One of the problems with stress at work is the fact that it can creep up on you. But in the near future, analysis of workers’ typing and mouse movements may be able to alert us to problematic stress.
In the ETH Zurich study, led by Research Associate Mara Naegelin, a team of scientists monitored 90 subjects and performed typical office computer tasks, such as recording data and planning appointments, in a lab environment. Each participant’s heart rate was monitored while performing these activities, as well as mouse and keyboard manipulation behavior.
Additionally, while the control group worked undisturbed, other subjects had to attend job interviews or respond repeatedly to text messages at the same time. I asked
Those who reported being the most stressed tended to move their mouse more frequently and, although less accurately, to move longer distances on the screen. In contrast, those with less stress had shorter and more direct mouse movements, but also slower mouse movements.
Additionally, stressed subjects made more mistakes typing “fit and start”, whereas relaxed subjects paused less but made fewer mistakes. This result is consistent with what is known as the neuromotor noise theory.
“Increased stress levels negatively affect the brain’s ability to process information,” said study co-author psychologist Jasmine Carr. “This also affects our ability to exercise.”
Importantly, the stressed heart rate did not differ significantly from the relaxed heart rate.This finding suggests that monitoring typing and mouse activity is actually Better An indicator of increased stress.
Nagelin and colleagues are now using apps to collect more data by monitoring office workers’ computer activity, heart rate, and subjective stress levels. Scientists are quick to point out that commercial versions of the app should maintain user privacy by not recording sensitive data.
A paper on this study was recently published in Journal of Biomedical Informatics.
Source: ETH Zurich
