This project examines the methods and personal narratives that product designers employ to embed emotional value in material objects through the design process. Through 17 interviews with professional designers across industries, the study uses thematic, coded analysis to explore how designers construct emotional narratives for product intention, utilize sensorial design choices, and navigate ambivalence regarding social impact. By shifting analytical attention from consumption to production, this project contributes to the sociology of material culture and design, arguing that emotional resonance is not an aesthetic or consumer bonus, but a distinct design labor embedded in the design process.

Completed as an undergraduate honors thesis in the NYU Sociology Honors Program, this research was presented at NYU's Undergraduate Research Conference (URC), where I was awarded the "Best Presenter Award. The project received financial support from the Dean's Undergraduate Research Fund.