The influence of emotion on number entry errors

Abstract

Given the proliferation of devices like infusion pumps in hospitals, number entry and in particular number entry error is an emerging important concern in HCI. There are clearly design features that could greatly improve accuracy in entering numbers but the context of the task could also play an important role. In particular, the emotional state of a person is known to strongly influence their response to a difficult situation and hence the errors that they make. In this paper, we consider the impact of the emotional state of the user on the accuracy with which people enter numbers. Our experiment shows that participants who are in a more positive emotional state are more accurate. The effect is small but could be very important when considering the potentially highly-charged emotional contexts where many healthcare devices are used.

Computer-Cognition Interfaces: Sensing and influencing mental processes with computer interaction

“…Previous studies have used commodity hardware sensors to detect affect, such as using keystroke dynamics [14] or smartphone usage [26,30]. However, these studies conducted extensive experiments lasting weeks to months, resulting in idiosyncratic models that require substantial per-user training to estimate affect effectively.…”

Conceptualizing the self: A critical analysis of the self as a discursive trend in human-computer interaction research

“…While Epp et al's (2011) research focused on the positive potentials of emotions (see also Cairns, Pandab, & Power, 2014;Conci, Pianesi, & Zancanaro, 2009;Harbich & Auer, 2005;Karapanos, Zimmerman, Forlizzi, & Martens, 2009;Salminen et al, 2008), other researchers explored the negative aspects of emotions. For example, Sas & Whittaker (2013) studied how people manage digital possessions that are no longer wanted and that are considered having a negative impact on the self and the self's interaction with computer systems.…”

Now Check Your Input

“…The first is that we show longer lockouts increase participants' feelings of frustration. This is potentially problematic because negative affective states reduce accuracy in number-entry tasks [9]. There are also practical issues with implementing lockouts.…”