Tracking stress via the computer mouse? Promises and challenges of a potential behavioral stress marker

Abstract

Computer mouse tracking offers a simple and cost-efficient way to gather continuous behavioral data and has mostly been utilized in psychological science to study cognitive processes. The present study extends the potential applicability of computer mouse tracking and investigates the feasibility of using computer mouse tracking for stress measurement. Drawing on first empirical results and theoretical considerations, we hypothesized that stress affects sensorimotor processes involved in mouse usage. To explore the relationship between stress and computer mouse usage, we conducted a between-participant field experiment in which N = 994 participants worked on four mouse tasks in a high-stress or low-stress condition. In the manipulation check, participants reported different stress levels between the two conditions. However, frequentist and machine learning data analysis approaches did not reveal a clear and systematic relationship between mouse usage and stress. These findings challenge the feasibility of using straightforward computer mouse tracking for generalized stress measurement.

Keywords: Behavior; Computer mouse; Machine learning; Measurement; Stress; Tracking.

Fig. 1

Screenshot of the counting task

Fig. 2

Screenshot of the point-and-click task. Translation of instructions above the black-framed playing field: Click on the circle (in bold); remaining trials: 17 out of 17

Fig. 3

Screenshot of the drag-and-drop task. Translation of instructions above the black-framed playing field: Drag the circle into the square (in bold); remaining trials: 12 out of 12

Fig. 4

Screenshot of the slider task. Translation of instructions above the black-framed playing field: Drag the white square onto the gray square (in bold); remaining trials: 12 out of 12

Fig. 5

Screenshot of the follow-the-circle task. Translation of instructions: Follow the circle with the mouse cursor (in bold); Task starts as soon as the mouse cursor moves inside the circle and ends after: 25 s

Fig. 6

Flowchart of the experimental procedure

Fig. 7

Visualization of the mouse usage behavior of a sample participant in the drag-and-drop task. The rectangular frame represents the computer screen. The dots represent single mouse data points. Mouse movement data points are chronologically ordered from purple to yellow. Mouse clicks are represented by black dots