Product interaction sounds influence product personality

摘要

We report an experiment designed to test the hypothesis that the sonic interaction between the type of sole used in high-heeled shoes (polypropylene vs. leather) and the type of flooring (ceramic vs. carpet) influences the attribution of personality traits to the product sound. Forty-eight women walked down a 'virtual runway' while listening to the modified interaction sounds of shoe heels contacting the floor. After being exposed to each sound, the participants filled in a questionnaire to measure product sound personality traits and the valence associated with each sound. The results revealed that different personality traits were assigned to distinct product sounds with the floor material influencing the attribution of such characteristics. These results promote awareness of the relevance of designing the environments where users interact with products to shape product sound personality.