The study found that people typing and mousing while being exposed to stressful situations like a job interview or responding to text messages moved their mouse less precisely and more frequently than the control group that was left in peace. Those non-stressed participants made slower, shorter and more direct mouse movements.
Can your keyboard and mouse tell if you’re stressed out?
Answer: Not yet, but one day they could.
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Your office equipment might one day be able to warn you if you’re getting too stressed at work. A study conducted by ETH Zurich found that keyboarding and mousing behavior is an effective way to gauge stress levels of office workers.
The study found that people typing and mousing while being exposed to stressful situations like a job interview or responding to text messages moved their mouse less precisely and more frequently than the control group that was left in peace. Those non-stressed participants made slower, shorter and more direct mouse movements.
They were also found to be more relaxed on their keyboards, taking longer but fewer pauses and making fewer mistakes. The stressed group, on the other hand, made more mistakes and typed in “fits and starts.” Additionally, the study found that the participants’ heart rates remained mostly unchanged between the control group and the stressed group, suggesting that this could be a more effective way of detecting stress.
The study found that people typing and mousing while being exposed to stressful situations like a job interview or responding to text messages moved their mouse less precisely and more frequently than the control group that was left in peace. Those non-stressed participants made slower, shorter and more direct mouse movements.
