Tangible Reflections: Supporting Men’s Mental Health Through Data Physicalization
Sharon Rojas
Project Summary
Despite growing awareness of mental health, many men continue to struggle with emotional expression, often constrained by cultural norms and societal expectations. Sharon Rojas’s thesis explores how data physicalization and personal informatics, grounded in human-centered design, can offer alternative ways for men to reflect on and express their emotions—particularly in the context of social media use.
Focusing on male university students aged 18–25, the study investigates how tangible, interactive representations of emotional data can disrupt habitual digital consumption and prompt deeper introspection. The project uses a three-phase methodology: 1) semi-structured interviews to understand current behaviors and barriers, 2) collaborative prototyping with designers, and 3) parallel user testing of multiple physicalization prototypes.
By connecting self-tracking with material interaction, the research contributes novel insights into designing for emotional wellbeing, gendered experiences, and reflective interaction. It integrates the KARA model (Knowledge, Awareness, Reflection, Action), created by Jimenez (2014), to guide intervention without demanding behavior change, prioritizing self-awareness and emotional literacy over correction.
Keywords: Data Physicalization, Men’s Mental Health, Emotional Expression, Personal Informatics, Human-Centered Design, Social Media Reflection, Tangible Interaction
