The Exploration Within the Printed Postcard
Date
2012-06
Authors
Houser, Julie Dawn
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Abstract
The objective of this thesis research is to promote the craft of tangible effort in
communication via the printed postcard. To write by hand takes effort. Does effort matter? Does creating by hand matter? The designer conducted research which shows how the emotional response to communication of the handwritten postcard measures to the emotional response of an update through a social medium, Twitter. These survey studies show that the average user tweets 4.4 times per day and yet rarely sends a handwritten postcard once a year. Yet, the average user places more value on the handwritten note and has more of an emotional attachment to the handwritten postcard. Marshall McLuhan (1967) states that “print technology created the public and electric technology created the mass” (p. 68). According to McLuhan, all media is an extension of some human faculty psychic or physical. If communication through the printed postcard is physical and communication via Twitter is psychic, does the emotional response to communication measure the same if sent through the mail via printed postcard form or sent digitally via Twitter? This research will reflect the importance of tangible effort used in communication.
Description
Keywords
Printed postcard, Social media, Twitter, Communication, Emotional, Design, United States Postal Service, Print, Digital, Tangible effort, Handwriting, Mail, Postage
Citation
Houser, J. D. (2012). <i>The exploration within the printed postcard</i> (Unpublished thesis). Texas State University-San Marcos, San Marcos, Texas.