Un/Plugging into Life: Activating the Collective Identity Through the Musical Autonomy

How do individual headphones influence the socialization of a community through its shared environment? This research looks at portability, public and private spaces, types of devices, and change over time to formulate an understanding of peoples’ experience with others and music. Based on social findings and user interests, headphones have typically isolated the individual from public interaction. Design offers an opportunity to plug back into public life. The outcome of this investigation provides a hybrid of a shared yet personal space that encourages engagement via music to alleviate isolation.