Influence of emotions on web usability for users with motor disorders

Abstract

Emotions are related with many key cognitive processes during human computer interaction (HCI). The aim of this study was to validate usability recommendations depending on user profile, to check the effect of the emotional state on HCI and to compare physiological response analysis and questionnaires. 10 control users and 10 users with upper limb disorders were involved. An orthogonal design with seven usability parameters were used to generate 16 websites with different styles but with the same content. Galvanic skin response and facial electromyography on the corrugator supercilii and zygomaticus major muscles were used to assess emotional response, which are related to arousal and valence respectively; and user opinion was collected using a questionnaire. The results showed significant correlations between questionnaires and physiological signals, which are more sensitive to web parameters effect; and most of usability recommendations improve usability but only have a significant influence on users with motor disorders. © 2014 Springer International Publishing.