THE IMPACT OF THE MODEL`S GAZE DIRECTION ON THE USER EXPERIENCE

The direction of a model's gaze in a photo can have varying effects on how users perceive an interface. The psychological state of the person in the image can be interpreted by viewers by focusing on the model's gaze. In advertising, however, gaze direction plays a different role, as it can guide the viewer’s attention to specific elements as intended by the designer. This paper aims to explore whether the model's gaze direction influences user experience. For the research, a prototype of an online store was developed, featuring a model whose gaze is directed left, right, and straight ahead in different photos. An eye-tracking camera was used to monitor eye movement during the study. The results are displayed as heat maps, highlighting the areas of the interface that received the most attention and were viewed for the longest time.