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Physiological changes during computer tasks: responses to mental load or to motor demands?
1IfADo-Institute of Occupational Physiology, Dortmund, Germany.
Ergonomics
|February 1, 1996
Summary
Physiological measures like heart rate and skin conductance can indicate user strain during computer work. However, motor activity, like typing speed, has minimal impact on these measures at typical computer task levels.
Area of Science:
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Psychophysiology
- Cognitive Ergonomics
Background:
- Cardiac and electrodermal measures are commonly used to assess user strain in computer work.
- The influence of concurrent motor activity on these physiological measures is often overlooked.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of motor demands and mental load on physiological indicators of user strain.
- To determine the conditions under which motor activity influences physiological responses during computer tasks.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments were conducted, varying motor demands (keystroke speed) and mental load (synchronization accuracy or memory load).
- Physiological measures, including skin conductance and heart period, were recorded during a compensatory keystroke task.
Main Results:
- Physiological measures were significantly affected by motor activity only at very high typing speeds.
- At lower motor activity levels, physiological responses were primarily influenced by mental load.
- Skin conductance response frequency indicated emotional aspects of mental load, while mean heart period reflected attentional aspects.
Conclusions:
- Motor activity's physiological effects can be disregarded in typical computer tasks with keystroke intervals of 300 ms or longer.
- Mental load is a more significant determinant of physiological strain than motor activity in common computer use scenarios.