Abstract
This study explores how an immersive coffee tasting experience, integrating sensory design and mindfulness guidance can evoke participants’ psychological transformation and embodied engagement. Thematic analysis identified five interconnected stages: sensory unfolding, immersive perception, mindfulness experience, internal transformation, and behavioral intention. Findings indicate that participants initially heightened their awareness of sensory details—such as the materiality of cups, ambient sounds, and aromas—then entered a state of focused immersion, experiencing emotional resonance and self-reflection through mindfulness. This led to a reinterpretation of meanings and renewed connectedness with the material and social environment. The proposed “Psychological Transformation Model of Immersive Sensory Experience” illustrates the progression from sensory engagement to mindful awareness and internalized connection. The study suggests that integrating mindfulness and multisensory design strategies can transcend consumer– brand boundaries, cultivating “more-than-human” experiences that reconnect humans with the lifeworld.
Keywords
Immersive experience design; Mindfulness-based strategy; Psychological transformation; More-than-human experience
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.572
Citation
Huang, Y.,and Huang, D.(2025) Designing Psychological Transformation: Qualitative Insights from Immersive Coffee Tasting, in Chang, C.-Y., and Hsu, Y. (eds.), IASDR 2025: Design Next, 02-05 December, Taiwan. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.572
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Track 1 - More Than Human-centered Design
Designing Psychological Transformation: Qualitative Insights from Immersive Coffee Tasting
This study explores how an immersive coffee tasting experience, integrating sensory design and mindfulness guidance can evoke participants’ psychological transformation and embodied engagement. Thematic analysis identified five interconnected stages: sensory unfolding, immersive perception, mindfulness experience, internal transformation, and behavioral intention. Findings indicate that participants initially heightened their awareness of sensory details—such as the materiality of cups, ambient sounds, and aromas—then entered a state of focused immersion, experiencing emotional resonance and self-reflection through mindfulness. This led to a reinterpretation of meanings and renewed connectedness with the material and social environment. The proposed “Psychological Transformation Model of Immersive Sensory Experience” illustrates the progression from sensory engagement to mindful awareness and internalized connection. The study suggests that integrating mindfulness and multisensory design strategies can transcend consumer– brand boundaries, cultivating “more-than-human” experiences that reconnect humans with the lifeworld.