People are affected by the photos they see of themselves and their loved ones. The person who displays the photos may or may not be aware of how others may feel about the photos they display. The people who are in the photos may be sensitive to how they are being portrayed, and those who are not in the photos may be sensitive to being excluded from the displayed photos. I hope to find out what people’s experiences are with the displayed photos they grew up with and how they might be emotionally/psychologically affected by being included and excluded from photos. Additionally, I am interested in learning if cultural backgrounds have any bearing on their perceptions and understanding. I hypothesize that individuals from collectivist cultures will be more sensitive to inclusion/exclusion in displayed photos compared to those from individualistic cultures. I also hypothesize that people who are included in displayed photos will report higher levels of positive emotional response compared to those who are excluded.

The final product will be a workshop (preferably at Humber College’s Showcase 2025) discussing case studies from this project that will resonate with learners.