Encouraging the Practice of Filial Piety through Designed Objects

Abstract

The thesis explores the didactic potential that product design has to change behaviors and improve interpersonal relationships. These works were created as a response to the decline of "filial piety" among Chinese immigrants in the US. "Filial piety" is the responsibility of each person to respect their parents, obey them, and provide material and physical care to them as they age. It is a virtue to be held above all others in Confucian ideals. "filial piety" is highly honored and legally mandated in China (Sung, 2000), whereas in the US it is more of an individual choice (Luo, 2007). The first generation of immigrants who grew up in China feel strongly obligated to take care of aging parents while the second generation is more likely to have American attitudes and respect the spirit of independency and individualism. "Three-generation cohabitation" is the traditional household arrangement in Chinese societies. However, younger generations tend to be resistant to this living arrangement and of taking direct care of their aging parents (Luo, 2007). Modernization or industrialization has caused substantial changes in the work-life balance of many workers; as a result, the practice of filial piety has become more difficult (Cowgill, 1986). Three designed objects, Virtual Window, Motion Activated Message Chair and GPS Cane were created to address the missed emotional attachment in long distance parent-adult child relationships where technology is facilitating communication. The pieces are meant to serve as "Critical Design" (Dunne, 1999) to reveal insights about immigrants' lives rather than serve as commercial products.