The Comparative Study of Emotional Interaction Design of Empty Nesters in Urban and Rural Areas in China

Abstract

This paper studies the causes for the loneliness of empty-nesters in rural and urban areas in China, analyzes their loneliness-solving methods with different living habits and living environments, and lists their different ways of emotional interactions. The purpose of this study is to verify the differences in the emotional needs of empty nesters in rural and urban areas, providing reference value for the emotional interaction products of them, hence better communicating with surrounding people and things. Based on questionnaires and field interviews, this study analyzes how they vent loneliness and thus determines their emotional demands, and eventually design an emotional interaction model for the elderly. The study found that the differences in emotional needs of rural and urban empty-nesters are more reflected in neighborhood relations and entertainment ways. Attaching importance to these differences can better help distracting them from loneliness. The findings can also be applied to other product designs that relate to the elderly’s emotions.