How a Rounded Aesthetic Translates Beauty to Function and Prosociality: The Persuasive Effects of Warmth

• Shuer Zhuo

  Author

• Dr. Jeeyun Oh

  Author

The current study examines the key theoretical mechanism that underlies warm interface aesthetics—designs that evoke feelings of friendliness and comfort—with the aim to uncover their psychological impact on user perception and behavioral intention. We conducted an online experiment that varied corner shapes across the user interface components of a bill-split mobile app (rounded versus angular; N = 187), and we identified that curvature in the app design evoked greater perceived aesthetics and warmth, which subsequently increased perceived ease of use and user satisfaction. Further, we showed that the perceived warmth, which was evoked by the rounded app design, translated a visceral impact of beauty into users’ intentions to donate remaining funds to a local charity. Our findings expand the literature on human-computer interaction (HCI) with strategic communication to inform the persuasive design of digital interfaces in a way that optimizes the user experience of mobile apps for service providers and nudges users to act in the greater good.

• Full Text Article (PDF)

1. Shuer Zhuo

   Shuer Zhuo is a PhD candidate in the Stan Richards School of Advertising and Public Relations at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research explores how human–computer interaction intersects with consumer psychology, aiming to uncover the roles of emotions and interface design in trust building and persuasion.

2. Dr. Jeeyun Oh

   Dr. Jeeyun Oh earned a PhD from Penn State University and is an associate professor in the Stan Richards School of Advertising and Public Relations at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research focuses on how new media interfaces, affordances, and algorithms influence users’ cognitive and emotional processing of persuasive messages.