The Affect of Animated GIFs

GIFs are participants in the online culture of exchange, with some extent in dialogue with one another. Most GIFs combine a mesmerizing series that seem to recede from a central point in a looping animation. As the author puts it, "It is slightly hypnotic, inducing a new trance-like state almost immediately upon viewing." What's fascinating is how the GIF connects to the viewer as part of their environment and engaging the viewer's perceptions directly. Online production can function more than just a visual observation. The experience of animated GIFs are both personal and disposable as it creates an immersive, "numbing effect" by repeating over and over again. The internet gives the viewer so much freedom to determine how much time is spent on each piece. The experience is soley dependent on the viewer. Today, most people spend 8-10 hours on a computer. Although we live in such a technological environment, we seek to feel a connection through different mediums. Online artists who challenge the norm, but use standardized technology to influence individual human minds help shape our own cognitive processes.