Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 21, 2026
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The Social Dimension of Stress: Experimental Manipulations of Social Support and Social Identity in the Trier Social Stress Test
Published on: November 19, 2015
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Social stress and performance in human-machine interaction: a neglected research field
Juergen Sauer1, Sven Schmutz1, Andreas Sonderegger1
1Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg , Fribourg , Switzerland.
Ergonomics
|August 8, 2019
Summary
Social stress in human-machine interaction is a growing concern with advanced automation. Research is needed to understand how social stressors, including those from machines, impact performance.
Area of Science:
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Cognitive Psychology
- Automation Studies
Background:
- Increasing automation capabilities necessitate addressing social stress in human-machine interaction (HMI).
- Existing research shows a lack of studies on social stressors' effects on performance, particularly experimental work.
- A gap exists between social stress literature and automation research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the need for research on social stress in HMI.
- To propose a classification system for social stress concepts in HMI literature.
- To review the suitability of social stressors for lab-based research, including hybrid teams.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of social stress and its impact on performance.
- Analysis of social stressors in human-human and human-machine contexts.
- Examination of stressor suitability for experimental laboratory settings.
Main Results:
- Paucity of studies on social stressors affecting performance, especially experimental ones.
- Shortage of research on social stress in hybrid teams with machine agents.
- Identification of three potential mechanisms (blank-out, rumination, increased motivation) linking social stress and performance.
Conclusions:
- Ergonomics and human factors fields can benefit from integrating social stress research.
- Further research is crucial to establish cause-effect relationships between social stress and performance in automated systems.
- Understanding machine-induced social stress is vital for designing effective HMI.
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