Influence of Multisensory Attributes on Emotional Responses Across Fashion Fabrics: Integrating Color Visual and Material Tactile Perception

Abstract

This study investigates how visual and tactile properties of fabrics independently and interactively influence emotional responses across four perceptual dimensions: warm–cool, calm–activity, masculine–feminine, and dislike–like. Sixty fabric samples were evaluated using CIE L*a*b* color parameters and PhabrOmeter-based tactile measurements. Twenty-five participants with backgrounds in design, textiles, or related fields assessed the samples under three perceptual conditions: visual-only, tactile-only (blind touch), and combined visual-tactile. Emotional responses were rated using semantic differential scales. Regression analyses showed that color attributes were dominant predictors in most dimensions. Tactile properties—such as smoothness and resilience—exerted significant effects in the warm–cool and masculine–feminine dimensions, either complementing or modulating visual impressions. Integrated models combining visual and tactile inputs improved predictive accuracy substantially for temperature and gender perceptions. Notably, exploratory interaction effects such as a* × resilience revealed how tactile cues can alter the emotional impact of color in material-dependent ways. In contrast, perceptions of activity and preference remained largely governed by visual input alone. These findings provide a layered understanding of emotional fabric perception, suggesting that while color primarily guides overall impressions, tactile attributes selectively refine or reshape affective responses. The study contributes to multisensory perception theory and offers practical guidance for emotionally informed textile and product design.