Identifying Stress-Inducing Elements of User Interfaces: A Literature Review

Stress can arise even with the effective use of a product, and it can cause negative emotions and affect the mind and body in different ways. This study focuses on stress caused by interacting with digital products and which specific elements of user interfaces could induce stress and result in its known negative consequences. Previous studies and cases discussing some relation between user interfaces and stress were reviewed to identify elements that could cause stress to users while interacting with digital products. After merging similar and overlapping concepts, eleven final stress-inducing elements associated to 4 different categories (User Experience, Usability, Psychophysiology of Stress and Interface Visual Design) were identified, defined and exemplified: Content Overload, Service Instability, Low level of Attractiveness, Lack of Control, Low level of Safety, Low Usability, Unpredictability, Uncertainty, Unfamiliarity, Judgment or social evaluation threat and Poor Visual Design. This set of elements could help design better interfaces while taking into consideration users’ mental and emotional state.