We have utilized the principles of ecological psychology in general, and its concept of "direct perception" (Gibson, 1966) in particular, to develop the Ecological Aesthetics Design (EAD) framework to explain how the ecology of a consumer influences his aesthetic judgment of a product. In the EAD framework, we have identified three ecologies (physical, socio-cultural and experience), which together, inform and influence a consumer's aesthetic judgment. Furthermore, based on findings from affective sciences, we show that aesthetic judgment itself is a form of direct perception, which actually is a nonconscious mode of gleaning a product's attributes (quality, function, etc.) through its appearance. The EAD approach provides a much needed framework for product designers to systematically determine the aesthetic requirements of a product for a specific group of consumers whose tastes, dispositions and attitudes are shaped by their ecology.
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