Projects

Lab's own projects

Categorization in Viusal Perception and Action Formation

The project is implemented with the grant support (RScF 20-78-10055)

The categorization process allows the cognitive system to group objects to improve the efficiency of stroring and processing information. Two main areas can be distinguished in categorization research: the study of the categorization process as such and the study of the role of categorization in the formation of other cognitive process. The second area is closely related to the general tendency observed in modern psychology to avoid consideration of the low-level perception process and action formation as isolated from high-level processes, in particular, categorization. It is also related to the increased amount of empirical data on the influence of categorizaion on perceptual phenomena and the implementation of motor programs. Within the framework of the grant, it is planed to conduct a number of experiments with the use of hardware techniques (eye-tracking) with subsequent publication aimed at clarification of the role of categorization in perceptual processes and the formation of actions with obkects.

Status: in progress (2020–2023)

Online and Offline Personal Organizers Users' Working Memory and Attention Parameters (Stability and Switchability)

Due to the dynamic development of technologies, a situation in which a person resides in two systems at once: a real and digital one has arisen. These systems can also be designed as real and digital environments. The aim of many srudies of cognitive functions is to clarify the impact of digitalization on cognitive processes. However, there are few works that would aim to conduct a comparative study of cpgnitive mechanisms in real and digital environments. Our study tests the hypothesis of the influence of the environment type on the indicatiors of attention (stability and switchability) and working memory. We developed/adapted four methods aimed at fixing parameters of accuracy, differences depending on the task execution environment, which gave us grounds to continue working to clarify the mechanisms of this effect. It is worth noting that at the moment there are no formal theoretical and empirical bases in the field of environmental influence on the processes of attention and working memory. This fact pushes us to build an explanatory model and conduct a series of experiments within it.

The work is performed as a part of the 2nd and 3d years course work and as a thesis. In 2021 three studies will be conducted: each study is with design adjustment, adding specific hypotheses, and theorizing based on the empirical data and literature analysis.

Status: in progress

Distribution of Attention when Interacting with Mobile Devices

According to N. Lavie's theory of perceptual loading and D. Kahneman's resource theory, the presence of a large number of significant stimuli will lead to a deterioration in the perception of some of them. However, some modern studies involving new technologies have shown the opposite result with the improved attention distribution and the effectiveness of performing multiple tasks simultaneously in the presence of banners of advertising notifications. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of simultaneous execution of two tasks in the environment unsaturated and saturated with banners and notifications. It is assumed that even in the presence of the “‘banner blindness” penomenon, a notification-rich environment wil affect the distribution of attention and the effectiveness of problem solving.

This research was launched as a coursework. At the moment the plan of the research and design are being finalized, the hypothesis has been slighly changes in accordance with the results of the pilot study conducted earlier.

Status: in progress

The Impact of Emotional Information on the Manifestation of the “Banner Blindness” Phenomenon

Back in 1998, Benway empirically confirmed that 80% of users do not notice banner advertisement and interface object similar to them. Despite a large number of studies devoted to this phenomenon, the impact of emotional characteristics on its manifestation has not been previously studied. In our research, we studied the influence of valence that is a degree of positive or negative hues of the image, and arousal that is an intensity of experioencing an emotional reaction, on the manifestation of the phenomenon. After the experiment, no statistically significant differences were found fot the effect of arousal. At the same time, it was found that stimuli with a neutral valence are recognized better than those with negative and positive valence.

Status: in progress

The “Duckling Syndrome” as a Cognitive Distortion in User Interaction with the Interface

There are many articles related to the usability sphere that are devoted to various aspects of the computer or mobile interface. However, it is important to study the psychological characteristics of a user as they directly affect how a user interacts with the interface and how they evaluate it. The aim of this work is to study such an example of cognitive distortion as the “duckling syndrome” when a user interacts with different interfaces of the same application. The hypothesis is that a user prefers the interface design that they first interacted with because they subjectively consider it the best one. To confirm the hypothesis, a sample of 136 people was divided into four groups. Two groups were experimental: they worked with two different versions of the Airbnb app performing tasks as a part of usability testing. The other two groups that were the control groups, interacted with only one type of interface. The time interval between the first and second interactions was one week. During this period, the tasks to interact with the first type of interface were sent to form the user experience. To evaluate the interface, the subjects completed a System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire. After processing the questionnaire ratings, it was found that the old version of the interface is rated significantly higher than the new one, regardless of the type of presentation. Significant differences were also found for the control group that interacted with the new version of the app, whose second score was higher than the first. Thus, the research hypothesis was not confirmed, but some results still suggest that the “duckling syndrome” may exist.

Status: the first stage of the study is completed; the second stage is in progress

Accidential Findings in Visual Search

Accidential findings are objects that are not the original purpose of the search but have potential benefits. Initially, this phenomenon was extensively studied in radiology, but now the interest in it has increased among specialists from the fields of cognitive psychology and visual sciences. However, the lack of experimental research of “accidential findings” suggests to test and potentially to supplement already existing models in visual search. In particular, the aim of this project is to separate two experimental visual search paradigms for “accidential findings" and for “subsequent search misses”: these two effects that are very similar to each other.

Status: in progress

The Effect of Perceptual Loading on Banner Blindness

Banner blindness is a phenomenon in usability research that demonstrates that experienced Internet users tend to ignore banner ads on site pages, despite their presence. This challenges the effectiveness of modern advertising in general. Also, important elements of the site may be perceived by users as advertising and be ignored which will reduce the effectiveness of the entire web page.

N. Lavie’s theory of perceptual loading states that the perception of irrelevant stimuli decreases with increasing perceptual loading.

In our study, N.Lavie’s theory is applied to a problem, in which the subjects in environmental conditions perform a task on the online store website. We study the effect of perceptual load on banner blindness and suggest that the subjects in conditions of high perceptual load will be less likely to notice an advertising banner, despite its obvious presence.

Status: in progress

Creating Popular Science Content fot HSE UX LAB Social Media

This project allows students from the first years to take part in laboratory activities. The main goal of the project is to help students to develop basic research skills when working with scientific texts. Trainees learn to search for literature relevant to the laboratory's research topics, critically analyze it, and create popular science texts based on it. In addition, students master the basic skills of editing, proofreading, and preparing the text for publication.

Status: regular, starts every semester

Collaborations

Disposition of Context-Independent Information in Augmented Reality

Augmented reality (AR) glasses are not available to everyone at the moment but many companies and startups are working to make this technology available to all people. At the same time, the use of AR glasses is not limited to entertainment content intended for consumption at home. Users can also communicate with each other (calls, messengers, email), work with documents, use navigation, monitor physical activity, and much more. Thus, AR glasses can be used both in a safe environment, such as in offices, and in a less safe environment, such as on the street.

There are two ways to display the information displayed in the glasses:

• To incorporate it in the environment (for example, to display the route as arrows on the road) — this information is called context-sensitive;
• To display it over the real-world objects (for example, to show a calendar that may overlap part of the view) - this information is called context-independent because it cannot be placed in the context of the real world.

At the same time, not every display of context-independent information can be convenient and safe: it can lead to injuries if a person switches their attention between the environment and the interface on the go.

The aim of this research is to study how the various options for the disposition and presentation of context-independent information displayed in AR glasses affect the success of avoiding obstacles and working with this information.

Status: in progress

Completed projects

The effect of Categorical Superiority in the Subsequent Search Misses

“Subsequent search misses” is the effect of deterioration in the accuracy of finding the second target stimulus after the successful detection of the first. There are several theories which explain this phenomenon. Among the most popular is the theory of the perceptual attitude. It suggests that the first target stimulus finding has a special effect on how the subsequent search will be conducted. In particular, the perceptual characteristics of the first found stimulus will set the search for the second. However, the idea of a categorical attitude has also recently emerged. This idea suggests a similar effect of the first target stimulus category on the search for the second stimulus. The aim of this research is to study the role of both perceptual and categorical factors on the effect of “subsequent search misses”. The results of three experiments suggest a greater impact of the categorical identity of the stimuli rather than the influence of perceptual factors, however, the last ones also have some impact on the studied phenomenon.

Status: completed

Publications: under review

Perceptual Characteristics and Familiarity Factor of Stimulus in Visual Search for Interface Elements

The study examined the role of perceptual characteristics and the familiarity factor in the detection of a stimulus when solving the visual search problem as exemplified in interface elements. The "share" icons such as "Three dots" and "Outgoing tray" were used as the most widely used and most controversial among design practitioners. During the quasi-experiment, users of different platforms (Android and iOS) had to look for the target stimuli (one or two) among the distractors. The reaction time and the accuracy of finding the target stimuli were recorded. The influence of the familiarity of the stimulus on the effectiveness of solving the visual search problem was found to be consistent with the effects recorded in previous studies. The obtained results were discussed in the context of the theory of feature integration and the Gestalt theory of perception. The results of the study can be used in interface development practice.

Status: completed

Publications: under review