is combined with design. This can be applied to two situations: 1) If the alleged choice architect also has knowledge of design, the placement of these nudges would be considered not only following behavioural predictions, but also in more careful consideration of the visual context it is organised in 2) If the aesthetic value is the nudge itself , it would no longer negatively pollute the visual environment, but rather be capable of contributing positively to both behaviour as well as aesthetic experience

In line with my practice, the latter conveys a form of design in which aesthetic visualisations could be used to steer the viewer in a certain direction. This, for example, can be applied if the objective is to inform an audience on a specific topic that involves an uncomfortable level of confrontation due to its negative nature. Contemporary studies show ‘shock advertising’ to be no more memorable than other advertising methods, some even proving it to be obsolete and ineffective23. Rather than attempting to convey the information in a direct manner which catches the viewer at a time of cognitive boundaries and biases, this proposed alternative would involve no more than pleasant imagery to act as an initial appeal. Ideally, the second level of information should entail just enough clarity to highlight the appointed issue, and ‘nudge’ the viewer to inform themselves on their own merit. I believe there is a lot of power in self-initiation as oppose to authoritarian education, as it derives from a personal intention and interest. This form of Aesthetic Seduction is a large part of my practice, which I will expand on later.

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case study 2 libertarian paternalism

Adding motive to nudging introduces a concept termed Libertarian Paternalism. Encompassing ‘soft paternalism’ – which refers to “actions of government that attempt to improve people’s welfare24”– libertarian paternalism is used to describe a non-intrusive form that uses nudging as a tool to steer people in a direction that is to their own benefit. This approach legitimises choice architects of both private and public institutions to try to influence peoples behaviour in order to make their lives longer, healthier and better, whilst still preserving liberty i.e. maintaining the freedom of choice.

24 / Hansen, P.G., 2016. The definition of nudge and liber-

25 / Sunstein, C.R. and Thaler, R.H., 2003. Libertarian paternalism. American economic review, 93(2), pp.175-179.

26 / Sunstein, C.R. and Thaler, R.H., 2003. Libertarian paternalism is not an oxymoron. The University of Chicago Law Review, pp.1159-1202.

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tarian paternalism: Does the hand fit the glove?. European Journal of Risk Regulation, 7(1), pp.155-174.

This again raises many issues around the reason and motive for the intervention. Much like the rationalisation of nudging, it is argued that as our behaviour is inevitably being influenced by cues in our environment. Furthermore, many situations would allow agents no viable alternative to some form of paternalism or intervention at the least. Thaler and Sunstein use the cafeteria as a simple example to illustrate this25:

“Suppose that the director of the cafeteria notices that its customers have a tendency to choose more of the items that are presented earlier in the line. How should the director decide in what order to present the items?”

1) She could make choices that she thinks would make the customer better off, all things considered 2) She could make choices at random 3) She could choose those terms the she thinks would make the customer as obese as possible 4) She could give customers what she thinks they would choose on their own Any choice the director makes is a form of intervention in the behaviour of the customers. Thaler and Sunstein take it even further by saying: “If the arrangement of the alternatives has a significant effect on the selection the customers make, then their true “preferences” do not formally exist.26” It is advocated that as these situations leave no room for absolute free will, the imposed arrangement should be in favour of the consumers well-fare, rather than promoting the benefit of a private institution.

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So how much are our choices really influenced? Are we aware of their disguise? Do we naturally make choices that are in our best interest?

And who is to say what is in our best interest?

According to scientists, the human brain can be divided into two distinct ways of thinking27. Automatic thinking is identified as fast and intuitive thought processes that are based on existing neural patterns and happen on a subconscious level. Reflective thinking is characterised by deliberate and conscious processing that is associated with the experience of self-awareness. As these two ways of thinking are processed on vastly differing time-scales, studies show that actions based on automatic thinking do not always line up with our rational decisions â&#x20AC;&#x201C; causing a gap between good intentions and actual behaviour28.

Nudges operate on an automatic level that is capable of changing initial behaviour yet does not surpass any form of reflection, meaning it does not manipulate us to a disturbing extent and in some cases is actually capable of intervening to our own interest.

27 / Thaler, R.H. and Sunstein, C.R., 2009. Nudge, supra note 1, at p.7 28 / Kahneman, D., 2003. Maps of bounded rationality: Psychology for behavioral economics. American economic review, 93(5), pp.1449-1475.

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The previous cafeteria example illustrates choices we make as designers well. It can be argued that as a designer, one also takes on a paternalistic role. The cafeteria equals an object, or a piece of blank paper, and the choice and arrangement of the food is equal to the design decisions that have been made to best appeal to the chosen audience. In my opinion, the fundamental purpose of graphic communication design is to communicate a message and motivate the viewer to do something. So should the knowledge one has as a designer not at least be tried to be used in favour of the consumer well-fare?

chapter 2 / nudge theory

Furthermore; is turning our climate crisis around not to the benefit of the majority of the population?

aesthetics

how can we use design principles to combat our current climate crisis?

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;If man is ever to solve that problem of politics in practice he will have to approach it through the problem of the aesthetic, because it is only through beauty that man makes his way to freedom.â&#x20AC;?

chapter 3 / aesthetics

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Friedrich Schiller / 1790

design example of truth to materials

The term “aesthetics” is commonly used as a synonym for style or form. It plays an important part in design, being that people are far more likely to be attracted to something that visually appeals to them. There is a common consensus that the beauty of design enhances the experience of it. Exactly what makes something beautiful, is much less agreed on. A whole branch of philosophy is dedicated towards understanding the subjectivity and universality of judgement and taste. It seems beauty is indeed ‘in the eye of the beholder’. There are however certain principles in design that lead to the evident beauty of an object. Certain ideal forms and design principles such as truth to materials and form follows function have become central pillars for good design – implying a degree of purity and integrity29. In his book Emotional Design, Donald A. Norman categorises the attraction to design into three distinct areas30: 1. Visceral Design: Pleasure from appearance 2. Behavioural Design: Pleasure from effectiveness of use 3. Reflective Design: Pleasure from rationalisation of product

29 / Fiell P., Fiell C., 2019. 100 Ideas that Changed Design.

Laurence King Publishing.

30 / Norman, D.A., 2004. Emotional design: Why we love (or hate) everyday things. Basic Civitas Books.

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Making use of both product and graphic design principles, my practice focusses on the visceral design of a product or imagery and moves into areas of criticality that challenge the characteristic of behavioural design.

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chapter 3 / aesthetics

As mentioned earlier, many of my projects focus on what is most clearly defined by the term Aesthetic Seduction â&#x20AC;&#x201C; pleasant visualisations that use their initial appeal to nudge the viewer into informing themselves further. As this strongly focusses on the subtlety of information, it poses many questions regarding time, placement and abstraction.

How much information is enough?

When does the second level of information need to be conveyed?

Where is the line between aesthetic interest and indifference due to abstraction or harmony?

Does there need to be a level of friction to invoke enough interest?

How much does the viewer need to engage with the design for it to invoke thought or discussion? And are aesthetics really enough to become a nudge?

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Building on the principles of nudging, I set myself guidelines according to the EAST framework developed by the Behavioural Insights Team in 201131. These imply:

Easy “If you want to encourage something, make it easy.32” As humans have the deep-rooted tendency to take the line of least resistance, it is of benefit to remove or add friction when attempting to encourage or prevent behaviour. This would mean adding a slight amount of friction or discomfort in the beginning, be this tactile or visual, to steer the autopilot part of the brain into active reflection. Then following this making it as easy as possible for the viewer to find the information that I want to provide. Studies show that easy-to-read messages are more likely to be understood as well as believed. In terms of design, this builds on the minimal approach principle less is more.

31 / Team, B.I., 2014. EAST. Four Simple Ways to Apply Behavioural Insights.

32 - 35 / Halpern, D., 2015. Inside the nudge unit: How small changes can make a big difference. Random House.

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Attract “People are drawn to that which catches their attention, and that which is attractive to them.33” This principle is harder to implement, and heavily depends on context or situation in which the object is presented to the viewer. Design elements range from obvious and bright contrasts to those more subtle and complementary. The key reaction that is aimed for is a form of emotional response. My aim is to attract the viewer through the clean aesthetics that build on the design principles such as purity and simplicity.

Easy

Attractive

Timely

Social Social “People are strongly influenced by what others are doing or have done.34” As human beings are deeply social beings, behaviour of others shape and amplifies what we do. Social design goes beyond social norms, and is about nurturing a human and personal touch. This applies to my practice by 1) incorporating a form of interactivity and 2) trying to invoke the emotional reaction of both being personally addressed and collectively creating change.

Timely “We are much more likely to change our behaviour at some times than others.35” There are two key moments in which placed interventions are proven to be more effective. The first, and a large part of what nudge theory is based on, is before habits are formed. The second is when behaviour is has been disrupted, allowing for implementation intention, which is defined by “encouraging people to think about what they want to do and when” (31). The latter applies to my practice, as the idea is to get the viewer to reflect on habits and situations that are strongly in place and actively choosing to change it. The aspect of time also comes in when considering the placement of the second level of information.

Linking this back to my practice, the interest lies in using the above named principles of aesthetic seduction to create more awareness to our current climate crisis.

By using aesthetics to create a new sense of respect towards nature and adding scattered bits of information on our climate crisis in between, my intention is to use these principles to invoke more environmentally sustainable behaviour on an individual scale.

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case study 3 coffee cups In the following paragraph I would like to demonstrate a positive example of aesthetic seduction. It differs from my practice, in that it focusses on the practical solution and the behavioural design of a product. Nonetheless, it is an example of the influence that aesthetics can have on our behaviour, and how it can successfully cooperate with Libertarian Paternalism.

Over the last few decades there has been significant growth in environmental awareness due to a series of anthropogenic environmental disasters related to nuclear or oil related catastrophes36. This rise in conscience has contributed to an increase in sustainable thinking as well as governmental action. In terms of Libertarian Paternalism, one of these actions entailed the enforcement of taxes on plastic shopping bags. Introduced in the UK in 2015, the small amount of 5p has been shown to dramatically reduce their use37. It is an example of how enforcing a level of friction and social norm proves to be highly effective.

36 / Curtin, T., 2007. The Rise of Environmental Consciousness and Conscience. Managing Green Issues. Palgrave Macmillan, London 37 / Woodcock, A.. 2019. Plastic bag usage in supermarkets down 90 per cent since introduction of 5p charge in 2015. Independent. viewed 6 May 2020. <https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/plastic-bag-charge-supermarkets-figures-reduction-a9029996.html>

39 / Sherriff, L.. 2019. Saving The Earth, One Cup Of Coffee At A Time. Forbes. viewed 2 April 2020. <https://www. forbes.com/sites/lucysherriff/2019/01/10/recycle-coffee-cups-reusable/#39f7d8a2567b>

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38 / Boreman, M.. 2018. Dealwatch: coffee. The Times. viewed 2 April 2020. <https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ dealwatch-coffee-bg65kxbm8>

There rise in conscience has also contributed to an increase in sustainable products and their design development. One noticeable evolution has been the development of reusable coffee cups. In the past few years, brands such as keep cup and Ecoffee have successfully used the notion of aesthetics as a tool to contribute to reducing the ever-growing waste problem of our throwaway society. The companies focus on “creating beautiful reusable products38” in the attempt to normalise their use in the fight against single-use packaging. Following an increase in design choices, 2017 marks a dramatic rise in reusable coffee cups in the UK, which also led some of its biggest coffee chains offering compelling discounts for costumers with reusable cups. It is a good example of how aesthetics in combination with an act of Libertarian Paternalism can make a substantial change. In an interview, ecoffee’s founder David McLagan states:

chapter 3 / aesthetics

ecoffee cup design

“Mainstream behaviour change is key, so alienation through finger pointing is counter-productive.

We’re democratising the notion of reuse. We don’t want to be elitist or preachy about it, but we do want people to stop and think about the impact they’re having, and how small, simple changes can have big impacts.39”

my practice

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;At a time, when recycling plastic bottles is no longer enough to ease a guilty consumers conscience, being an artist makes one responsible for using the creative platform with renewed purpose.â&#x20AC;?

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Maja Lorkowska / 2019

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Interaction and criticality are two characteristics that are beginning to shape my practice. One of the projects from last year focussed on revealing the hidden ‘extras’ in food that we are not aware of eating. The concept was to reveal beautified images of substances such as mould, silicone and feathers on bowls by using a form of thermocromic and hydrochromic paint. The interplay between consumer and bowl (eating) was an attempt to provoke interest, as well as memory through tactility. The interaction between bowl and food was generated by elements of heat or water that caused the lacquer to become transparent, revealing the abstract image underneath. The only information that was given, was the name of the substance that could be found underneath the bowl, in place of the name of the company. This project was one of my first experimentations with tactility, abstraction and interactivity – and significantly formed a more developed interest of my practice and the notion of aesthetic seduction. Furthermore, it made me want to experiment on three-dimensional levels that I had previously disregarded and sparked an interest in the behaviour of materials / material design.

30°

28°

26°

24°

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my practice

revealing process of thermochromic (left) and hydrochromic (right) lacquered bowls

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nature is often way ahead when it comes to finding the best, most effective solutions to particular problems.40â&#x20AC;?

For my last unit at Central St Martins, I wanted to take this new found interest one step further by combining it with ecology and environmentalism. Starting as an investigation into how our relationship to nature has changed, the first brief focusses on integrating natural aesthetics back into man-made materials. Whereas many current projects revolve around finding a solution to the highlighted problem, this reversed action of sustainability is to provoke the viewer to question the value of our resources and the consequences of our current relationship to nature.

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From visual and theoretical research that informed the first brief, grew an in depth inquiry into the mechanics of a natural ecosystem. Inspired by the book Cradle to Cradle in which the chemist Michael Braungart and architect William McDonough explore how to mimic natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s model of a sustainable production system41, I started an investigation into the life cycle of an object. Fascinated by the final stage, especially this idea of after, the second part of the brief focusses on finding beauty in natural decay. The aim is to shed a positive light on this part of an objects life cycle as one of renewal and growth rather than that of an ending or death.

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Over the course of the unit, both self directed briefs and critical report merged into one overarching inquiry in which process, research and design experimentation have all become part of the final outcome. Keeping the idea of aesthetic seduction in mind, the intention throughout focusses on creating a new sense of respect towards nature by showing its beauty. It is to make people question the way we are currently treating our planet in a subtle manner without pointing any fingers or placing any blame. Under the name (re)natured part 1 the final publication is to act as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;compliment sandwichâ&#x20AC;? in which the first and last part are image heavy, and the section between is filled with content that subtly link to our current environmental crisis. It is an attempt and example of how aesthetics can be used to make content easier to digest.

decay; image of visual study of a leaf / beauty of natural decay

40 / Perry, S., 2012. Understanding Aesthetics. Landscape Architecture Australia, (136), pp.19-20.

41 / McDonough, W. and Braungart, M., 2010. Cradle to cradle: Remaking the way we make things. North point press.

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decay; from the first section of (re)natured part 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; showing beauty in decay

design; the nine final materials made to look like timber (left), terazzo (middle) and marble (right)

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design; one of the nine final materials (plastic made to look like marble) photographed in situ

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;As a designer, you are an amplifier, so you have a much bigger impact than a single consumer. Consumer choices have an impact, but a designer amplifies, whether they make many pieces or just one for a particular show. As a designer, you have a moral obligation to consider the impact of what you are doing.â&#x20AC;?

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Julia Lohman / 2018

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42 / Buchanan, P., 2005. Ten shades of green: architecture and the natural world. New York: Architectural League of New York.

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conclusion

Design is a form of improvement. Choosing to use this toolkit comes with the responsibility to use it well. I often ask myself the question: Is “good” design something that has fulfilled a moral purpose or something that has made an aesthetic contribution? And have answered it: It should be both. By taking on the role as active curator, I believe there is a certain moral compulsion to use design thinking for the benefit of society. I don’t believe this to have be constrained to classical problem solving – as most problems do not have one simple solution. The fundamental purpose of design is to communicate a message and motivate the viewer to do something. I am of the opinion that adult educations starts by highlighting a problem that challenges certain assumptions, and knowledge can be a form of problem-solving as well.

Mentioned by the architect Peter Buchanan42: “There’s no single, exclusive route to sustainability.” As an individual and a collective, we all have our part to play in this fight against the climate crisis, and we are running out of time.

I see it as my responsibility to use the resources I have learnt – in my case the tools of visual communication – in an attempt to make a change. Design goes beyond a slick product or a commercial advert, it has the capability to benefit all, to inspire people to ‘go green’ by making that option more attractive than its toxic counterpart. There needs to be a radical change in our mindset towards the only Earth we have. Recycling is no longer enough, we need to redefine need, and reset our values. We need to design towards a sustainable future. One nudge at a time.

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bibliography Publications:

Buchanan, P., 2005. Ten shades of green: architecture and the natural world. New York: Architectural League of New York.

Burtynsky, E., Baichwal, J. and Pencier, N.D., 2018. Anthropocene. AGO Goose Lane.

Castree, N., 2013. Making sense of nature.

Routledge.

Cooper, B., Smith, T.W., Hughes, G., Moschella, M., Geddert, J.S., Covington, J., Stoner Jr, J.R., Tollefsen, C.O., Shell, S.M., Vaughan, G.M. and Rubin, C.T., 2016.

Concepts of Nature: Ancient and Modern.

Rowman & Littlefield.

Fiell P., Fiell C., 2019. 100 Ideas that Changed Design. Laurence King Publishing.

Franklin, K. and Till, C., 2018. Radical matter: rethinking materials for a sustainable future. Thames & Hudson Incorporated.

Giesecke, A. and Jacobs, N.M., 2015. Good Gardener?: Nature, Humanity and the Garden. Artifice Books on architecture.

Hager, M. 2018. Textures of the Anthropocene: Grain Vapor Ray. The MIT Press Hager, M, 2018. Textures of the Anthropocene: Vapor. The MIT Press

Halpern, D., 2015. Inside the nudge unit: How small changes can make a big difference. Random House.

Huston, J.P., Nadal, M., Mora, F., Agnati, L.F. and Conde, C.J.C. eds., 2015. Art, aesthetics, and the brain. OUP Oxford.

Mau, B. and Leonard, J., 2004. Massive Change.

McDonough, W. and Braungart, M., 2010.

Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the way we make things. North point press.

Norman, D.A., 2004. Emotional design: Why we love (or hate) everyday things.

Basic Civitas Books.

Packard, V. and Payne, R., 1957. The Hidden Persuaders. New York: McKay. Snell, R. J. and McGuire, S. F., 2016, Concepts of Nature: Ancient and Modern.

Lexington Books.

Steiner, F., Weller, R., McCloskey K., Fleming, B. eds., 2019. Design With Nature Now. Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.

Van Mensvoort, K. and Grievink, H.J. eds., 2011. Next Nature. Actar.

Walsh, L., Lentin, T. 2016. The Enlightenment. The Open University. Alden Group.

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Biermann, F. and Lรถvbrand, E. eds., 2019.

Anthropocene encounters: new directions in green political thinking. Cambridge University Press.

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Journals: Attfield, R., 1983. Christian attitudes to nature. Journal of the History of Ideas, 44(3), pp.369-386.

Balmford, A., Clegg, L., Coulson, T. and Taylor, J., 2002. Why conservationists should heed PokĂŠmon. Science, 295(5564), pp.2367-2367.

Cornell, N., The Aesthetic Toll of Nudging (December 31, 2015). Georgetown Journal of Law & Public Policy, Forthcoming.

Curtin, T., 2007. The Rise of Environmental Consciousness and Conscience. Managing Green Issues. Palgrave Macmillan, London Hansen, P.G., 2016. The definition of nudge and libertarian paternalism: Does the hand fit the glove?. European Journal of Risk Regulation, 7(1), pp.155-174.

Perry, S., 2012. Understanding Aesthetics.

Landscape Architecture Australia, (136), pp.19-20.

Rohr, C., 2003. Man and nature in the Middle Ages. Geschichte und Soziologie des Staates.

Rudwick, M., 2005. Picturing nature in the Age of Enlightenment. Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, 149(3), pp.279-303.

Solère, J.L., 1995. The ancient and medieval conception of nature. The concept of nature in science and theology; 1, pp.40-45.

Sustein, C. R., Thaler R. H, 2003. Libertarian Paternalism is not an Oxymoron.

University of Chicago Law. Team, B.I., 2014. EAST. Four Simple Ways to Apply Behavioural Insights.

Thaler, R.H. and Sunstein, C.R., 2003. Libertarian paternalism. American economic review, 93(2), pp.175-179.

Urwin, B. and Venter, M., 2014. Shock advertising: Not so shocking anymore. An investigation among Generation Y. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 5(21), pp.203-203 White, L., 1967. The historical roots of our ecologic crisis. Science, 155(3767), pp.1203-1207.

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Magazines:

Multimedia:

Blaczczyk, D., Krason, S ., 2019. Contemporary Lynx Magazine. Central Books Ltd.

Anthropozän - Das Zeitalter des Menschen.

(2020). [Online]. Directed by Jens Monath.

Germany: ZDF Mediathek [Viewed 10 April 2020].

Online Articles: Boreman, M.. 2018. Dealwatch: coffee.

The Times. viewed 2 April 2020. <https:// www.thetimes.co.uk/article/dealwatchcoffee-bg65kxbm8> Oosthoek, J. 2015. Romanticism in Nature. Environmental History Recources. viewed 29 April 2020. < https://www. eh-resources.org/romanticism-and-nature/> Sherriff, L.. 2019. Saving The Earth, One Cup Of Coffee At A Time. Forbes. viewed 2 April 2020. <https://www.forbes.com/ sites/ lucysherriff/2019/01/10/recycle-coffeecups-reusable/#39f7d8a2567b> Woodcock, A.. 2019. Plastic bag usage in supermarkets down 90 per cent since introduction of 5p charge in 2015. Independent. viewed 6 May 2020. <https://www. independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/plastic-bag-charge-supermarkets-figuresreduction-a9029996.html>

Image Credits p.26 Image © Garth Lenz , Industrial Landscape, 2010 p.46 ecoffee, n.d. photograph, viewed 3 June 2020, < https://www.forbes.com/sites/ lucysherriff/2019/01/10/recycle-coffee-cups-reusable/#39f7d8a2567b> p.50 Copyright © 2020 Meili Living, <https:// www.meili-living.com/shop/stainless-steel-bottle/>

How can we use aesthetic in an attempt to combat our current climate crisis?

leila wallisser

An investigation into our morphed relationship to nature in combination with behavioural influences of design.

Defined by the term Aesthetic Seduction, this book explores the potential of aesthetics as a subtle nudge for change.