Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Affective Experiences

Abstract

The paper critically reflects on the meanings and research on affective experiences in digital mediated environments. Computing, media and design, communication as well as art and cultural products are significantly engaging with aspects of affect and emotions, arguably as a part of the ‘the affective turn’ (Clough 2007). The text considers discussions, initiated at the AHRC funded project ‘New Media, Audiences and Affective Experiences’. The project provided scope for new knowledge and skills development on researching experience and affect in digital mediated platforms and art interventions on the mentioned crossing disciplines. We regard affective experiences as the elusive factor that connects the fields and their practices, requiring attention and unfolding. The project aspired to reveal creative approaches across disciplines that ‘produce and describe’ affective experiences, illustrating how they synthesise and expand the notion of affect. The reflections entail a critical summary of the project’s interventions, including designers and practitioners’ perspectives on elaborating affective aspects in their work. Additionally, issues on multi and interdisciplinary research are considered with the paper portraying a selection of applied research methods for creating and measuring affect online and in research labs as well as the employment of design experimental approaches (see Figure 4). We conclude that some of our initial understanding of affective experiences has been assured; yet, foremost, this reflective paper highlights the complexities of creating, steering, experiencing and evaluating these types of experiences and their constant evolution with creative approaches and emerging technologies.